Richmond vs. Cardinal Gibbons: Week 3 Preview

Week 3 is a huge turning point in the season. About halfway through the non-conference slate, we're starting to see a delineation between the contenders and pretenders. The Week 1 slate is fairly loaded, while the Week 2 schedule was lighter, but Week 3 is a big one in the non-conference slate. Here, we'll break down some of the prospects in Richmond vs. Cardinal Gibbons.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Prospects to Watch: Richmond vs. Cardinal Gibbons</h2>   Cardinal Gibbons has to be considered the favorite in this one, but I've been impressed with Richmond in the first few weeks of the season. The offense has taken better care of the ball, though it's been the defense that has been the driver. After losing a thriller to an excellent Seventy First team, the Raiders bounced back with a suffocating win over Butler.   Now, the Raiders will travel up to Raleigh for a huge game at Cardinal Gibbons.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Richmond Defense vs. Cardinal Gibbons Offense</h3>   Leading the Raiders defense is linebacker/defensive end [player_tooltip player_id='1406062' first='Terande' last='Spencer'], who has been not just the best player on Richmond's team, but one of the best defenders in the state this season. He's been explosive, racking up eight tackles for loss, but he's also been efficient, with over 15 tackles a game.   He'll have his work cut out for him against a dominant Gibbons offensive line. Led by [player_tooltip player_id='1322138' first='Rocco' last='Tschetter'] and Old Dominion commit [player_tooltip player_id='355090' first='Jack' last='Sheehan'], the Gibbons front can dominate in the running game and allow an embarrassment of riches at the receiver position time to get down the field.   The headliner there is [player_tooltip player_id='1322130' first='Sam' last='Dodd'], who has already positioned himself to move up in our next rankings update. He was a late bloomer, but with excellent size, speed and body control, he's a matchup nightmare. That was on display against Jordan in the opener, as he hauled in five catches for 169 yards and two touchdowns, an average of nearly 35 yards a catch.   Elsewhere, newcomer Connor McGeehan was the other dangerous guy in the opener, catching four passes for 95 yards.   The running game never really got going last game, so the Crusaders might look to establish that Friday. The guy to watch there is senior [player_tooltip player_id='1322134' first='Kendall' last='Scotton'], who didn't get many touches in the opener but has high-level experience and production.   Quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='690769' first='Gannon' last='Jones'] is a guy we're high on, and his opener was one of the best games he's ever played, as he averaged over 15 yards an attempt, adding a team-leading 78 yards on the ground, a part of his game he's really improved in the offseason.   In addition to Spencer defensively, Richmond has a trio of talented seniors in AJ Covington, Kmauri Morgan, and Joe Parsons. All three have been extremely active early in the year.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Richmond Offense vs. Cardinal Gibbons Defense</h3>   On the flip side, the Raider offense has been balanced this season. Much like last year, it's a two-quarterback system as Evan Hodges and Dominic Tillman split reps. Hodges has been more effective this year, but Tillman was the main threat last season, so it's a true "double trouble" situation.   Junior Ameir Morrison has been the main receiving threat, but in every facet, the Raiders want to spread the ball around. The tricky part will be keeping a talented Crusader front, led by [player_tooltip player_id='355091' first='Chris' last='Pinder'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1101215' first='Conway' last='Kelly'], at bay. The Crusader defensive line is talented.   On the back end for the Crusaders, [player_tooltip player_id='355085' first='Corban' last='McDaniel'] and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='320308' first='Xavier' last='Hasan'] are quite the tandem. Hasan, in particular, is extremely highly rated in our system. The key here will be if Richmond can stay ahead of the chains and avoid obvious passing situations. That's where the Crusaders can pin their ears back.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Richmond vs. Cardinal Gibbons Prediction</h2>   Richmond will need to get consistent pressure on Jones for the Raiders to have a chance in this one. If Richmond allows him to sit back and wait for deep routes to develop, he will pick Richmond's defense apart. He's done before and can do it again.   On the flip side, Richmond really needs a primary playmaker to sep up, a guy the Raiders know can go for over 100 yards, convert a big third down or finish in the red zone. Unfortunately, this Crusaders' defense is probably not the team that will allow a breakout performance. It's going to be a lot closer than people think, but the combination of a home environment and Cardinal Gibbons' depth will be the difference.   Prediction: Cardinal Gibbons 31, Richmond 21

Week 3 is a huge turning point in the season. About halfway through the non-conference slate, we're starting to see a delineation between the contenders and pretenders. The Week 1 slate is fairly loaded, while the Week 2 schedule was lighter, but Week 3 is a big one in the non-conference slate. Here, we'll break down some of the prospects in Richmond vs. Cardinal Gibbons.