Senior receivers provide offensive punch

By BRIAN WHITMORE
Sports Editor

Union's offense has the ability to strike fast and without warning, thanks to a talented and experienced receiver corps.

Seniors David Smith, Charles Brandon and Blake Haney give the Yellow Jackets an offensive punch few teams enjoy. Union will need it as it takes on Camden for the Class AAA state championship at 8 p.m. Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia.

"It's one of the better crops of receivers we've had," said Union coach Mike Anthony. "They are so consistent. They don't drop many balls and run their routes hard."

Both Smith and Brandon have started since their 10th grade year.

Smith, a North-South all-star who has signed to play college football for South Carolina, has caught 59 passes for 1,017 yards and 11 touchdowns this season. He averages 17.2 yards per catch and his longest reception was 60 yards.

"David is consistent," said Union coach Mike Anthony. "Other than Roscoe (Crosby, former Union receiver now at Clemson), he has had as many catches as anyone we've had here."

Smith is looking to elevate his performance in the state title game.

"Last year, I didn't have a good game in state, but this year I'm going to try harder to help my team come out on top," he said.

Brandon, a Shrine Bowl all-star, has 41 receptions for 696 yards and five touchdowns. He averages 17 yards per catch, with his longest reception being 85 yards. Brandon has extra incentive against Camden, which defeated Union 24-21 in overtime for the championship last year.

"Charles still has being tackled on the 2-yard line in his mind," said Anthony. "I think that's going to spur him on to having a great week and really show out in this game."

The tackle came on the final play of regulation. Brandon was stopped just short of a game winning touchdown and the contest went into overtime. Union missed a field goal and Camden didn't.

Brandon said he was worried after the game that he let his teammates down. Now he uses the experience as a source of motivation.

"In the playoffs it has been a lot of motivation to come out and work harder than I've been working," said Brandon. "Now I'm going to use it to help me out, to give me that extra burst of speed I need to get in the end zone."

Chances are that Haney could find himself in a similar big play situation and he's ready. He has 29 receptions for 370 yards and six touchdowns. He averages 12.8 yards per catch and his longest reception was 39 yards.

Haney has overcome a lot to get where he is. Union has had so many talented receivers over the past several years, Haney never got a chance to shine. He almost quit last season, Anthony wouldn't let him.

"I called his momma and she got him back out here," he said. "He's having a great senior season."

Another obstacle Haney has overcome is a racing heartbeat which sidelined him for a couple games. He's been cleared to compete, but the situation is still being monitored. Haney said that returning from the health problem against Clinton was the highlight of his prep career.

With a new quarterback at the helm of Union's spread offense, some detractors may have doubted that the Jacket receivers would have years comparable to the recent and brilliant past. After all, record-breaker Josh Harris had graduated and moved onto Middle Tennessee State.

Enter Justin Knox.

"You really are not going to find to many Josh Harrises around," said Brandon. "Justin stepped in as a junior. A lot of people said this year with a new quarterback and backfield that we were not going to be the same Union team as in the past, but we just showed them that wasn't true. As we played the games, Justin came along and did a great job and he's still doing a great job right now."

Smith agrees.

"Justin gets better game after game," he said. "We're waiting for him to have another breakout game, like he did at Greenville (where Knox's play carried the Jackets past the previously undefeated Red Raiders).

Haney is glad that he's there to make the short grabs from Knox, when Smith and Brandon can't break free.

"You've got exceptional athletes like David and Charles who are going to make big plays, but whenever we need just five or seven yards to move the sticks, I guess I'm there for the possession," he said.

Each receiver downplays their role and gives credit to their teammates.

"I think with the offense we've got right now you just can't look at a couple of players on the team," said Brandon. "You have to look at the whole offense. If me or David can't make a play, we've got Blake, C.J. Lott or Andre Howze that can make the play."

And you can't pass on every down.

"Our offense is a working unit and has confidence," said Smith. "When we can't pass the ball we look to our line and our running backs to get it in the end zone for us."

The trio also gives credit to the coaching staff, particularly to receivers coach Kevin Farmer.

"I remember coming up as a freshman and I didn't know too much about playing receiver," said Brandon. "Coach Farmer did a great job coming out and coaching us, teaching us the little stuff of the game. He makes us realize it's not about the big stuff, the little stuff makes a difference in a football game when you're playing receiver."

Haney agrees that Farmer has made a great impact on many Union receivers.

Smith said Farmer's tutelage comes down to "CAT" - "Catch Anything Thrown."

They rarely don't and look for one last big game before the curtain falls on their prep careers.

"You want to go out the best way you can, with a bang," said Brandon, who has had a few colleges looking his way. "If you go out with a loss you will always think about it, but if you go out with a win you'll think about it even more."

Smith is glad he'll be ending his high school career where his college career will begin, on the Gamecocks' home field.

"I guess I've got a little warm up on Saturday, because I'll be playing at Williams-Brice," he said. "It means a lot to go down there and play in high school, before I play there in college."

Smith knows that Union has prepared him for great things.

"It makes me feel like I can do anything," said Smith on being a Yellow Jacket. "This is a great program to be in. It has you up on grades, not just on the field, but off the field. I'm going to miss it."

Did you know?: Smith is a three-sport star for Union, leading the Jackets' basketball team in scoring last season and as a baseball pitcher. Haney also is a key pitcher for Union's baseball team.

Favorite moments of 2002:

Smith: vs. Greenville. "We were a different team on offense in the second half, with a lot of confidence," he said. "I caught a 45-yard pass."

Brandon: vs. Greer. "They came back before halftime and tied the game," he said. "I caught a touchdown pass that some said turned the game in our favor."

Haney: vs. Clinton. "I came back from my injury," he said. "It was the impact game of my career."

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