2024 Preview: McCormick Chiefs

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>How does McCormick hit the reset button after a 3-8 season in 2023?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Belief.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the 2024 season on the horizon for the Chiefs and head coach Leroy Collier, ensuring that his team knows that they can be successful, no matter the circumstances is key.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“I just want to get that mentality like, you know what? We can all do it if we collectively do it together. That's the biggest thing that I'm working on and wanna see in our first two games," Collier said.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Starting on the offensive side of the ball, the Chiefs return three starters on the offensive line which includes a core of sophomores – <strong>Tahahji Kinard, Kingston Kelly </strong>and <strong>Makel Tillman.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McCormick opens the 2024 season at home against Strom Thurmond on August 23.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>STARS SET TO SHINE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Andre Bost </strong>LB/RB, 2025 – Bost (pictured above) returns for his senior year after a knee injury sidelined him. Collier is being cautious with him to make sure he is able to finish the season. He is a sure tackler from his linebacker spot and is a difference maker on special teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Improvements heading into 2024: “Chemistry with the team, you know? We want to get together and have chemistry this year. (We've) just been working hard in the weight room and out of the weight room.”</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Markese Stevens </strong>QB/CB, 2025 – Stevens is a three-year starter at quarterback and Collier told us that what he does will benefit the team throughout the year. You can expect a lot of designed quarterback runs from the Chiefs offensively.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Improvements heading into 2024: “This year, we're really focusing a lot on changing directions and making a lot of different plays.”</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ty Wideman </strong>DL, 2025 – Wideman was undersized from his defensive end spot, but his great work ethic took over, according to Collier. He hopes the growth will continue in 2024. Wideman has been working on working on his speed and getting a good snap off the ball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>FILM REVIEW</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1824072' first='Quantrell' last='Hearst']</strong> LB, 2026 – Hearst battled an ankle injury in 2023 so getting him healed up and ready to go will be key in 2024. But when he is healthy, he is fun to watch. He can catch the ball out of the backfield and get up field quickly from his running back spot or he can diagnose plays quickly and limit the play to short gains from his linebacker spot.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/16820922/654273335b473c0a805696f1' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003ern","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66a28d554a85a"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>KEY LOSSES</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Camden Durant </strong>LB – A North South selection, Collier calls him the quarterback of the defense and he was a hard nosed young man who always did what was supposed to be done.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Kenyan Morton </strong>RB – Now at West Virginia State University, Morton was someone who did whatever was asked for the team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>UP AND COMING POTENTIAL</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ivan Duncan </strong>RB – The two-sport athlete was in a backup role and later on during 2023, he was pushed into a starting role due to injuries.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Michael Durant</strong> OL, 2027 – Durant is someone who Collier is looking to develop into a more aggressive lineman.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Toquan Thompson","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"McCormick","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66a28d554d4ac"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Thompson will be one of the anchors from his linebacker position. He ran track this past spring and Collier believes it will pay dividends in 2024, especially when it comes to making competitive plays. He can come up and make big hits on the ball carrier.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/16820928/635d902206614b0f301d153e' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003ern","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66a28d554d4f6"} /--> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->