Louisiana Football: 2020 C.E. Byrd Yellow Jackets Season Preview
Written by Charlie Beuttel
Twitter: @charlie_cds3
Yellow Jackets Overview
In 2019, C.E. Byrd started off a disappointing 0-4 however the Yellow Jackets won four out of their final six games to finish the regular season 4-6. Their final two losses were against district foes, Parkway and Captain Shreve, by a combined two points so their record could have easily been flipped. In the opening round of the playoffs, Byrd came up just short against St. Augustine (45-40). The 2020 Yellow Jackets squad is bringing back some veterans on both sides of the ball and have their eye on a deeper postseason run and winning their first state championship since 1949.
Offense
Last season, the Yellow Jackets scored 21.2 points a game but return the majority of their triple-option offense. The new starting quarterback under center will be junior Logan Pons (5’11”, 175 pounds) who saw very limited action in 2019 as the backup. In an interview, Pons proclaimed his excitement saying, “Everyone is counting on us as the underdog this season but I’m ready to show them what this offense and team can do. I’m looking forward to the first game against Calvary Baptist because it will set the tone for the rest of the season.”
Two other weapons at the skilled positions includes senior running back Venzell Thompson (Air Force commit), who is 6’0”, 210-pounds, and senior athlete William Berry, who is 5’10”, 175-pounds. Thompson led the 2019 squad with 705 yards and five touchdowns while Berry had 306 rushing yards, 214 receiving yards, and five total touchdowns. One of the anchors of the offensive line is senior Josh Courtney.
Defense
Byrd gave up just 23.2 points a contest last season and bring back six starters this season. Senior defensive lineman Carson Bruno (Louisiana Tech commit) leads the purple swarm defense up front. The 6’3”, 285-pound, big man racked up 39 total tackles including two for a loss in 2019.
Senior linebacker Makarios “Junior” Brown (6’1”, 205) is another field general on this defensive unit and has several offers to play at the next level. During an interview, Brown spoke about Byrd’s defense, “The amount of experience and leadership we have on the field at one time excites me.” He also added a comment about the first game against Calvary Baptist, “It’s been a long time since we have had football so it will be very intense and exciting.”
One player to watch in the Yellow Jackets secondary is senior defensive back Luke Miletello, who has multiple college offers. The 6’2”, 180-pound, defender racked up 49 total tackles including seven for a loss, four pass break-ups and one fumble recovery.
Yellowjackets 2020 Football Schedule
October 1 vs Calvary Baptist
October 8 vs Haughton
October 16 at Natchitoches Central
October 22 vs Parkway
October 30 at Benton
November 5 vs Airline
November 12 at Captain Shreve
November 19 at Southwood
Conclusion
After finishing fourth in district a year ago, the Yellow Jackets have a favorable schedule this season with only two true road games. Louisiana has adopted an eight-game regular season instead of the usual 10 due to the coronavirus. With weapons on both sides of the ball, Byrd has the talent and experience to make a deeper postseason run in 2020 and potential to bring home their first state title since 1949.
Photo credit: Twitter.com; Byrd QB Logan Pons drops back to pass