How Blackman football's offense is adjusting to drastically new system, coach in 2023
Blackman football had a huge transition during the offseason and into this preseason after Chandler Tygard left for Cleveland and was replaced by former Centennial coach Matt Kriesky.
The offense is an area that has had to adjust the most, experiencing basically a night-and-day change from Tygard's fun-and-gun system to a slower, more ground-oriented attack brought in by Kriesky.
"We've been going since spring, installing things," said Kriesky, following his team's first preseason against visiting Father Ryan on Friday. He brought over a similar offense to what he ran at Centennial, running primarily a single-back shotgun formation during the scrimmage.
"You could tell it tonight. It wasn't pretty. But they're still learning, and we're still throwing new things at them. We're growing."
Blackman averaged 38 points a game (44 in the team's 10 wins) and racked up more than 470 yards a contest last season, going 10-3 and reaching the Class 6A state quarterfinals. The team aired it out almost 30 times a game for over 3,500 yards.
Not only is the fast-paced offense gone, but so are star wide receiver Justin Brown (who signed at Mississippi State before transferring to Georgia Tech), tight end Ben Marshall (now a freshman at Cal) and quarterback Jack Risner (now a freshman at Tulane), among others.
"We have a really young team this year," Blackman senior quarterback Carter Gregory said. "Obviously we lost some stars from last year. (Learning a new offense) was tough in the spring, definitely. We're getting back into it. It's a perfect offense for us. It will be a ground-and-pound. Our offensive line likes it."
Carter sat out last season with a knee injury, but it might not have been the worst thing. As well as having two seniors who rotated behind center, Blackman also ran a lot of Wildcat with Brown and Marshall. The senior used it as a learning experience.
"It gave me a new perspective from the quarterback position," said the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Gregory, who had two long touchdown completions in the scrimmage, accounting for both of Blackman's varsity TDs. "I was able to see what everybody else was doing, getting mental reps."
"Carter has a great arm ... we'll be able to air it out some," Kriesky said. "Once we get the offense going, we'll be able to mix it up."
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One of his top targets, junior wide receiver Ethan Carson, is one of the most experienced guys back on offense. Senior tight end Campbell Lee, who had a big junior year with almost 500 yards receiving and five TDs, is nursing an injury and missed Friday's scrimmage.
"We've been working hard together in the offseason," said Carson, of his connection with Gregory. The two hooked up for a 65-yard touchdown Friday. "We've been building a tight connection. I expect him to be as good or better than any quarterback from last year."
Running backs accounted for little of the offense last year and the Blaze will be without top returnee Donovan Holloway (knee) this year, but hope for big things out of the speedy Caden Perkins, who had more than 300 yards and average 10 yards a carry last season.
Junior Ian Carrethers, a 6-3, 230-pound transfer from Lipscomb Academy, should also see time in the backfield.
Blackman will scrimmage at Hendersonville on Aug. 4 and battle Lipscomb Academy in the 615 Preps Preseason Showcase on Aug. 11. The Blaze open the season at home against Brentwood Aug. 18.
This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: TSSAA football: Blackman learning completely new offensive system
