Rebuilt defense again standing out for Gahanna football team
Tuesday, September 26, 2023
By Jarrod Ulrey
julrey@cbussports.com
Senior lineman Elijah King (left) and senior middle linebacker Quan Rhodes-McKee have helped the Gahanna Lincoln football team’s defense not skip a beat this season following the program’s run to a Division I state semifinal last season. Photo: Jarrod Ulrey
Senior Elijah King jokingly called it a “religion” when describing how he and the members of the Gahanna Lincoln football team have approached playing aggressive defense this fall.
With one of central Ohio’s top running backs in senior Diore Hubbard and a blossoming passing game to boot behind junior quarterback Brennen Ward, the Lions unsurprisingly have produced perhaps central Ohio’s most consistent offense this fall.
What wasn’t certain heading into this season was how Gahanna’s defense might respond after losing 10 starters to graduation following last year’s run to a Division I state semifinal.
The Lions were expected to rebuild around King, a 6-foot-6, 230-pound Rutgers commit who lines up at defensive end and was the only returning full-time starter, but the additions of senior middle linebacker Quan Rhodes-McKee and senior defensive back Cam Frazier, and an emerging core around them, has alleviated any fear regarding the unit’s potential.
During a 6-0 start that included beating Westland 49-7 on Sept. 22 in its opener, Gahanna gave up an average of just 10.5 points.
Of the 63 points the Lions have allowed, 21 came in the first half of a 46-28 win Sept. 1 over Olentangy Liberty when the Lions were “overstimulated” according to coach Bruce Ward as they battled through the emotions of playing their first game in their new stadium.
“I’m really happy for us,” King said. “In a way it’s been a long journey with us not having a lot of starters back from last year. I’m excited and happy for my guys that we’re shutting teams down and just carrying (defensive coordinator Murad) Holliday’s religion, which is to ‘Hunt.’ We just want to keep doing it until somebody stops us.”
Gahanna football coach Bruce Ward addresses his team after a recent practice. The Lions are 6-0 overall and 1-0 in the OCC-Ohio Division. Photo: Jarrod Ulrey
The Lions gave up 12.9 points a year ago while allowing more than 20 points in a game only three times all season, including in a 31-7 loss to Lakewood St. Edward in a state semifinal.
Linebacker Jaden Yates, a four-year starter and first-team all-state honoree last season who is now playing for Marshall, and lineman Kamari Burns, who was second-team all-state last year and is now at Cincinnati, led a veteran defense.
King, who has 9.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks and 28 total tackles, was called on to be the leader this fall and has stepped into that role comfortably.
“Elijah King’s played well,” coach Bruce Ward said. “He’s a good leader. He’s actually a first-year captain for us this year and he’s embraced that role, truly being the only true starter back from last year. Now he’s got more seniority than anybody else at this point.
“It’s been kind of fun to re-teach things your way. We’ve got some guys who are new to the program and to Friday nights. We’ve been pretty dominant the last several years, so from a coaching standpoint, we’ve really had to coach this year. Last year we could just talk and we really didn’t have to coach.”
Ward described the Lions’ defense as being full of “ball hawks.”
Frazier, who missed the Lions’ 49-7 win over Westland on Sept. 22 with sickness, had four interceptions through his first five games lining up mostly at safety. A first-team all-state honoree in Division IV last season while playing for KIPP Columbus, Frazier has 14 scholarship offers.
Rhodes-McKee has 41 tackles, five tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and two interceptions in his first season with the program after making first-team all-state in Division II last fall for Westerville South.
He’s 6-1, 210, and believes he’s a step faster than a year ago when he weighed 225.
Gahanna senior Quan Rhodes-McKee joined the program this fall after previously starring for Westerville South. Photo: Jarrod Ulrey
“I love it (at Gahanna),” Rhodes-McKee said. “It’s just a process and a different culture here. Everything needs to be done at a high level. Everybody just does their job and their responsibilities. Everybody flies to the football and it makes us have a great defense.
“Everybody has to keep doing what they’re doing. It’s a mountain. We have to win the OCC and then the regionals and then state. We definitely have the potential.”
Junior Terrell Holcomb started the first two games of last season at cornerback before going down with a season-ending injury but has stayed healthy this fall and has contributed 32 tackles and two tackles for loss while playing at safety.
Junior cornerback Jason Smith is another who has played a key role after gaining experience but battling through injuries last season.
Senior linebacker Domiyon Jones (37 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks), senior linebacker Eddie Blunt (5.5 tackles for loss) and junior lineman Kaden Messenger (four tackles for loss) also have been key contributors.
King is the younger brother of Karter Johnson, a senior tight end for Pittsburgh who played for both Gahanna and Pickerington Central.
“I really took what Jaden Yates and Kamari Burns said last year just spurring on guys, keeping us aggressive, being physical, just trying to import the religion,” King said. “I’ve dreamt about this since I was in middle school. I always knew we were going to do something special and I’m forever grateful for this.”
The Lions have another future major-college recruit in Hubbard, who has rushed for 628 yards and nine touchdowns and is committed to West Virginia.
Senior Jake Grimm is a two-way lineman who has committed to Toledo on offense.
The Lions travel Sept. 29 to New Albany, which they defeated twice last season.
On Sept. 15, Gahanna beat Pickerington Central 49-14 for its third consecutive win in that series.
“We’ve outscored (Central) 80-14 in the last six quarters, but I don’t put a lot of stock into (prior) week’s games,” Ward said. “I don’t want to be the best we can be (at midseason). We want to hit that stride in Week 15. We’re not satisfied, but we’re happy.”