Many expected last year to be Brashear’s breakthrough season, as the Bulls search for their first City League title since winning back-to-back crowns in 2014 and 2015.
With a crop of young talent led by then-sophomore Ta’Mere Robinson — ranked a top-100 prospect in the nation in the class of 2023 by Rivals and 247 Sports — the Post-Gazette ranked Brashear as its No. 1 team in the City League going into the 2020 season. The Bulls then stumbled to a 1-3 record in the regular season, but a 9-8 win vs. University Prep in the third-place game helped salvage a lost season.
Now with a new coach in charge and virtually its entire young core returning with another year of experience under its belt, expectations are higher than ever for Brashear going into 2021.
“We’re starving,” said first-year coach Andrew Moore, a former assistant with the team who helped lead the Bulls to a City League title in 2007. “I’m not a guy who has a lot of experience [as a coach], but as a former player, I’ve been there. … I’ve been where some of these guys want to get to.
“They have all the talent in the world. It’s just about helping everyone find their niche and being able to operate as a team and as a unit.”
Robinson is a 6-foot-4, 220-pound junior who holds scholarship offers from Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia, Ohio State, Michigan and Notre Dame, among others. He has spent his first two seasons playing as a receiver on offense, but Moore said he has been taking some reps at quarterback and may get the first crack at the position going into the season.
“There’s a chance we could see him playing some quarterback for us, as well as playing some receiver, just because of his size and he’s going to be a mismatch in the passing game,” Moore said. “Also as a quarterback, he’s extremely athletic and he’s an intelligent player. He’s an intelligent person.”
On defense, Robinson is a hybrid outside linebacker-safety who can rush the passer and cover opposing receivers at an elite level. He projects as an outside linebacker at the next level, but appears capable of playing multiple positions.
“We plan on being really versatile with him, because he’s a type of guy, as an offensive coordinator, you probably want to stay away from,” Moore said.
Robinson isn’t the only top-tier talent on Brashear’s team, though. Fellow edge rusher Kam Cheatom (6-2, 215) is a junior tight end-outside linebacker with offers from Akron, Kent State and Toledo, and senior safety Kevin Smith (6-1, 180) is a four-year starter who holds an offer from Toledo as well.
Junior running back Shawn Solomon (6-0, 190) will likely receive the bulk of the carries for the Bulls, while speedy seniors Daquan Griffin and Rasheed Saunders may also see some snaps at tailback while spending most of their time in the slot.
“[Daquan] is an electric guy, but we have to get the ball in his hands,” Moore said. “He’s an extremely good athlete. He’s on the radar of a lot of Division I programs. They just have reservations about his size, him being about 5-9, 170. But the kid can just flat-out ball.”
Senior lineman Aaorn Ford (6-4, 275) will help lead the way up front for Brashear, and if the Bulls can control the line of scrimmage and get the ball to their athletes in space, they will be tough to stop on offense. Then again, it’s one thing to have the talent on paper, and another thing to execute on the field.
“In order for this season to be a success, we expect to be champions,” Moore said. “We expect to win the city.”
Coach: Andrew Moore
Years at school: 1
2020 record: 2-4
Returning starters: Offense 7, Defense 9
Key returners: Ta’Mere Robinson (6-4, 220, Jr., QB-WR-OLB), Kam Cheatom (6-2, 215, Jr., TE-OLB), Daquan Griffin (5-9, 170, Sr., WR-DB)
Keys to success: Consistent play at the quarterback position. Spread the ball around to athletes in space. Utilize elite pass rushers to force turnovers on defense.
Schedule
Aug. 28 | St. Vincent Pallotti, Md. (at Wolverena, Turtle Creek)* | 1 |
Sept. 3 | at Erie McDowell* | 7 |
Sept. 10 | Westinghouse | 7 |
Sept. 17 | at Erie* | 7 |
Sept. 24 | Perry | 7 |
Oct. 2 | Uniontown* | 5 |
Oct. 8 | at University Prep | 7 |
Oct. 14 | at Allderdice | 7 |
*Non-conference game
First Published: August 14, 2021, 11:00 a.m.