If Lipscomb Academy football is turning a corner, these five players must be the catalysts

It was simply a win that Lipscomb Academy had to have. And by halftime, that idea seemed to be fading under a cloud of first-half turnovers and a rash of penalties that stalled or killed drives.

But the Mustangs cleaned up those mistakes in the second half and got what they sorely needed in a 24-10 win over Ensworth Friday at the Reece Smith Athletic Complex.

After a brutal first month of the 2023 season, Lipscomb Academy (2-3) is still searching for consistency and if it's going to fully turn that corner, here are five players who must lead the way.

Micah Burton

This is a no-brainer. Lipscomb Academy turned to its 5-foot-10 running back in the second half, eliminating pre- and post-snap penalties and allowing Burton to run free. He ran 15 times for 110 yards and a 42-yard burst through Ensworth defense for touchdown early in the third quarter to break a 10-10 tie.

Until quarterback Tav Shaffer is completely settled into his role as the starting quarterback, it will serve Kevin Mawae's offense well to feed Burton as much as possible.

Chauncey Gooden

Which brings us to our next Mustang. The 6-4, 320-pound offensive lineman was creating a lot of the lanes Burton was running through. As Burton and his teammates trotted off the field after that 42-yard TD run, Gooden — never one to shy away from being vocal — told the Lipscomb Academy crowd in the stands "that's what we do".

Gooden's teammates seem to respond to him and his voice carries weight in the locker room. The four-star lineman is the No. 5-ranked player in Tennessee, according to 247Sports Composite and the No. 8 interior lineman in the country. It's not a bad idea to follow his lead.

C.J. Jimcoily

Kaleb Beasley rightfully gobbles up most of the headlines for Lipscomb Academy in the secondary and teams are reluctant to challenge him on a consistent basis. That means Jimcoily, on the opposite side, will see a lot of action this season.

Ensworth (4-1) challenged the 6-2, 190-pound junior — who has offers from schools like Michigan, Tennessee, Arkansas and Ole Miss — throughout the game. He was targeted eight times in the game, and struggled in coverage in the first half. But he showed shutdown-caliber play in the second half, batting away passes, forcing incompletions and overthrows.

Tav Shaffer

Remember, this is only the second full week as the starting quarterback for Shaffer.

He battled Jackson Kilburg last spring and early summer before the arrival of four-star QB, Deuce Knight, from Mississippi. Three games into the season, Knight left the program and Shaffer was handed the keys to the Mustangs offense against Division II-AAA power Baylor last week. Shaffer played well, throwing for over 250 yards in a 34-31 loss.

He was inconsistent Friday, missing receivers and throwing an interception midway through the third quarter. He finished 12-of-25 for 138 yards.

But he also hit four-star linebacker, and Tennessee commit, Edwin Spillman for a 25-yard touchdown in the first quarter and threw a 61-yard laser to Kofi Boggs for a touchdown in the third. Time and reps should work in Shaffer's favor, but protecting the football and leaning on the run game are a quarterback's best friend.

Edwin Spillman

One could make the argument that Spillman is the best pure defensive player in Middle Tennessee. He can diagnose a play quickly, disrupt any play he wants and is unblockable one-on-one. Teams usually have to commit more than one blocker to him if an offensive play is run at, or near, him.

As Spillman goes, so does Lipscomb Academy's defense and the Mustangs held Ensworth in check for much of the game. But Spillman has been itching to get some offensive snaps. His touchdown in the first quarter scratched that itch and he could be asked to contribute more on that side of the ball if he keeps reaching the end zone.

Reach sports writer George Robinson at georgerobinson@theleafchronicle.com and on the X platform (formerly Twitter) @Cville_Sports.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: TSSAA football: Five players to lead Lipscomb Academy's turnaround