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: #3

RETURNERS
Returning Offensive Starters: 4
Returning Defensive Starters: 6
2018 JV Record: 3-1
Starting Quarterback Returning: no
Top Running Back Returning: no
Top Receiver Returning: yes
Top OL Returning: no
Top Defender Returning: yes

TOP PLAYERS
Diante Vines 6'0" 190 WR/S 4.46
Mashod Harrison 6'1" 200 Senior RB/LB 4.6
Michael Yamin 5'10" 170 Senior WR/CB 4.59

COLLEGE PROSPECTS LOST TO GRADUATION
Teely Rhyne 6'2" 195 Senior RB
Nolan Grooms 6'2" 180 Senior QB

STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES
Team Strengths: Skill Positions, Line Experience, Secondary
Team Weaknesses: Lost 3-Year QB Starter To Graduation, Depth

RATINGS
2018 Final Power Rating: 25.1
2018 National Rank: #1855
2018 State Rank: #16 (in CT)
General Personnel (Back/Lost) Rating Adjustment: -3.5
D1 Talent (Back/Lost) Rating Adjustment: +0.7
Non-Senior D1 Talent Rating Bonus: +5.7
2019 Starting Power Rating: 12.6
2019 National Rank: #1538
2019 State Rank: #14 (in CT)
Dynasty Rating (Average 2003-2018 Rating): 11.6
Dynasty National Rank: #5644
2019 Rating vs. Dynasty Rating Comparison: better by 1
Dynasty Record: 49-79 (37-60 in league)

HISTORICAL
2018 Overall Record: 8-1
2018 League Record/Finish: 6-1 (tied for 1st)
2018 Points For Average: 33.1
2018 Points Against Average: 22.2
2018 Differential: +10.9
2018 Wins: #1960 St. Sebastian's (Needham, MA) (35-34), #2961 Avon Old Farms (Avon) (35-31), #3117 Salisbury School (Salisbury) (47-28), #5424 Williston Northampton (Easthampton, MA) (31-7), #6999 Trinity-Pawling (Pawling, NY) (36-20), #7933 Kent School (Kent) (28-27), #8499 Hotchkiss (Lakeville) (26-20), #9494 Phillips Exeter Academy (Exeter, NH) (34-0)
2018 Losses: #1970 Brunswick (Greenwich) (33-26)
2018 Opponents W-L: 35-41
Recent League Championships: 2018 (tied for 1st), 2011 (tied for 1st)
Winning Streak Entering 2019 Season: 4
Streak List: 10/20/18 Avon Old Farms (Avon) (35-31), 10/27/18 Kent School (Kent) (28-27), 11/10/18 Hotchkiss (Lakeville) (26-20), 11/17/18 St. Sebastian's (Needham, MA) (35-34)

SCHEDULE
2019 Schedule: 9/7 Choate Rosemary Hall (Wallingford), 9/14 at Phillips Exeter Academy (Exeter, NH), 9/21 Salisbury School (Salisbury), 9/28 Williston Northampton (Easthampton, MA), 10/5 at Trinity-Pawling (Pawling, NY), 10/12 Brunswick (Greenwich), 10/19 at Avon Old Farms (Avon), 10/26 Kent School (Kent), 11/9 at Hotchkiss (Lakeville)
Highest-Rated 2019 Regular Season Opponents: Choate Rosemary Hall (Wallingford) (17.2), Brunswick (Greenwich) (11.8), Avon Old Farms (Avon) (4.1)
Lowest-Rated 2019 Regular Season Opponents: Phillips Exeter Academy (Exeter, NH) (-26.6), Kent School (Kent) (-23), Trinity-Pawling (Pawling, NY) (-16)
2018 Regular Season Schedule Strength: 10.1 (8.1 overall)
2019 Regular Season Schedule Strength: -7.6
2019 vs. 2018 Schedule Strength Comparison: -17.7
2019 Regular Season Schedule Strength State Rank: #42
2019 Regular Season Schedule Strength National Rank: #3743
2019 Projected Regular Season Record: 8-1
2019 Projected League Finish: 1st
2019 Undefeated Regular Season Probability: 17%