For most of his coaching career, Brian Allison has been known for building some of the state’s most potent offenses.
From 2013 to 2020 at Union County, Allison oversaw a Panthers offense that averaged 35.09 points/game behind quarterbacks like Joseph Mancuso, Pierson Allison, and Cole Wright.
But Allison, who left Union County to start the East Forsyth program in 2021, and defensive coordinator Dustin Canon are currently assembling one of the state’s best defenses. The Broncos (5-0, 3-0 Region 8-4A) currently sit 2nd in Class 4A, having surrendered just 40 points (8.0 ppg) so far in 2023.
Which could be the key unit when they travel to Flowery Branch on Friday to take on a rapidly-improving Cherokee Bluff squad (2-4, 2-2 Region 8-4A) in a huge Region 8-4A showdown.
The Broncos came into the season with question marks up front. After giving up 20 to Seckinger in their opener, they have allowed just 20 points with two shutouts over their past four games. As a unit, they have 26 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, and have forced 14 turnovers (2.8 turnovers/game) -- 7 fumbles and 7 interceptions -- through the first half of the season.
“Coach Canon (defensive coordinator) and (defensive line) coach (Dawson) Groves have done a fantastic job with those guys,” Allison said about his group. “We're accomplishing a lot as a group. But we haven't seen offensively what we're getting ready to see against Bluff.”
Bluff coach Tommy Jones said he has seen plenty of film on the Broncos defense to know the challenges that await them.
“They're playing well. They’re sound, they’re fundamental, they just don't make any mistakes,” Jones said about the East Forsyth defense. “They don't give up anything easy, and they're very well coached. They've got tremendous eye discipline, they line up well, so you know, you're not going to get them off balance. It probably comes down to a game of, simply, can we block them?”
The Bears have played a very difficult schedule. After scoring just 14 points in their first two games, they have averaged 31.75 ppg over their last four games, including a pair of region wins. They have won two of their last three, both in the region.
Bluff’s Connor Hulsey leads 8-4A in rushing with 748 yards and 7 TD. He has four 100-yard games in his first four region contests, including 189 last week in a 36-23 Bluff win over Cedar Shoals.
“Cherokee Bluff will be the best football team that we've played to date, for sure. And I think our kids know that as well,” Allison said when discussing the matchup. “I think it's going to be two offenses that are going to try to be very physical and run the football. Whoever makes the least amount of mistakes is going to win the ballgame.”
Last year’s game, a brutal defensive slugfest, was eventually decided when the Broncos forced a late Bluff fumble to preserve a 14-7 win. Ball-security will be at a premium in what figures to be a hard-hitting affair once again.
The Bears have fumbled just three times in 213 rushing attempts so far in 2023, losing just two. The emergence of Hulsey (113 carries, 6.6 ypc) has stabilized the offense. He had just 15 carries in all of 2022.
“Connor has done an outstanding job for us this year,” Jones said. “He's really come on and asserted himself as a bonafide running back and given us a huge jump offensively. I also think our offensive line is playing much better this year. They've really come together.”
The battles to watch will be the Bluff offensive line, led by All-AccessWDUN first-teamer Caleb Williford, along with Ryan Graves, Parker Waldrop, Noah Davis, Will Hanson and Aiden Willis against a talented East Forsyth linebacking group.
Broncos’ linebackers Will Moffit, Cameron Frady, Troy Hoover and Jeremiah Foote have combined for 124 tackles, 7 TFL, 3 INTs, and 3 fumble recoveries as a group.
Jones knows they won’t have the luxury of being one-dimensional.
“We're going to have to be multiple. We're not going to be able to just simply line up in one formation and we're not going to be able just to run the football,” Jones said. “We're going to have to be able to run it and throw it. (Senior quarterback) Asher (Wilson) is going to need to have a good night for us.”
Over his career Allison has been involved in his share of high-scoring shootouts. Does he prefer that over defensive battles?
“It really doesn't matter to me, to be honest,” Allison said. “I'll take a 3-0 win and I'll take a 28-25 win. As long as our kids are playing hard, and we're able to come out on top.”
Jones was of the same mind-set.
“You've got two teams that are very similar,” he said. “Both teams built around the idea of trying to play really good defense and special teams and, and a little bit of old-school throwback way to play football.
“I played in games before where people predicted it to be a low scoring game and then it was a 42-35 shootout. And, I’ve played in games before where people expected it to be a shootout and ended up being a low scoring game. So these things are really hard to predict.”
EAST FORSYTH at CHEROKEE BLUFF
Records: Broncos (5-0, 3-0 Region 8-4A); Bears (2-4, 2-2 Region 8-4A)
Last week: East Forsyth beat East Hall, 42-0; Cherokee Bluff beat Cedar Shoals, 36-23
Where: Yonah Field, Flowery Branch
Radio: WDUN AM 550
Time: 7:30 p.m.
The Statisticals: The series is tied 1-1. East Forsyth won 14-7 in 2022. The home team has won each game so far in the young series.
