Daleville returns only a handful of players with starting experience – and many of those are still very young – and the majority of players that find themselves playing on Fridays this season will be either freshmen or sophomores. Many of those players were also thrown in the fire last season and head coach Will Garner hopes that experience – along with an offseason in the weight room and on the field – will help this young team grow up quickly.
Chris Page, So., Center: Page was forced to start as a freshman at one of the most difficult positions on either side of the line of scrimmage last season and his return to the lineup will add some valuable experience there.
“Chris has helped make us so much better this year,” Garner said. “Chris is a guy that started as a freshman last year and will start this year as a sophomore.”
The five-foot-9-inch, 200-pound Page provides a much-needed physicality to the offensive line.
“We expect big things out of him,” Garner said. “He’s physical and smart and he definitely anchors the offensive line for us.”
Zacorey Culver, So., Offensive Guard/Defensive Tackle: Culver is yet another Warhawk player that was thrown into the starting lineup as a freshman and has been one of the brightest spots on the team since Garner arrived.
“He’s been one of the biggest bright spots for me since I came in January,” Garner said. “Zacorey was a little heavy when we got here and hadn’t figured out the weight room yet and that has completely flipped.
“His body has changed and his mind has changed and he’s turned into our best lineman hands down. He will be a load on both sides of the ball.”
Culver will help anchor the interior of both lines as a guard on offense and defensive tackle on defense. During OTAs in the summer, Culver routinely found himself in the opposing offense’s backfield.
TJ Waller, So., Offensive Guard/Defensive Tackle: Waller is the newest Warhawk and Garner expects him to help anchor down the interior of both the offensive and defensive line alongside Page and Culver.
“TJ walking through the door made us a whole lot better immediately,” Garner said. “Not just because of how good of a football player he is but also how good of a kid he is.
“He’s a hard worker and one of the strongest kids we have in the weight room. He’s only a sophomore and with him and Zacorey anchoring things up front on both sides of the ball we’re in good shape for awhile there.”
Waller brings playing experience from his for