Taft (Watertown, CT)       previews home


GENERAL
Nickname: Big Red
Colors: Red/Blue
Coach: Tyler Whitley
League: Erickson
State (Plays In): Prep Schools
Playoff Division: NEPSAC A
Playoff Division Rank: #7

RETURNERS
Returning Offensive Starters: 4
Returning Defensive Starters: 4
2017 JV Record: 1-3
Starting Quarterback Returning: yes
Top Running Back Returning: no
Top Receiver Returning: no
Top OL Returning: no
Top Defender Returning: yes

TOP PLAYERS
Nolan Grooms 6'3" 180 Senior QB 4.53
Teely Rhyne 6'2" 190 Senior RB/OLB 4.5
Liam Akpata 6'0" 185 Senior S/WR 4.6

STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES
Team Strengths: Skill Positions, Secondary, Line Size
Team Weaknesses: Line Depth

RATINGS
2017 Final Power Rating: 11.3
2017 National Rank: #4417
2017 State Rank: #49 (in CT)
General Personnel (Back/Lost) Rating Adjustment: -2.5
D1 Talent (Back/Lost) Rating Adjustment: +1.5
2018 Starting Power Rating: -5.2
2018 National Rank: #4551
2018 State Rank: #47 (in CT)
Dynasty Rating (Average 2003-2017 Rating): 10.7
Dynasty National Rank: #6110
2018 Rating vs. Dynasty Rating Comparison: worse by 15.9
Dynasty Record: 41-78 (31-59 in league)

HISTORICAL
2017 Overall Record: 4-4
2017 League Record/Finish: 4-3 (4th)
2017 Points For Average: 32.5
2017 Points Against Average: 28
2017 Differential: +4.5
2017 Wins: #7994 Kent School (Kent) (43-19), #8525 Williston Northampton (Easthampton, MA) (26-12), #8875 Hotchkiss (Lakeville) (41-23), #8924 Salisbury School (Salisbury) (42-20)
2017 Losses: #1656 Avon Old Farms (Avon) (42-29), #1756 Berkshire (Sheffield, MA) (27-21), #2405 Trinity-Pawling (Pawling, NY) (47-37), #3525 Brunswick (Greenwich) (34-21)
2017 Opponents W-L: 35-32
Recent League Championships: 2011 (tied for 1st)
Winning Streak Entering 2018 Season: 1
Streak List: 11/11/17 Hotchkiss (Lakeville) (41-23)

SCHEDULE
2018 Schedule: 9/15 Phillips Exeter Academy (Exeter, NH), 9/22 at Salisbury School (Salisbury), 9/29 at Williston Northampton (Easthampton, MA), 10/6 Trinity-Pawling (Pawling, NY), 10/13 vs Brunswick (Greenwich), 10/20 Avon Old Farms (Avon), 10/27 at Kent School (Kent), 11/10 Hotchkiss (Lakeville)
Highest-Rated 2018 Regular Season Opponents: Avon Old Farms (Avon) (24.1), Trinity-Pawling (Pawling, NY) (6.7), Brunswick (Greenwich) (-7.6)
Lowest-Rated 2018 Regular Season Opponents: Phillips Exeter Academy (Exeter, NH) (-29.6), Salisbury School (Salisbury) (-26.7), Kent School (Kent) (-24.4)
2017 Regular Season Schedule Strength: 12.5
2018 Regular Season Schedule Strength: -12.9
2018 vs. 2017 Schedule Strength Comparison: -25.4
2018 Regular Season Schedule Strength State Rank: #77
2018 Regular Season Schedule Strength National Rank: #6065
2018 Projected Regular Season Record: 6-2
2018 Projected League Finish: 3rd
2018 Undefeated Regular Season Probability: less than 1%