The high-flying Pioneer offense may grab headlines led by Mr. Football contender C.J. Taylor, but it’s the hard-hitting Warren County defense that’s left a mark during the team’s dominating 7-0 start.
Warren County physically beat down Cookeville on Friday night at Nunley Stadium, pounding the Cavaliers 24-0. It was the second shutout of the season for the Pioneers and third time the team hasn’t allowed a TD.
“We have some really good players on that side of the ball,” said Pioneer defensive coordinator Camron Bond. “It’s been an overall solid effort. Coach Donnie Harris has done a phenomenal job with the defensive line up front and we have some linebacker who really like to hit."
"We have good speed in the secondary and guys who can play different positions so it’s really us coming together as a unit,” Bond said.
The Pioneer defense is surrendering an average of just 12.5 points per game. The Pioneers have held four of their seven opponents to 13 points or less.
When you couple that with an offense that’s averaging 31.4 points per game and has only scored less than 24 points once this season, it’s easy to see how Warren County has raced out to a 7-0 record that has the Pioneers in first place in the region.
“This is the second year in our 4-2-5 scheme and I think there’s a better understanding of the system all the way around,” said Bond. “I understand it better as a coach and we have a lot of returning starters who understand it better as players. We’ve been able to dial up some pressure and get after the quarterback with some of the more exotic schemes that we’re using.”
Bond said moving senior Byson Elrod has been a big defensive boost. An inside linebacker for most of his high school career, Elrod had seen his playing time reduced by the emergence of Ryland Holder and Braylon Grayson at inside linebacker. Both are quick and pack a punch when they get to the point of attack.
“Bryson is definitely one of our best 11 on defense so we had to get him on the field,” said Bond.
Elrod recovered two fumbles Friday against Cookeville in a game where the Pioneers recovered three fumbles and got an interception from Clay Thompson.
Perhaps the most consistent aspect of the entire Warren County team this season has been its ability to stop the run. No team has enjoyed success running the football against the Pioneers.
The teams that have moved the ball against Warren County have done so with the passing game with Blackman and DeKalb County being the two teams that have aired the ball out the most against the Pioneers.
Coach Bond said a couple teams have been able to pile up passing yards, but he points out the Pioneers still played well enough to win.
“We put Dante Elam on an island over there and at times expect him to take away half the field and he’s really played well,” said Bond. “We’ve moved some players around recently to see what would happen because we do have great versatility back there. C.J. has done well when we’ve played him at free safety and we’ve tried Clay some at corner so those are some of the things we’re going to try and keep experimenting with.”
Warren County has a bye this week before traveling to Manchester to face Coffee County on Oct. 16 for the final road game of the regular season. The Pioneers beat Coffee County 42-20 last year. The teams are evenly split in their last eight meetings with each team winning four.
