FOOTBALL TAB -- C.B. Aycock: Brooks sees culture change

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on August 20, 2015 1:48 PM

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PIKEVILLE -- The week after Charles B. Aycock dropped a season--ending, opening--round loss to Southern Guilford, a group of 14 players immediately wanted to start working on the 2015 season.

They didn't want to go home.

Steve Brooks, at that time, realized the culture is changing in his program.

"It erases all doubt that I'm in the place where I'm supposed to be right now," said Brooks, who launches his third season as Aycock's head varsity coach at home Friday against county rival Rosewood.

There appears to be a bridge setting up between the old and new for the Golden Falcons. Key pieces have graduated, but 20 lettermen -- including several full- and part-time starters -- return. The group is comprised mostly of sophomores and juniors, who were thrown onto the battlefield last season because they showed the work ethic in practice necessary to land a starting job.

They undoubtedly took their lumps.

Brooks is anxious to see how those players have matured as far as their athletic ability. He got his first glimpse during offseason workouts in the weight room, but also realized the players had recognized and began to improve on their own weaknesses exposed from last fall.

"The way to build a program is to throw them in the fire, let them learn and by the time they're juniors and seniors, they've been through the battle and know what to expect," Britt said. "They were like deer in the headlights last year and I'll be the first to admit that. At the same time, I thought they battled and out-competed other people for those jobs.

"They earned it ... know what to expect going in (this season)."

Is Aycock ready to compete?

The Golden Falcons are coming off back-to-back 4-8 seasons, including consecutive 1-5 worksheets in the brutal and physical Eastern Carolina 3-A/4-A Conference that produced 4-A state champ New Bern and eastern 3-A runner-up Eastern Wayne. Aycock has managed just seven league wins over the past five years.

Brooks and his staff did some offseason work of their own. They discussed changing their respective attitudes, and reminded the players that nothing is easy, nothing is going to be given to them and there's certainly not an easy game on their schedule.

"I had to probably change the most," Brooks said. "I had to adapt my style (of coaching) to the type of kids we have compared to the type of kids I've coached in the past. I've got an exciting group. It's a fun group to be around."

Offensively, Elijah Bryant and Sam Mott return to the offensive line. The duo, along with some new faces, will block for three players -- Jake Flowers, Tyrique Ford and Caleb Gough -- who each played backup roles a year ago. Flowers takes over for two-year starter TJ Morrow, who threw for 2,000 yards and accounted for 23 offensive touchdowns.

Flowers completed 15 passes for 116 yards and one touchdown in limited action. Brooks and his staff have scribbled out different schemes to get Flowers protection from his line since he's more of a drop-back passer, unlike Morrow who could scramble and create offense.

Ford and Gough combined to rush for 200 yards and two touchdowns. The main offensive weapon back is Chandler Matthews. The 6-foot, 150-pound junior was the county's third-leading receiver with 767 yards and five scoring strikes on 43 receptions last season.

"Chandler, there's a lot of eyes on him and I expect him to have a good year," Brooks said. "Tyrique, he's a fullback now ... understands what it takes to play football at a high level. I think if he has a good year, he's going to have a shot at playing Division II or Division III football.

"He's just that good of an athlete."

Should Ford, Gough and Matthews draw most of the attention each Friday night this fall, that frees up the program's current Division I commitment -- Damien Darden. The 6-4, 246-pound junior played nearly every down on offense, defense and special teams last season. He recorded 320 yards and five TDs on 22 catches. He had 37 tackles, three sacks and two fumble recoveries on defense.

Darden averaged 30.8 yards a punt.

"Damien is going to be on everybody's radar and he's going to be the number one target," Brooks said. "Offensively, we are going to move him around, try to create matchups that we feel like can help us especially in the run-pass game. Defensively, I think he understands his role a little bit better, but I think Coach (Allen) Thomas has plans to do different things with him.

"(He'll) create one-on-one matchups where he can hopefully beat the offensive linemen to get to the quarterback."

Joining Darden on defense are returnees junior tackle Austin Lane (5-10, 244), senior tackle Jerry Pittman (5-10, 270), senior outside linebacker Andrew Taylor (5-9, 164) and junior free safety Micah Castillo (5-9, 172).

The defensive unit improved in some areas last season and trimmed its points-allowed average. It must continue in that direction if Aycock hopes to win the 3-A portion of the ECC and host a first-round playoff game for the first time since 2004.