Cleveland Blue Raiders Hoping More Size Leads to More Physicality

Cleveland, TN-(WDEF-TV) After missing out on the playoffs in 2016, Cleveland bounced back last season with a 7-4 record and a berth in the post-season. The Blue Raiders can turn a game into a track meet with their team speed, but they’re hoping a little more physicality will pay off this fall.

Cleveland has been noted for their speed in recent years, but now they’ve added some much needed size.
Said head coach Scott Cummings:”Offensive line will average about 6’2, 270 as an average. Defensive front has got good size too.”
Said offensive lineman Alex Williams:”The last three years we’ve had guys, but not as big as what I’m seeing right now. Our O’line this year I think we are the toughest that have come through Cleveland for my four years here.”
Said Cummings:”Eventually you are going to come across somebody that’s just going to be really physical and really weight room strong. You’ve got to have the size and the depth to be able to hold up to that challenge.”
The Blue Raiders put up a lot of points last year, but they also gave up a lot of points.
They’ve got a new defensive coordinator to go along with a tougher mentality.
Said defensive end Wilson Benefield:”We’ve been busting our humps to be more physical, which is something that we have been lacking the past couple of years. It was time for a change so we’ve got on our big boy pants.”
Said Cummings:”And now we are going to a 3-3 stack look that’s very simple. But it does afford us the ability to get an extra hat in the box against the run.”
Coach Cummings can’t help but give an atta baby to quarterback Jackson Moore.
Said Cummings:”He has gone through a lot of hardships to get to this point. Two years ago, he was the third quarterback that ended up breaking his arm and having a plate and 12 screws put in it. And then pre-season last year, he ended up breaking his lower leg and missed all of that season. But Jackson Moore is a kid that our kids know what he has been through, and they can kind of rally around him.”