Africentric: Nubians embrace potential of freshman-dominated roster
Inside the Nubians
•Coach: Jamell Davis, second season
•Top players: Caleb Anthony (WR/DB), DeAngelo Fuller (RB), Derron Gray (OL/DL), Mekhi Johnson (WR/LB), Kyren Riggins (H-back/LB), Josh Smith (QB/DB), Sean Smith Jr. (OL/DL), Talil Spikes (OL/DL) and Chase Thompson (OL/LB)
•Key losses: Kayden James, Antonie Moss, Kimarrion Ross, Andre Satchell, Will Smith, Kalyn Spence and Dan Wagner
Africentric is staying positive about the hand that it has been dealt following the best two seasons in program history.
In 2020 under former coach Clarence Daniels, the Nubians posted their first winning record and won two Division VI, Region 23 playoff games while finishing 4-2 in a season abbreviated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jamell Davis, who previously had been an assistant at Brookhaven, Beechcroft, Columbus East and Gahanna, was named coach last year after Daniels left to take over at Walnut Ridge and guided Africentric to a program-record win total.
The Nubians’ 6-4 record, which included a runner-up finish (4-2) in the City League-South Division, is something Davis believes helped his program add 27 freshmen despite having the smallest enrollment among the league’s 15 schools.
Those participation numbers are especially important this season, considering there is only one senior and fewer than 40 players total on the roster.
“I haven’t done any research, but I’m pretty sure we’ve probably got the youngest varsity team in the country,” Davis said. “We’ve got one senior, two juniors, about six sophomores and 27 freshmen, but it’s not what people think. I think it’s still going to be a great year. I coached here last year and we had the best record in school history, and this team is better than we were last year at this point.”
The Nubians, like many programs in the City, have been hit with eligibility issues and having other players not returning this fall.
They also have a new defensive coordinator in Terrance Green, who has assisted in other areas with the program. Shawn Harris, another former Brookhaven and East assistant with ties to Davis, also is among those who have joined the coaching staff.
Africentric opens Aug. 20 at home against East and plays its entire schedule against teams from the City-North and City-South as it attempts to earn enough playoff points to make the postseason during its first season competing in Division V, Region 19.
“We did lose some guys to grade issues, but it’s crazy. We’ve got the smallest enrollment football-wise in the City, but having 27 freshmen built off of last year,” Davis said. “They saw what we did. This was probably the first time people came here for football.
“Honestly, I had a harder time coaching older guys before because they had bad habits. But these guys are freshmen, so they don’t have those habits yet.”
New-look Africentric offense to feature athleticism
The Nubians will have a new quarterback in either sophomore Chris Cooper-Patton or freshman Josh Smith, who competed throughout the preseason for the starting job. Smith’s brother, 2016 Africentric graduate Houston Smith, is the all-time leading scorer for the boys basketball program and went on to play for Bethune-Cookman.
DeAngelo Fuller, who competed in the 400-meter relay at the 2021 Division III state track and field meet, should be the top running back.
Junior Mekhi Johnson, who is among those at wide receiver, is the brother of former South boys basketball standout Marcus Johnson and former Africentric girls basketball player and current Pittsburgh women’s player Maliyah Johnson.
Freshman Caleb Anthony is among the team’s top athletes, according to Davis.
The top returnee on the offensive line is sophomore Sean Smith Jr., who should line up at right guard after earning third-team all-state honors last season.
Sophomore Chase Johnson also is a returning starter at left tackle, while the rest of the line should include freshman Nasir Dennis at center, freshman Derron Gray Jr. at right tackle and sophomore Talil Spikes at left guard.
“We’re young, but we’re going to have a good season,” Smith Jr. said. “(Last season was) a good foundation. I just try to help people out around me to get better.”
Linebackers a strength on defense for Nubians
Mekhi Johnson and Kyren Riggins — the only juniors in the program — should lead the defense. Johnson is expected to line up at outside linebacker along with Chase Johnson, with Riggins at inside linebacker.
Smith Jr. figures to anchor a defensive line that should have at least four players rotating in, according to Davis.
Anthony and freshman Darion Matlock are at cornerback, with freshman Te’vion Smith and Josh Smith at safety.
“The greatest thing with the freshmen is that they’re getting experience,” Davis said. “With all the reps they’re getting, they’re growing faster than other freshmen do.”
Africentric Lineup
Offense
Quarterbacks: Chris Cooper-Patton (so., 6-2, 175), Josh Smith (fr., 6-2, 170)
Running back: *DeAngelo Fuller (sr., 5-9, 185)
Receivers: *Caleb Anthony (fr., 5-6, 155), *Mekhi Johnson (jr., 6-3, 200)
H-backs: *Kyren Riggins (jr., 6-2, 215), Isaiah Crawford (so., 6-0, 180)
Tight end: *Hilton Varnado (fr., 6-4, 230)
Linemen: *Nasir Dennis (fr., 6-2, 230), *Derron Gray (fr., 6-2, 240), *Sean Smith Jr., (so., 6-0, 280), *Talil Spikes (so., 6-2, 245), *Chase Thompson (so., 5-11, 205), Rashaun Thomas (so., 6-0, 270)
Defense
Linemen: *Gray, *Smith Jr., *Spikes, *Varnado, Thomas
Linebackers: *Johnson, *Riggins, *Thompson, Crawford, Ta’john Royster (fr., 5-10, 180)
Secondary: *Anthony, *Darion Matlock (fr., 5-9, 165), *Josh Smith, *Te’vion Smith (fr., 5-8, 160), Cooper-Patton
Special teams
Kicker: Te’vion Smith
Punter: *Te’Vion Smith
Returners: *Anthony, *Fuller, *Matlock
Long snapper: *Crawford
(*Denotes projected starter)
julrey@thisweeknews.com
@UlreyThisWeek
2022 SCHEDULE
Aug. 20 vs. Columbus East
Aug. 25 vs. Linden-McKinley
Sept. 1 at Mifflin
*Sept. 9 at Columbus South
*Sept. 15 vs. Walnut Ridge
*Sept. 22 at Briggs
*Sept. 30 vs. Columbus West
*Oct. 6 at Marion-Franklin
*Oct. 14 vs. Independence
*Oct. 21 vs. Eastmoor Academy
2021 RESULTS
(6-4 overall, 4-2 City-South)
East W, 36-6
Linden L, 36-28
Mifflin W, 38-6
*South W, 14-12
*Walnut Ridge W, 50-13
*West W, 50-6
*Marion-Franklin W, 14-6
*Independence L, 42-6
*Eastmoor L, 35-0
PLAYOFFS
Worthington Christian L, 23-12
*League contest
This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Africentric embraces potential of freshman-dominated roster
