The 2024 High School Football season kicks off on Labor Day weekend. It used to be that the opening day of practice was a really big deal. Now with the year round nature of the sport, it's not as big but still when the whistle blows on Day 1, it's a sign that the heat of summer is about to give way to the sounds of fall. As we approach 2024, here's what's new, what's not and what to watch.
What's new: The biggest what's new is that this season begins with a different head coach at Floyd County for the first time in 41-years. Winfred Beale called it a career earlier this year, leaving Floyd with a 236 - 197 - 4 career record. He's a certain VHSL Hall-of-Famer and twice his teams finished state runner-up. In his place steps former Christiansburg coach Tim Cromer. Cromer was serving as the athletic director at Christiansburg, but just couldn't cure the coaching bug. Ironically enough, his first game is at Christiansburg.
And speaking of Christiansburg, Alex Wilkens resigned after 5 years in which he re-built Christiansburg. He hands it off to his offensive coordinator Matt Herron. Herron played Quarterback for Jim Hickam at Northside and gets his first opportunity as a head coach.
Former Northside and two-time state championship coach Burt Torrance gave up his coaching job at Rustburg to move into an administrative position as an assistant principal at the school. Dustin Russell moves up from assistant coach.
There's an expansion team in the State this season. The population growth in the Harrisonburg area caused Harrisonburg City Schools to build a new school to relieve overcrowding at Harrisonburg High School. Rocktown High School opens its doors this fall as a member of Region 3C and with a schedule that includes Hedgesville High School from the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia and a trip to Lord Botetourt.
In addition to Cromer at Floyd County, and Herron at Christiansburg, Stephen Costello officially becomes the head coach at Appomattox after twice serving as an interim coach while former coach Doug Smith battled cancer. Micah Knight moves up from an assistant position at Dan River, Seth Greer becomes the first former Carroll County player to become head coach at the school and there are three big changes in far southwest Virginia. At Hoanker Shane Wicks takes over the top spot, Hunter Morris is the new coach at Lebanon and Ronnie Davis is the new coach at Richlands. Davis is a former Richlands assistant coach and a former Athletic Director at Graham. He has his work cut out for him, Richlands went winless for the first time in school history last season.
What's not: There's a feeling that the long time coaches of the past, the Joel Hicks, Willis White's, Jim Hickam's and Norm Lineburg's of the world are dinosaurs. The low pay, the year round demands of the job and dealing with parents drive many a football lifer out of the profession. The numbers however don't support that theory. In just the Blue Ridge District alone, Lord Botetourt's Jamie Harless enters his 16th year, Northside's Scott Fisher his 9th, Staunton River's Shaun Leonard his 6th, William Byrd's Brad Lutz his 16th, and J.R. Edwards his 16th. Other coaches with long tenures include Giles Jeff Williams beginning his 17th year, Magna Vista's Joe Faverro his 16th, Narrows Kelly Lowe his 21st, Hidden Valley's Scott Weaver his 16th, Liberty Christian's Frank Rocco his 18th, George Wythe's Brandon Harner in his 11th, Grayson County's Stephen James in his 19th season, Allegheny's Will Fields his 19th, and Glenvar's Kevin Clifford his 21st. The three longest tenured: Patrick Henry's Alan Fidler starting his 24th, Heritage's Brad Bradley his 25th; and Nelson County's Jack Baker his 26th.
Old faces, same places. Make no mistake that the traditional powers will remain that way. Salem just reloads. Coach Don Holter has a State Championship and an 85% winning percentage on his resume. Liberty Christian returns the top rusher in the state and Graham has long been one of the best teams in the State but coach Tony Palmer has unleashed a powerhouse. The G-Men won a state title in 2022, lost in the semi-finals to eventual champion Radford last year and return a large portion of that team looking for another State Championship.
And the top two returning passers in the entire Commonwealth are within just an hour of each other in Southwest Virginia. Honaker's Peyton Musick threw for 3,343 yards and 48 touchdowns last year while Tazewell's Carter Creasy threw for 3,183 yards and 36 Touchdowns.
What to Watch: After William Byrd ended Lord Botetourt's run of Blue Ridge District titles in 2023, is it William Fleming's turn or are the reports of Botetourt's decline premature? Is Liberty Christian ordained to go back-to-back in Class-3?, and can Liberty find a way to win a game? The Minutemen are coming off back-to-back 0-10 seasons and last year scored just 6 points for the entire season.
Tee it up men and have a season