Akron Buchtel Griffins 2024 high school football schedule, preview

BUCHTEL GRIFFINS

• HEAD COACH: Bryan Williams , fourth season, 17-17
• LAST YEAR: 6-6 overall, 4-1 City Series
• POSTSEASON: Division IV, Region 13

Buchtel football's returning lettermen (24)

• Stevie Diamond , QB, 6-2, 195, Sr.
• Demetrice Coates , TE/OLB, 6-2, 215, Sr.
• Xavier Wilson , TE/DE, 6-3, 205, Sr.
• DeAndre Copeland, OL/DL, 6-1, 290, Sr.
• Clay'Veon Howard, OL/DL, 6-3, 340, Sr.
• Dallas Gaiter, OL/DL, 6-2, 290, Sr.
• Jeremiah Manuel, LB/RB-LS, 5-8, 200, Sr.
• Arman Gable , DB/WR, 5-9, 155, Sr.
• Evander Hargrove, DL, 6-1, 197, Sr.
• Javion Nixon, DB/RB, 5-6, 150, Sr.
• Devaughn "DJ" Jefferson, RB/LB, 5-8, 200, Sr.
• Durean Johnson , WR/DB, 6-0, 190, Jr.
• Marcus Britt, RB/DB, 5-11, 170, Jr.
• Jordan Holloway, OL/DL, 5-11, 230, Jr.
• Quadire Harvey, TE/LB, 6-2, 170, Jr.
• Dwight Shade, WR/DB, 6-2, 170, Jr.
• Tresean Jones, OL/DL, 6-2, 225, Jr.
• Jaylen Ingram, DE/OT, 6-1, 215, Jr.
• Tavione Iverson, WR/DB, 5-8, 150, So.
• Terrell Hall, WR/DB, 6-1, 135, So.
• Tramir Jones, QB/DB, 5-6, 135, So.
• Shaad Byers, RB/LB, 5-8, 190, So.
• Mehki Wright, OL/DL. 6-2, 240, So.
• Ernest Pitts, RB/LB, 5-2, 150, So.

Buchtel football’s impact players

Stevie Diamond, Demetrice Coates, Xavier Wilson, Arman Gable, DeAndre Copeland, and Clay'Veon Howard are six of Buchtel's top returnees . ... "A sprinkle of all those senior guys are very important," Williams said. "This is our first cycle year of guys that came in with us our first year as a coaching staff and they are seniors now. The majority of those guys are our most experienced players." ... Diamond is entering his fourth year as a varsity quarterback and has college scholarship offers from Central State and Marshall. ... Diamond, Coates and Gable are also basketball players who contributed to Buchtel's Division II state championship team in 2023 . ... "They bring experience from basketball and football," Williams said. "They bring that championship pedigree and understanding the mindset of where to be, how to be there and how to lead by example. Those three guys have been here since Year One because they went through a lot of withdrawals and understanding how to be a high school player and getting the pee-wee and youth [football] out of their ears and growing and learning each day, each week, each month and each year. Now, they are in front of their teammates." ... Coates is being recruited by Central State, Baldwin Wallace and Wittenberg. ... "Demetrice Coates and Xavier Wilson will play both sides of the ball, same with DeAndre Copeland, Clay'Veon Howard and Arman Gable," Williams said. "We have some new additions to fill some gaps. Most of our guys will go both ways. ... As far as expectations, the players understand that we are building together and have a different room. It takes some time to build a program and all those words you use to build a program, you can put in a box now and focus on X's and O's."

What's new with Buchtel football in 2024

"We have got a few transfers in that we are excited about," Williams said. "We are still in the evaluation period, but for the most part they look good and we continue to build." ... The following players transferred to Buchtel : senior two-way lineman Lenox Roberts (6-0, 305) and senior two-way lineman Justin Green (6-5, 335) from Garfield; sophomore running back-defensive back Emmanuel Jefferson (5-6, 145), senior running back-cornerback DaJuan Owens (6-0, 180) and senior running back-linebacker Richard Humphrey (5-8, 205) from Barberton; junior wide receiver-defensive back Karter Dawson (6-1 180) from St. Vincent-St. Mary; and junior running back-linebacker Kylar Wilson (5-10, 175) from Archbishop Hoban. ... "There are about a handful of new guys that are bought into our culture, flying around and making plays," Williams said. ... Owens was a three-year starter at Barberton. ... Williams said three freshmen could make an impact on the varsity team: quarterback Arthur Thomas III (6-2, 160), tight end-linebacker Steven Harris (6-0, 180) and wide receiver-defensive back Michael Frazier Jr. (5-7, 140).

Buchtel football’s outlook

Buchtel made the playoffs last season and has been in the postseason in three out of the past four seasons. ... Buchtel topped Ellet, Garfield, North and Firestone and lost to East in City Series play. Buchtel shared the City Series title with East and topped Cardinal Mooney in the opening round of the Division IV playoffs before losing to Canton South by one point. ... "Every year we make sure that we pride ourselves on the first five nonleague games and prepare ourselves for our City Series schedule," Williams said. "I feel as though where we are going and where we were before, it is changing the demographic of our whole league. Last year, we had four teams go to the playoffs [Buchtel, East, Firestone and Ellet]. We just want to keep that motivation going. For us, we will continue to put the best teams in front of us as much as we can each year to help us to get ready for our City Series schedule."

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Buchtel football schedule for 2024

• Aug. 23 at North Canton Hoover
• Aug. 30 at Warren Harding
• Sept. 6 at Archbishop Hoban
• Sept. 14 BEDFORD, 1 p.m.
• Sept. 21 AUSTINTOWN FITCH, 1 p.m.
• Sept. 27 vs. Firestone at Ellet
• Oct. 5 ELLET, noon
• Oct. 12 GARFIELD, noon
• Oct. 19 vs. East, at Ellet, noon
• Oct. 25 vs. North, at Ellet

Home games in all CAPS. All games at 7 p.m., unless noted .

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

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron Buchtel Griffins 2024 high school football schedule, preview