WAKEFIELD—New Tidewater Academy head coach David Rodgers is optimistic about the 2009 football season. The Warriors have not won since 2005, but Rodgers said he has a squad that is ready to learn and excited to play.

TA did not know if it would field a team this year because of the lengthy search for a new coach. The Warriors took themselves out of the Virginia Commonwealth Conference and are playing as an independent school this year. The team will play an eight-game schedule and will not be eligible for the playoffs. Tidewater Academy dropped Isle of Wight Academy and Blessed Sacrament Huguenot for 2009.

Rodgers said that a good number of his players will play both offense and defense. Returning this year is last year’s starting quarterback Ferley Yurbi. Yurbi will also play cornerback. Other projected starters are Dale Rickmon at running back and safety, receivers Lamont Moore and Derrick Francis, fullback James Price, linemen Greg Irvin, Richard Hoagland, and Zach Borden, center Chris Walker and tackle Charlie Mosley.

Rodgers said at press time that he not decided on a specific offense. “If I had it my way, I would throw the ball all day, everyday,” he said.

Defensively, the Warriors will likely run a 4-4 defense.

The team has worked hard in training camp, Rodgers said

“With the guys I have right now, I feel like we can win games. I have a good core. I am working with kids who want to learn and love the game of football. They want to practice even in the heat. I love it,” Rodgers said.

Rodgers said the goal for this season is to restore respect to the Tidewater Academy program.

“Our goal is to win games. We want to go out there and send a statement,” Rodgers said. “This is a new team. We have to step up our game every time. They have to have a big game and make a statement in their first game. We want to become a winning program and go from there.”