At Heritage Academy, they call Brandon Bell “The Beast.”
Heritage Academy football coach Brad Butler compares his rising senior to a bull, which is fitting because of his 6-foot-1, 230-pound frame.
Bell is more likely to run at, over, or through a defender when running the option or quarterback counters and traps.
No fakes here. Straight ahead. Get in his way? Prepare yourself.
His teammate, Cade Lott, is a 6-2 a rising junior. He more closely resembles a college receiver because of his long, athletic body, which allows him to duck and to dodge defenses.
But Lott needs a nickname.
Which quarterback will start this fall?
With the success of the school”s baseball team, which advanced to the Class AAA, Division II playoffs, and the school”s golf team, which won the Class AAA state title, the Patriots have had limited time in the spring season to have everyone on the field in an attempt to address that question.
At 3:15 p.m. today, Butler will try to get a better idea of how his team will look with both players leading the way when Heritage Academy plays an intrasquad scrimmage.
“We”re going to play them both,” Butler said, aiming to reach the playoffs for the first time in his tenure. The Patriots haven”t reached the playoffs since 2005. Last season, they missed the postseason by several defensive points due to a three-way tie with Magnolia Heights and Washington School.
“We lost by about two points, so it was a real disappointment,” Lott said. “It gave us a little motivation to step it up this fall.”
Depending on the play, Bell and Lott will share quarterback duties, much like they did last year in less-than-perfect situations. There were times Lott played receiver before moving to quarterback, and Bell moved to running back when an injury depleted the backfield.
On the Patriots” second offensive play of the fourth game last season, Bell dislocated his left foot and tore ligaments. From there, Lott took over. He played as well as he could given the limited number of repetitions he received, Butler said.
The football staff needed a couple of games to figure out the best way to utilize Lott”s talents. Things started to click late in the season, as Heritage Academy defeated Washington School and Clarksdale Lee. Lott enjoyed his best game against Washington, throwing for 250 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for another score in a 30-10 win.
But it took too long to figure out what to run and not run to save the 2010 season, which ended at 5-6, Butler said.
Bell, now healed, expects this fall to be different.
“We”re going to be a lot better than last year,” Bell said. “We”re going to be really good. We”re really quick. We”ve got a ton of fast people. The line is going to be great. It”s going to be a good year.”
Bell is one of 19 returning players. As many as 18 of those players started at some point last season. The Patriots lost six seniors.
Bell is the favorite to start at quarterback. He took over for Lott after transferring from Caledonia High. That”s OK, said Lott, who would likely be one of Bell”s main targets downfield.
“I”ll play anywhere coach wants me to play,” Lott said. “Brandon”s a great athlete. He could play any position he wanted to.”
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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