CanesInSight HS Tour: Westminster

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Tito Benach

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Practice Observations:

-The first thing you have to notice about the Westminster football team is the number of players they have. Westminster holds maybe 25-30 football players on the entire roster ranging from Freshmen to Seniors, so many would hold concerns for the team's depth and ability to play against tough opponents with large numbers. However, this team is talented from head-to-toe with many athletes.

Head Coach Sedrick Irvin talked about what it's like coaching this team and how he manages to work with number of given kids.

"The thing about working with these young guys is that they are so talented. See people don't understand that here, I only have twenty six guys on Varsity, so I call what we play 'Ironman football.' My skill guys, they're just not corner backs, they're safeties, they're outside linebackers then they got to play receiver and gotta play running back. So, we're doing a good job of individual drills, working on small things that will make you explosive, make you quicker coming out of your breaks, good hips and good hand-eye coordination. All these guys can run and catch the ball and I'm blessed to have it."

-Westminster's offense is where I feel they will be the most successful. Last year, 2014 QB Hunter Boyett was sidelined for a long time with a shoulder injury that caused Westminster to simply rely on it's playmakers in Irvin and Cronkrite. Now with Boyett back, this offense could be a force to be reckoned with. Boyett doesn't get much publicity and recognition as some other top QB's in South Florida, but he certainly can compete with every single one of them. Boyett has a nice arm and uses his feet well in the pocket. Coach Irvin believes that Boyett will help this offense reach new heights by simply putting the ball in the place where the athletes can make the plays.

"Before I talk about any of the playmakers, I'm gonna tell you what makes this team go and it's Hunter Boyett. I got nothing against these other quarterbacks, the Sean White's, but if you ask me what makes that guy get an Auburn offer and not my guy? My guy has all the tools and can make all the throws, but like I told him 'This is your year, you got the best athletes around you.' We were at the USF camp recently, and they had the quarterback from Wharton (Chase Litton), and a quarterback from Georgia who is supposed to be top ranked and this guy went 12-0, made all the rights throws and made all the big plays. So, he is the one who makes this team go, he is the guy, he is a great leader, he works his tail off."

Miami Prospects:

- I know for some there is a concern that Tim Irvin hasn't reached a "prototypical height," but I still don't see that being an issue with him. Irvin has gotten bigger in terms of weight and has grown about an inch with another year remaining. As far as play wise, Irvin retains all the quick cuts, speed and catching ability he had before with the added weight now. Irvin is one of the more exciting players in South Florida and can break a big play on either side of the ball. Coach Irvin thinks highly of Tim and truly believes he is the best, if not one of the best players in the nation for his class.

"Tim to me is the best talented skill guy in the country, and why do you say country coach? Because I've been a recruiter before and I've been at Alabama before when we were ranked #1 two years in a row and recruiting, so I know how to judge talent and there is nothing like that kid. This kid here is your running back, he's your receiver, he's your punt returner, he's your linebacker, he's your corner and has technique at every position and not just that but he will hit you in your mouth. So, he is that guy."

-Definitely another playmaker on this team has to be 2015 ATH Jordan Cronkrite. Cronkrite has really filled out his frame this summer since last season and is around 200 pounds right now. Cronkrite plays mostly running back and safety for the Warriors and is excellent on both sides, as he has good quickness and great strength. What I think people fail to see in Cronkrite when playing on the offensive side of the ball is his running power. Most would figure that since he plays both sides of the ball, Cronkrite would eventually get exhausted and wear out, but when watching him run with the ball, it's almost like he has a battery in his lower back. He runs with so much power and so much strength that it almost surprises defenders. His cuts are smooth and he runs fearlessly which isn't a trait all running backs are blessed with. Defensively, Cronkrite has as much an impact as anyone. He makes a lot of plays in the run game by running up and laying a hit on the ball carrier and has good hips so coverage isn't a concern with him.

Coach Irvin described how hard Cronkrite plays and his work ethic this offseason.

"Jordan is a tough kid, very athletic kid a hard working kid. He is a weight room maniac and just a good kid with good talent. Once again, he is your outside linebacker, he's your safety, he can play receiver and he is a very good running back."

- The most recent addition to Westminster's offense was a big one, literally, in Devonaire Clarington. The first thing that pops out to me about Clarington is his great size. Clarington is about 6'4" and has a good frame with very large hands. Clarington has good hands and uses his body well to make catches over his defender. The area where Clarington needs to show development is his speed.

"Devonaire Clarington, to me, you know I played with Plaxico Buress at Michigan State and he's more talented then Plaxico Burress was at this stage easily. A guy that's around 6'6, the only problem that he lacks is his 0-5 speed. If he can pick up his speed from 0 to 5, you got him being a real receiver. I know everybody is thinking tight end, but I mean he can drop his weight like any guy, his hands are very soft, he comes out of his breaks well and his leaping ability. He's got be a guy with a 38' inch vertical and he is 6'6 so that's gonna be a big advantage for us."

-Other possible prospects down the road for Westminster include two 2015 defensive playmakers in Tobias Moss and Trey Sutton and a 2016 athlete in Elbre Gaiter. Moss is a projected corner and stands around 5'10", 180 pounds and has shown a lot of promise at that position. He has good hips and combining him with a secondary of Irvin and Cronkrite will force a QB to pick one of the three to throw to. Moss also contributes on the offensive side of the ball as a receiver. Sutton's father played for UM (James Sutton) and he is taking a similar role for this Warrior's defense as he is the MLB as well as an occasional DE and TE. Finally, Elbre Gaiter is a young athlete who shows flashes of being a dynamic player in the future. Gaiter has track speed and is a good corner back with good coverage skills, he stands at 5'7" 170 but still has time to grow and is making plays with his current height.

Coach Irvin broke all these players down and how they contribute to the team

"Tobias Moss is gonna be one of the best pure corners here. Good hips, good feet, good hand-eye coordination. His nickname is Smooth, I just gave it to him this morning. He is just a good kid man."

"We have Elbre Gaiter, the son of Tony Gaiter. Just talented, the kids gets an offer from USF based off of 7-on -7. Why? Because you saw his route running, you saw his catching ability and then you saw him on defense, you saw him catching interceptions and his coverage in man on man. If you don't want him on either side, he can help you on special teams."

"Another Cane Dad that I went to school with was James Sutton and his son Trey Sutton will probably be better then his dad. He's a defensive end, he is a linebacker, he can come on defense or offense playing tight end or fullback."

Overall, before the spring started started I called Westminster one of my "sleeper teams" to surprise people this year. But from looking at a talent standpoint, there is no need to underestimate this team at all and call them a "sleeper." They have pure athletes on the roster from top to bottom and Coach Irvin has coached those 22 guys who play to be able withstand over a hundred plays. I'm not afraid to say this team is going to be a threat in their district, it's a matter of putting all their athletes in the places to make plays.
 
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For a schools who's never even won their District their HC does scream for attention way to much
 
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He recruited there (for them) he said.. So if he is speaking in past tense he can say 'we'... No problem in that
 
Interesting that Sedrick uses "we" when talking about Alabama.

Wonder if he has ill wills against us since he never got to come here
Don't think that has anything to do with it. He played for, and coached under Nick Saban. That's as far as it goes.

Besides we were on probation when he came out of high school, so there weren't many scholarships to go around. Butch took Edgerrin James, and Sedrick balled out at Michigan St.
 
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