West Charlotte vs Independence!!!

[redhill1300]

Butler, Wake Forest, Vance, Hough and Creek. for sure. Indy had Tommy, he wins no matter what. Btango can probably tell you more about Indy. Who are the 9 D1 players on defense with WC?

Thanks for this, I forgot about those Wake Forest squads too. The main comparison I see get drawn is old Chambers squads. The players I saw are:

• Xavier Porter (FCS recruit)
• Sincere Daye (FCS recruit)
• Elijah Littlejohn (4 star high major FBS recruit)
• Mike Griffin (3 star high major FBS recruit)
• Davion Jones (4 star high major FBS recruit)
• Rakim Finch (high major FBS recruit)
• Sam Johnson (G5 FBS & FCS recruit)
• Micah Walker (FBS recruit)
• KD Cotton (3 star high major FBS recruit)
• Donte Nicholson (G5 FBS & FCS recruit)

 

[nepsy7]

Thanks for this, I forgot about those Wake Forest squads too. The main comparison I see get drawn is old Chambers squads. The players I saw are:

• Xavier Porter (FCS recruit)
• Sincere Daye (FCS recruit)
• Elijah Littlejohn (4 star high major FBS recruit)
• Mike Griffin (3 star high major FBS recruit)
• Davion Jones (4 star high major FBS recruit)
• Rakim Finch (high major FBS recruit)
• Sam Johnson (G5 FBS & FCS recruit)
• Micah Walker (FBS recruit)
• KD Cotton (3 star high major FBS recruit)
• Donte Nicholson (G5 FBS & FCS recruit)

Trent Simpson: Clemson
CJ Mcray: Cincinatti
Josh Ilaoa: Syracuse
Quentin Williams: Miami
Parker Moore: West Virginia
Arabee Muslim: UNCC
Keydrell Lewis: San Jose State
JT Whitmore: Campbell
Jaiydn Denis: Memphis
Kendrin Smith: Penn & UVA
Shamar Baker: NCCU
Jacob Roberts: NCA&T/Wake Forest
Adonis Henderson: Gardner Webb
Elijah Culp: Austin Peay, Troy, UNCC/?
Uriah Greene: South Florida
Casey Kelly: Ole Miss
Along with over 10, D2 players

The above lost in the playoffs! 2011 had numerous D1 players. 3 future NFL players and 4 future CFL players, they lost also. . The 2 teams would have made WC look like a middle school team. That's why I said in my previous post. Slow down man! That's not even including the NFL size DL with Jordan Davis, that lost also.

With the portal and Juco guys going into college as freshmen. Those guys only have offers. No telling where they will actually land end of season.

 

[InfoMan25]

Offers are relative - there are a ton more offers thrown around now than 10-15 years ago for sure.

For your WC list, Rakim and Donte only play receiver on offense. There's some embellishment on those classifications in parentheses, but they are definitely talented for sure.

 

[bigdadd11103]

Would say WC has more college talent than any team in the city besides MC and Hough right now. That list is good but there's much more talent there and incoming at WC. Would say WC 2025 will be very similar to those old Indy/ MC teams. The big difference in judging IMHO is schedule. Indy nor those MC teams never played a regular season sked that compares with WC 2025. If WC goes 9-1, 10-0, or 8-2 regular season with that sked and wins the 8A ship they'll be one of the All time greats in NC EVER!

WC defense in 2024 was elite. They should be better in 2025. The sked is just super tough. Grimsley, Monroe, southpointe to start, then a conference with MC, INdy, BUtler, and Chambers. All 7 could be top 25 in the Carolinas. Waiting in Chambers/Butler reports before seeing where they land.

 

[nepsy7]

Would say WC has more college talent than any team in the city besides MC and Hough right now. That list is good but there's much more talent there and incoming at WC. Would say WC 2025 will be very similar to those old Indy/ MC teams. The big difference in judging IMHO is schedule. Indy nor those MC teams never played a regular season sked that compares with WC 2025. If WC goes 9-1, 10-0, or 8-2 regular season with that sked and wins the 8A ship they'll be one of the All time greats in NC EVER!

WC defense in 2024 was elite. They should be better in 2025. The sked is just super tough. Grimsley, Monroe, southpointe to start, then a conference with MC, INdy, BUtler, and Chambers. All 7 could be top 25 in the Carolinas. Waiting in Chambers/Butler reports before seeing where they land.

Numbers are super low for workouts at Butler, along with chatter that Glenwood Ferebee is out. Chambers will potentially take a step back.

 

[bigdadd11103]

Numbers are super low for workouts at Butler, along with chatter that Glenwood Ferebee is out. Chambers will potentially take a step back.

You on it. Didn't want to post until official word was out either way. With the AD leaving..........

Think Chambers will be better than last year. Only issue could be their top three opponents will be much better too. MC, WC and Hough. Indy will be very good too.

 

[redhill1300]

Trent Simpson: Clemson
CJ Mcray: Cincinatti
Josh Ilaoa: Syracuse
Quentin Williams: Miami
Parker Moore: West Virginia
Arabee Muslim: UNCC
Keydrell Lewis: San Jose State
JT Whitmore: Campbell
Jaiydn Denis: Memphis
Kendrin Smith: Penn & UVA
Shamar Baker: NCCU
Jacob Roberts: NCA&T/Wake Forest
Adonis Henderson: Gardner Webb
Elijah Culp: Austin Peay, Troy, UNCC/?
Uriah Greene: South Florida
Casey Kelly: Ole Miss
Along with over 10, D2 players

The above lost in the playoffs! 2011 had numerous D1 players. 3 future NFL players and 4 future CFL players, they lost also. . The 2 teams would have made WC look like a middle school team. That's why I said in my previous post. Slow down man! That's not even including the NFL size DL with Jordan Davis, that lost also.

With the portal and Juco guys going into college as freshmen. Those guys only have offers. No telling where they will actually land end of season.

That Creek team is when I first started hearing the lore about how crazy recruiting gets at Creek and rumors about kids parents getting apartments in their district to go to school there 😂. That was probably the first NC FB team I saw with a brand deal too, beyond uniforms. They legit had UA gloves, visors, socks, everything.

Thanks for this, this is what I was looking for. A comparison of where they really are all time in terms of roster composition and how many times this has happened in recent or older history (a stack the deck team fresh off a chip), because I’m younger than y’all and get a lot of info through y’all. I have zero investment in how they do this year and I’m a big advocate for offers not meaning anything between the lines, just wanted yalls view of how many teams y’all have seen throughout the years that had an entire unit of D1 talent and I figured it was probably a school in CLT and probably early 00s Indy. Again, thanks for the info, it comes in handy when I’m trying to dig into the older files and research stuff.

 

[nepsy7]

That Creek team is when I first started hearing the lore about how crazy recruiting gets at Creek and rumors about kids parents getting apartments in their district to go to school there 😂. That was probably the first NC FB team I saw with a brand deal too, beyond uniforms. They legit had UA gloves, visors, socks, everything.

Thanks for this, this is what I was looking for. A comparison of where they really are all time in terms of roster composition and how many times this has happened in recent or older history (a stack the deck team fresh off a chip), because I’m younger than y’all and get a lot of info through y’all. I have zero investment in how they do this year and I’m a big advocate for offers not meaning anything between the lines, just wanted yalls view of how many teams y’all have seen throughout the years that had an entire unit of D1 talent and I figured it was probably a school in CLT and probably early 00s Indy. Again, thanks for the info, it comes in handy when I’m trying to dig into the older files and research stuff.

Recruiting at Creek????? None of those guys won a State Championship. The State Championship teams were 95% kids who were zoned for Mallard Creek or arrived there in the 9th grade. There's only a handful of kids that had any type of offers before they arrived at Mallard Creek. Totally different than bringing in kids who already have a long offer sheet. Bringing in a bunch of new guys, is not always a good thing. If your program is based off a bunch of new guys, you're most likely not a legitimate program.

 

[redhill1300]

Offers are relative - there are a ton more offers thrown around now than 10-15 years ago for sure.

For your WC list, Rakim and Donte only play receiver on offense. There's some embellishment on those classifications in parentheses, but they are definitely talented for sure.

For my own clarity, can you tell me which was embellished?

Recruiting at Creek????? None of those guys won a State Championship. The State Championship teams were 95% kids who were zoned for Mallard Creek or arrived there in the 9th grade. There's only a handful of kids that had any type of offers before they arrived at Mallard Creek. Totally different than bringing in kids who already have a long offer sheet. Bringing in a bunch of new guys, is not always a good thing. If your program is based off a bunch of new guys, you're most likely not a legitimate program.

I mostly took it in as saltiness at the time as opposed to a legit thing, mostly because I usually never heard of any proof and because it was coming from teams in the city that lost to them.

Whereas now when I see the claims made on certain schools it’s fairly obvious because like you said; they come in from different programs and in a lot of cases different cities altogether. Would you say that Uni City/Mallard Creek/Northwest Charlotte has the most talent in the city?

 

[InfoMan25]

For my own clarity, can you tell me which was embellished?

I mostly took it in as saltiness at the time as opposed to a legit thing, mostly because I usually never heard of any proof and because it was coming from teams in the city that lost to them.

Whereas now when I see the claims made on certain schools it’s fairly obvious because like you said; they come in from different programs and in a lot of cases different cities altogether. Would you say that Uni City/Mallard Creek/Northwest Charlotte has the most talent in the city?

I would never call out any kid personally on a forum, but 95 percent of the offers you see are Non-Commitable. That's more so what I'm referring to - when you see where kids are on signing day, that's when you know what level they truly are. There's hundreds of examples of players that received Power 4 offers that end up G5 or even FCS.

 

[Blue and Gold22]

I think the biggest difference between the WC team and the Creek run would be the big boy talent and very few of those kids were transfers( 2 or 3 maybe). Starting with Humphries in 2011 and going through probably 2017 they always had multiple Power 5 kids on the Oline or Dline. 2013 or 14 they had 3 of 5 Starting Oline with SEC offers. They had real skill level talent as well but they were scary upfront.

 

[bigdadd11103]

I think the biggest difference between the WC team and the Creek run would be the big boy talent and very few of those kids were transfers( 2 or 3 maybe). Starting with Humphries in 2011 and going through probably 2017 they always had multiple Power 5 kids on the Oline or Dline. 2013 or 14 they had 3 of 5 Starting Oline with SEC offers. They had real skill level talent as well but they were scary upfront.

MC got transfers in. Lets not start this game. MC was one off the biggest factors behind the 9th grade "residency" along with Chambers. They enrolled as 9th graders to avoid a lot of eyes. Now MC never depended on transfers heavily until after their ships. Most of their top end talent was home grown, but yes they did get some key transfers..... Any great team/program is gonna get guys in especially with the way they put guys in college and win big. MC Also lost a bunch of good talent too with transfers out.

Sometimes recency bias creeps in and we overate teams like WC 2024. Not the case here. We cant ignore how nasty that WC defense was last season. After the Hough game they had 4 shutouts, and only allowed double figures vs. Hickory and Dudley who were both top 6-7 in state OVR. Limited a 71st offense getting nearly 50 a game to 7 points. NO bias WC 24 defensively was elite elite. 25 Could be better.

2024 Grimsley and Hough were simply on another level. Id say Grimsley was top 10 nationally and Hough was top 25 nationally IMHO.

 

[rrconoldguy]

The numbers are probably going to get better, Hales is going to run Spring ball from here on out.

 

[Straight Scope]

MC got transfers in. Lets not start this game. MC was one off the biggest factors behind the 9th grade "residency" along with Chambers. They enrolled as 9th graders to avoid a lot of eyes. Now MC never depended on transfers heavily until after their ships. Most of their top end talent was home grown, but yes they did get some key transfers..... Any great team/program is gonna get guys in especially with the way they put guys in college and win big. MC Also lost a bunch of good talent too with transfers out.

Sometimes recency bias creeps in and we overate teams like WC 2024. Not the case here. We cant ignore how nasty that WC defense was last season. After the Hough game they had 4 shutouts, and only allowed double figures vs. Hickory and Dudley who were both top 6-7 in state OVR. Limited a 71st offense getting nearly 50 a game to 7 points. NO bias WC 24 defensively was elite elite. 25 Could be better.

2024 Grimsley and Hough were simply on another level. Id say Grimsley was top 10 nationally and Hough was top 25 nationally IMHO.

I can't prove it, of course, but in my opinion the biggest difference between Hough and Grimsley was the game location. Grimsley doesn't ride buses during the playoffs, and the one time they did during the last 3 years, or so, was a trip to Weddington, and they lost.

 

[bigdadd11103]

I can't prove it, of course, but in my opinion the biggest difference between Hough and Grimsley was the game location. Grimsley doesn't ride buses during the playoffs, and the one time they did during the last 3 years, or so, was a trip to Weddington, and they lost.

Disagree somewhat. While Grimsley homefield advantage is a big plus. Hough has lost there 3 straight playoffs to them. So playing at Grimsley is nothing new. Then Hough ended every season at home since 2014 with homefield advantage and being FAVORED. Hough has got to get it done in 8A with no Grimsley, nor Weddington. If Grimsley played at Hough, Grimsley still wins.

24 at G
23 at G
22 at G
21 Chambers
20 Chambers
19 Richmond
18 Chambers
17 MC
16 MC
15 MC

 

[redhill1300]

Hough has got to get it done in 8A with no Grimsley, nor Weddington.

Problem is, they still got Creek & WC in that division too 😂

 

[Middle Sound Heel]

MC got transfers in. Lets not start this game. MC was one off the biggest factors behind the 9th grade "residency" along with Chambers. They enrolled as 9th graders to avoid a lot of eyes. Now MC never depended on transfers heavily until after their ships. Most of their top end talent was home grown, but yes they did get some key transfers..... Any great team/program is gonna get guys in especially with the way they put guys in college and win big. MC Also lost a bunch of good talent too with transfers out.

Sometimes recency bias creeps in and we overate teams like WC 2024. Not the case here. We cant ignore how nasty that WC defense was last season. After the Hough game they had 4 shutouts, and only allowed double figures vs. Hickory and Dudley who were both top 6-7 in state OVR. Limited a 71st offense getting nearly 50 a game to 7 points. NO bias WC 24 defensively was elite elite. 25 Could be better.

2024 Grimsley and Hough were simply on another level. Id say Grimsley was top 10 nationally and Hough was top 25 nationally IMHO.

Still may sound a bit like sour grapes but I still think that WC defense would have held 71st to well below their normal offensive output but no way they hold a healthy 71st offense to 7 points as they did. If healthy without injuries to QB and RB 71st would have put up at least 24 points on WC defense. The 71st QB being unable to run severely handcuffed their offense more than anything WC did to them. The QB being hurt took out the biggest weapon. He would normally get at least 4 or 5 fifteen yard gains and break one to the house for 40 yards or longer, thus drawing attention from the defense away from the RBs, who thrived. No disrespect to WC but that wasn't anywhere near close to the true 71st offense that WC faced with Nance on one leg and the RB playing in a cast. Not WC problem or fault, but 71st just didn't stand a chance to adjust given the timing and seriousness of both injuries to Nance and Frederick.

 

[bigdadd11103]

Still may sound a bit like sour grapes but I still think that WC defense would have held 71st to well below their normal offensive output but no way they hold a healthy 71st offense to 7 points as they did. If healthy without injuries to QB and RB 71st would have put up at least 24 points on WC defense. The 71st QB being unable to run severely handcuffed their offense more than anything WC did to them. The QB being hurt took out the biggest weapon. He would normally get at least 4 or 5 fifteen yard gains and break one to the house for 40 yards or longer, thus drawing attention from the defense away from the RBs, who thrived. No disrespect to WC but that wasn't anywhere near close to the true 71st offense that WC faced with Nance on one leg and the RB playing in a cast. Not WC problem or fault, but 71st just didn't stand a chance to adjust given the timing and seriousness of both injuries to Nance and Frederick.

Yes sounds like sour grapes IMHO. The Dudley offense was smothered, the Hickory offense was smothered. The Ervin offense smothered. You dont get 0,3,0,13,20,7 for a 7pt a game average by anamoly or injury. Nothing 71st did WC hadnt seen during season. Injuries matter, but outcome is the same. Those guys played.

 

[raiderstud]

I'm going with 71, IF the 71st qb is healthy......Kid played on one leg......I saw him when he was healthy.....A much better run threat than a passer....He WAS the difference maker on that team.....WC was lucky he was 50%....Congratulations to WC ON THE VICTORY.....

 

[InfoMan25]

Crying over spilled milk guys, just like the Scotland guys did with Zamir White being out against Harding in 2017.

 

[Longship233]

With key players returning and fresh talent joining, West Charlotte is gearing up for a legendary season— there wont be no other Charlotte program to come close. Who's ready for the showdown?

 

[Middle Sound Heel]

I just read an article posted on the UNC 247 site about West Charlotte defensive players Davion Jones and Michael Griffin. According to the article Jones recently received a UNC offer.

 

[Blue and Gold22]

MC got transfers in. Lets not start this game. MC was one off the biggest factors behind the 9th grade "residency" along with Chambers. They enrolled as 9th graders to avoid a lot of eyes. Now MC never depended on transfers heavily until after their ships. Most of their top end talent was home grown, but yes they did get some key transfers..... Any great team/program is gonna get guys in especially with the way they put guys in college and win big. MC Also lost a bunch of good talent too with transfers out.

Sometimes recency bias creeps in and we overate teams like WC 2024. Not the case here. We cant ignore how nasty that WC defense was last season. After the Hough game they had 4 shutouts, and only allowed double figures vs. Hickory and Dudley who were both top 6-7 in state OVR. Limited a 71st offense getting nearly 50 a game to 7 points. NO bias WC 24 defensively was elite elite. 25 Could be better.

2024 Grimsley and Hough were simply on another level. Id say Grimsley was top 10 nationally and Hough was top 25 nationally IMHO.

I agree 100%. Don't think they win in 15 with out Moss. He was a difference maker on both sides of the ball. 2013 Pittman was awesome but they mauled everyone in 13, probably wouldnt have mattered . 2014 Medley and the tough DT they got from one of the privates ( Ricky something) were big time players. But 90% of the kids were homegrown during that stretch especially upfront.

 

[nepsy7]

MC got transfers in. Lets not start this game. MC was one off the biggest factors behind the 9th grade "residency" along with Chambers. They enrolled as 9th graders to avoid a lot of eyes. Now MC never depended on transfers heavily until after their ships. Most of their top end talent was home grown, but yes they did get some key transfers..... Any great team/program is gonna get guys in especially with the way they put guys in college and win big. MC Also lost a bunch of good talent too with transfers out.

I'm not familiar with the 9th grade residency and being the biggest factors. That must have happened in 2007 and 2008 when I wasn't around. What guys were those? What year did that happen?

 

[Longship233]

Four shutouts in WC 2024? Impressive, but were they really facing the toughest opponents?
And do you think MC’s success is all about big-name transfers? Their local talent might tell a different story.

 

[Straight Scope]

Four shutouts in WC 2024? Impressive, but were they really facing the toughest opponents?
And do you think MC’s success is all about big-name transfers? Their local talent might tell a different story.

Regarding West Charlotte, according to MaxPreps they actually had 6 shutouts, and 4 other games when they gave up 7 points, or less.

9/6/24 Cox Mill 41-0
10/4/24 Hopewell 47-0
10/18/24 Harding 72-0
11/1/24 North Meck 51-0
11/15/24 Huss 47-0
11/29/24 Erwin 58-0 (Erwin was the #1 seed in the West Playoff)

8/23/24 Palisades 36-6
10/25/24 Chambers 33-7
11/22/24 West Rowan 60-3
12-21-24 71st 14-7

For full disclosure, they lost to Mallard Creek by 1, and were pretty much blown out by Hough.

But to your question, "were they really facing the toughest opponents?". In the regular season, NO, except for the 2 losses. But they did beat Erwin, Dudley, Hickory, and 71st in the playoffs, and they were all considered to be very good.

 

[Middle Sound Heel]

Im not even saying 71st would have necessarily beat them WC may have still even won but I think 71st would have scored at least 20 points, the same as what Hickory did. I promise this will be the last you ever hear me say it again. I'm looking forward to see what WC does this year intently. I just wonder if they can maintain that intensity because last year they really did seem to be a focused and highly motivated team in the playoffs.