Akron Garfield Golden Rams 2024 high school football schedule, preview

GARFIELD GOLDEN RAMS

• HEAD COACH: Kemp Boyd , 11th season, 23-71 overall at Kenmore, Kenmore-Garfield and Garfield
• LAST YEAR: 2-8 overall, 1-4 City Series
• POSTSEASON: Division II, Region 5

Garfield football's returning lettermen (16)

• Ziiyahn Blair , S/WR, 6-2, 193, Jr.
• Darrin Brown Jr., DL/OL/RB, 5-10, 200, Jr.
• Kevin Strickling , QB/CB, 6-0, 175, Sr.
• Calvin Bibbs, WR/DB, 5-8, 145, Sr.
• Jamir Jenkins, DE/RB, 6-2, 210, Jr.
• Brima Barry, WR/S, 6-4, 170, Sr.
• Trystan Thornton, WR/DB, 5-11, 145, Sr.
• James Thompson, TE/LB, 6-0, 195, Sr.
• Amore Bitting, WR/S, 5-6, 148, Jr.
• Breshaun Nichols , CB/WR, 5-9, 170, Sr.
• Roy Bell Jr., LB/FB, 5-6, 190, Sr.
• Isaiah Mathews , RB/S, 5-9, 175, Sr.
• Anthony Abbott, WR/DB, 6-0, 165, Jr.
• Thomas Walker III, WR/DB, 5-8, 150, Sr.
• Santura Foreman, OL/DL, 5-11, 225, Jr.
• William Lockett, OL/DL, 6-2, 225, Sr.

Garfield football’s impact players

"Ninety-five percent of those guys that are retuning lettermen are returning starters," Garfield coach Kemp Boyd said. "They had significant playing time for us last year. They are coming back and are going to be there. For some of them, it is going to be there third or fourth season within our offensive and defensive schemes and systems. For a good portion of them, it is going to be there second year. All of them are going to be vital towards our success." ... Ziiyahn Blair, Kevin Strickling, William Lockett, Darrin Brown Jr., Amore Bitting, Isaiah Mathews, James Thompson and Brima Barry eight of Garfield's most experienced players . ... "There is nothing more vital than the position of quarterback," Boyd said. "Kevin Strickling is coming back and is going into his third year starting for us as quarterback. We are really happy and excited. He has always been a smart kid. Physically, he has grown and gotten stronger. We don't have what you call an offseason program. We call it an on-season program. In our on-season program, Kevin was consistently there in the weight room and was also intense about his regiment. You can see it on him physically, and the work that he has been doing mentally, as far as his film work, as far as taking to teaching from coach Ethan Humes, who is our offensive coordinator, and also our quarterback coach, coach Darnell Tucker, has been very beneficial to him thus far in the preseason. I am expecting really big things from Kevin as the quarterback and leader on our team." ... Lockett and Thompson are also entering their third years as starters.

What's new with Garfield football in 2024

Boyd said offensive lineman William Lockett will also play more on defense this season with coaches Courtney Stockard and Stephen "Moose" Johnson working with him on being a two-way player. "Under those two coaches, we are expecting William to have a really good senior year up front on both sides of the ball," Boyd said. ... Darrin Brown Jr. is back on the defensive line and will likely play on the offensive line this season. "He played a little running back for us last year, a little fullback, but as strong as he is and as big as he has gotten we are looking for him to play a little guard for us this year," Boyd said of Brown. ... Senior running back-linebacker Martino Mitchell, senior two-way lineman Garrett Hoag and senior defensive back-wide receiver Josiah White are set to make an impact this season after not playing last season. ... Freshman tight end-linebacker Jameel Jenkins is a newcomer to watch. He is the younger brother of junior Jamir Jenkins. ... "We have six home games this year, which is really unheard of," Boyd said. "We are excited about that. We feel like that is going to be able to generate a lot of support and school spirit from not only our student body, but hopefully drawing some of the Golden Rams alumni and fans to some of those games." ... Garfield is hosting Southeast, Lutheran East, Carrollton, North, Firestone and East on Saturday afternoons at Kenmore Stadium.

Garfield football’s outlook

Boyd said his team's expectations are to "compete with anybody in the city" and "compete with anybody on our schedule." ... Garfield's top playmakers on offense are Kevin Strickling at quarterback, Brima Barry and Ziiyahn Blair at wide receiver and Isaiah Mathews and Thomas Walker III at running back ... "Brima Barry is about 6-foot-6, a heck of an athlete and he can catch the ball in traffic," Boyd said. ... The Golden Rams defense is set to feature linemen Darrin Brown Jr. and Jamir Jenkins, linebacker James Thompson, safety Ziiyahn Blair and cornerbacks Breshaun Nichols and Brima Barry. ... "We are expecting big things from James Thompson this year," Boyd said. "Coach Ellery Bradford, who is our defensive coordinator and our linebacker coach, has worked with James for the past four years and really has entrusted our defense and our defensive calls to James Thompson. ... Jamir Jenkins and Calvin Bibbs have worked their tails off in our on-season program."

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Garfield football schedule for 2024

• Aug. 24 SOUTHEAST, 2 p.m.
• Aug. 30 at Revere, 7 p.m.
• Sept. 6 at Cloverleaf, 7 p.m.
• Sept. 14 LUTHERAN EAST, noon
• Sept. 21 CARROLLTON, 2 p.m.
• Sept. 28 NORTH, noon
• Oct. 5 vs. FIRESTONE, noon
• Oct. 12 at Buchtel, noon
• Oct. 18 at Ellet, 7 p.m.
• Oct. 26 EAST, noon

Home games in all CAPS.

Michael Beaven can be reached by email at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal.com and is on Twitter at @MBeavenABJ .

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This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron Garfield Golden Rams 2024 high school football schedule, preview