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A Tour Around the Northern Region

First-year Coach Dennis Randolph Breathes New Life into the Titans’ Program

Seventh in a series.

Dennis Randolph has spent the past 32 years coaching football in the Northern Region, and his four-school tour during that time included two head coaching stops at Edison and South Lakes along the way. So no one needed to explain to Randolph when he was interviewed for the vacant head coaching position at T.C. Williams that the Titans’ storied program has struggled mightily for more than a dozen years.

They also didn’t need to tell him, though, just how much potential he would be inheriting if he took the job.

T.C. Williams’ freshman and junior varsity teams have gone a combined 52-11-1 over the past four years, with neither team losing more than two games in a single season.

‘One of the things that intrigued me most about T.C. Willaims was why they weren’t winning,’ Randolph said. ‘The million dollar question is why are those records not translating into victories at the varsity level? I already knew it wasn’t a lack of athleticism, because from the outside looking in it always looked better on the other side of the field when you were going up against T.C. Williams. They’ve always had incredible team speed. ‘And all of the athleticism that we thought was here is. So it’s not that. And it’s not the kids’ attitude either. We’ve had a great turnout all summer. I kept hearing that the kids at this school just didn’t come out to play, but that’s not true.’ But it has been a struggle in the past to keep players on the roster throughout their high school career. Randolph noted that only one player from the Titans’ freshman team that fared 8-0 four years ago was a member of their varsity team last year as a senior. ‘If you only have one kid who stays in the program from their freshman to their senior years, that’s a huge problem,’ Randolph said. ‘And that’s something we’ve absolutely got to fix immediately.’ Already Randolph said he was pleasantly surprised by his players’ participation in summer sessions. Since early June they have worked six days a week in weight-lifting sessions, passing leagues and various 7-on-7 camps. Throughout that time Randolph estimated the average turnout for the passing leagues to be 40-45 players per night, and said that the weight lifting numbers were even stronger, averaging 40-70 participants per night. ‘Well, I guess it dropped down to only 25-40 guys on Friday nights,’ he said, laughing. ‘But they are, after all, still teenagers. So I was okay with that.’

Titans’ senior Jamal Ford goes through quarterback drills with the team’s other contenders during a morning practice.

The big challenge now, Randolph said, is changing the players’ mindset
and convincing them that if something bad does happen in a game — as
it inevitably will — they can overcome it. Randolph, who has installed
a multiple offense that will most often run out of either a split-back
or I-formation and an aggressive, 4-4 defense that will use multiple
blitz packages, said he will test his players in practice by putting
them in game-like situations where the scenario looks bad to see if
they can keep their heads up and stay focused.

‘Going through the interview process here I had to really look at the situation and decide if I thought this was a job where you just
could not win,’ Randolph said. ‘Or if I was egotistical enough to come in here and think that I could change it. And obviously I decided that I am.

‘But every day I’ve spent in this building and around these kids I’ve walked out thinking that I don’t see how it’s possible not to be successful here. I get more excited every day I go out there to the practice field with them.’

Quarterback Shuffle

Titan senior Jamal Ford was the team’s starting quarterback a year ago. But his reign lasted only three games before a broken thumb on his right, throwing hand forced him to the sideline. When Ford did return, his still couldn’t properly grip the football to throw, so he was instead shifted to running back.

Now Ford (5-11, 170) is completely healthy, but to which position in the backfield he’ll return for his senior season remains to be seen.

Junior Zachary Goehler is a 6-feet-5, 180-pound transfer from Wisconsin who also played quarterback at his former school. The two players are competing for the starting job.

‘They’re both great athletes, so it’s a win-win situation for us,’ Randolph said. ‘Whichever one doesn’t start at quarterback will definitely play somewhere else.’

Home Field Disadvantage

As construction continues at T.C. Williams, the Titans’ playing field remains off limits to the team. The trailers that had been placed on the field as temporary classrooms have been removed now that the new school is open, but work on what will be a new turf field has not yet started.

Still, the goal is to have the field ready to debut at the Titans’ 2 p.m. Homecoming game against Hayfield on Oct. 13.

‘They want to have a big celebration with the entire community to show off the new school and everything,’ Randolph said. ‘We’re hoping the field will be ready for us to do that.’

As a precaution, the Titans’ four scheduled home games — against Lake Braddock, Hayfield, Lee and West Potomac — have been tentatively scheduled to be played at nearby Episcopal High School in Alexandria. All but the Lake Braddock game (scheduled for Sept. 28) fall after the Homecoming date, which could mean they will be played at T.C. Williams after all.

‘Our second game was supposed to be at home against Centreville, but they graciously agreed to switch years with us,’ Randoph said. ‘So that game will be played at Centreville this season and then here next year. That’s why we only have four home games this year.’

The Basics

Team: T.C. Williams Titans
District: Patriot (Division 6)
Coach: Dennis Randolph, 1st year
Last year’s record: 4-6 overall, 2-5 district
Returning starters: 6 offense/6 defense
Players to watch: DE Frank Afriyie, Sr., 5-11, 235; LB Nate Armstead, Sr., 5-10, 190; TE Brandon Burke, Jr., 6-4, 210; OL Carlos Canales, Sr., 5-11, 245; RB Darrell Carrington, Sr., 5-11, 190; QB/RB Jamal Ford, Sr., 5-11, 170; QB Zachary Goehler, Jr., 6-5, 180; OL Ron Hidalgo, Sr., 5-10, 235; DL Quintas McCorkle, Sr., 5-10, 270; WR Antoine Payne, Sr., 6-1, 170; WR Marcus Via, Jr., 6-3, 175; RB/DB Craig Wade, Sr., 5-8, 168; LB Carlton Watson, Sr., 5-7, 175.

To see a complete photo gallery from T.C. Williams’ practice, go to
http://www.shutterfly.com/pro/1179855540834/AngelaWatts/TCWilliamsFootball