The 2016 Colorado high school football season began in earnest Monday with helmet-only practices, and it was probably difficult to match the excitement at George Washington, which is coming off its first winning season since 2007 and returns one of the state’s most established quarterbacks in senior Javian Byrd.
Byrd threw for 2,435 yards as a junior last season, averaging 270.6 per game, with 25 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. The Patriots began 5-0 and finished 6-4, just missing the playoffs. They return 13 starters, including seven on defense.
“Our coaches have put us in position to succeed offensively and defensively. We can all make plays,” Byrd said Monday before practice. “We’re pretty excited, and we hope to do big things.”
The Patriots are under the command of third-year coach James Everett, a former Army soldier at Fort Carson who recruited a handful of the school’s top players from classroom hallways. The year before Everett arrived, GW dressed just 17 players.
“It was more about getting kids to come play football,” Everett said of his first year, when the Patriots went 3-7. “Year 3, I expect big things. Another year in the system. We’re real big up front. It’s about putting it all together and getting everybody to believe. Last year it was about having a winning record. This year it’s playoffs, and trying to win our (Class 4A Mountain) conference.”
Said Byrd: “I’m pretty proud. I feel like I’ve been here since we were at the bottom. It feels good to be at the front end of that. Work ethic, passion — the want to play football. Because we’ve won some ballgames, more kids want to come out and be a part of this.”
Everett, 38, was born and raised in Miami. After his time with the Army at Fort Carson, he coached football at nearby Coronado and Falcon high schools. His son, transfer James Everett II, will be a second-year starter for the Patriots, playing safety alongside Byrd, who will go both ways as a senior.
GW’s linemen include senior Dante Anderson (6-foot-7, 350 pounds) and Desmond Brown (6-4, 305). Running back/middle linebacker Marquis Hynes has added size and speed from his 6-1, 205-pound frame as a sophomore last year.
The Patriots will again run a spread, up-tempo read offense with Byrd making reads before the snap.
“He brings the intellectual side of the game,” Everett said of his senior QB. “He comes to me with that on the sideline, which is exactly what I need. He has the ability to audible out of a play, and I want to say 80 percent of the audibles he makes is exactly what we need.”
Byrd also rushed for 268 yards and five touchdowns last year. He figures to again have a huge statistical season.
“The goal is to go out and get W’s. Personal stats at this point don’t matter,” Byrd said. “We’re just trying to win as a team and get to playoffs.”
Colorado High School football
Monday — Practices began, helmets only
Wednesday — Full equipment allowed
Thursday — Full contact allowed
Aug. 25 — Scrimmage’s allowed
Aug. 25-27 — Zero Week (first games or scrimmages)
Sept. 1-3 — Week 1
