The Monticello High School football team has a veteran, senior quarterback and a big offensive line to block for him, making the Mustangs the team to beat this season in the Jefferson District.
Monticello features one of the top quarterbacks in central Virginia in Jhalil Mosley. Mosley threw for over 1,900 yards last season with 21 touchdowns. He scored ten more times running, leading the Mustangs to an 8-3 record and a playoff birth. Mosley has already committed to playing college ball at JMU.
Mosley says, "It takes a lot of pressure off my shoulder. Now I can just kick back and play football, the sport I love, and just have fun with the fellows out here."
Monticello has a big offensive line with each player weighing at least 275 pounds. Four of them are returning starters, giving Mosley time to work his magic.
Monticello senior center Sam Marshall says, "Oh yeah, we're going to do that for him, give him a little time to make a play happen, run it, throw it, however he wants to do it."
Mosley says, "They're (the offensive line) going to take us as far as we go. There's a lot of beef up front. They give me a lot of time to make my reads, and they just make life easy for me."
Marshall will play on both sides of the ball. T.J. Tillery will be counted to run the ball behind that big line, replacing graduated 2,000 yard rusher Isaac Robinson.
Tillery says, "They're just so good. When you run behind them, it's like running behind a brick wall. All you have to do is follow your blocks, and you're in the end zone."
Tillery will also play strong safety on the other side of the ball, a defense which Marshall says looks improved.
"Solid, way better than last year, more physical, flying around just looks like they have more energy," said Marshall.
Should we expect to see a lot of points on the board with Jhalil leading the way?
Coach Rodney Redd responds, "That's the plan, but obviously it has to come together. It has to gel, and we'll just go from there."
Monticello kicks off the season at Albemarle August 31.
