"We're very thin there,'' Kirby said. "We're not really sure who's going to play where.''
Kirby promises only one thing.
"We'll play the best 11,'' he said. No, that doesn't mean that only 11 players will play, but the best 11 per unit - offense, defense, special teams - will get the bulk of the action. That may force a few players from the 60-man roster to play all 48 minutes.
Among Jefferson's top returnees is senior Damon McDowell. He was the second-leading rusher in the area last year.
"He gained about 1,300 yards in eight games last year,'' Kirby said.
McDowell missed the first game last year because of a broken hand. He then broke the hand again early in the first quarter of the last game.
Kirby said that McDowell now does a good job of transferring the ball, and it should not cause any extra fumbles.
"That won't be a problem for him this year,'' Kirby said.
Senior Bryan Hyre will return as quarterback, but in Jefferson's scheme, that's mostly to hand off and pass only when necessary.
The area of concern is in the lines.
Only seven linemen on Jefferson's preseason roster weigh more than 205 pounds.
"The kids have been working hard, and (the coaching staff) is learning more about them everyday,'' Kirby said.
Jefferson Cougars
Coach: Jay Kirby, 16th year (61-90-1)
1999 record: 2-8
No.
Name
Class
Pos.
Ht.
Wt.
3
5
7
9
10
11
12
14
19
21
23
24
25
26
31
32
33
34
36
40
42
44
46
50
51
52
53
54
55
57
58
60
61
63
64
65
66
67
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
79
80
81
84
87
88
89
92
99
Lawrence Patterson
Bryan Hyre
Robert Burns
Rahmann Wilcox
Brad Cooper
Justin Dailey
Kyle Wilt
Jamie Walters
Devin Hosby
Andre McDonald
J.T. DeSarno
Akeen Holmes
Charles Weaver
Kyle Tennant
Jeff Dehart
John Hinton
Damon McDowell
Chris Puller
Ryan Fierro
Justin Dahlin
Dustin Householder
Jermar Togans
Jeremy Weaver
Ryan Day
Drew Day
Billy Mohr
T.J. McDonald
Anthony Jacobs
Bradley Fitzwater
Jeffrey Dillow
Justin Collins
Artie Badger
James Apperson
Chris McDowell
D.J. Lawson
Chris Patterson
Jon Cofone
Garren Henry
Trevor Dearstine
Robert Dibbern
Dan Gustines
Sam Wyndham
Casey Burke
James Blue
David Moulton
Jason Breeden
Kendall Burke
Josh Riese
Eric Snyder
Kennith Suits
Ken Shimp
David Yates
James Low
Joe Harrison
Steve Kozak
SO.
SR.
JR.
JR.
SR.
SO.
SR.
SO.
SR.
SR.
SO.
SR.
SO.
SO.
SR.
JR.
SR.
SR.
SR.
SR.
JR.
JR.
JR.
SO.
SR.
SR.
JR.
JR.
JR.
SO.
SR.
SO.
JR.
SO.
SO.
SR.
SR.
SO.
SR.
JR.
SO.
SO.
SO.
SO.
SR.
SR.
SR.
JR.
SR.
JR.
JR.
SR.
SO.
SO.
SO.
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
R
R
B
R
R
R
B
R
B
B
B
B
B
B
R
B
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
5-0
6-0
5-11
5-10
5-9
5-8
5-9
5-10
5-10
5-7
5-6
5-8
5-9
5-8
6-2
5-11
6-0
6-3
5-9
5-5
6-2
6-5
5-8
5-11
5-9
5-5
5-10
5-11
6-0
6-2
5-11
5-10
5-11
5-11
5-7
5-10
5-7
6-0
6-2
5-10
5-5
5-9
5-5
5-7
6-2
6-0
6-1
5-9
5-11
6-0
5-11
5-11
5-6
5-7
6-4
105
181
146
162
147
140
187
135
178
157
125
198
140
178
200
205
195
240
190
190
230
230
153
155
189
162
151
201
201
203
195
197
257
217
200
213
165
166
245
185
252
290
176
232
196
201
193
178
174
148
168
150
126
153
200
2000 Schedule
Aug. 25, at Loudoun County (Va.), 7:30; Sept. 1, Keyser, 7:30; Sept. 8, Loudoun Valley (Va.), 7:30; Sept. 15, at Potomac Falls (Va.), 7:30; Sept. 22, at Stone Bridge (Va.), 7:30; Sept. 29, at Greenbrier East, 7:30; Oct. 6, Musselman, 7:30; Oct. 13, Fort Hill (Md.), 7:30; Oct. 20, Martinsburg, 7:30; Oct. 27, at Hedgesville, 7:30
SHENANDOAH JUNCTION, W.Va. - Jefferson will be an interesting team this fall. While the Cougars come from one of the biggest, if not the biggest, school in the state, it also is one of a very few schools that does not have a freshman class.
