METAIRIE, La. — East Jefferson returns one of the New Orleans metro area’s top passers from last year in senior quarterback Arthur Oliver.
Oliver threw for over 1,600 yards and 22 touchdowns last season for a Warriors club that earned a Class 5A playoff berth.
“Arthur has just improved so much as a quarterback, as a person, as a leader of our team. He’s always relied on his athleticism. Last year he improved on his throwing and going into this year I’ve watched him become a kid who is just studying the game to where he understands his counts in the box, he understands where his reads are and there are times where he knows where he is going with the ball before we even snap it and that’s going to be a luxury for us,” says East Jefferson head football coach Frank Allelo.
In a pass-heavy offense, Oliver was also the Warriors leading rusher in 2020, accounting for 460 yards and 3 touchdowns.
“The running back position is kind of weird at East Jefferson, considering my background. Henry Lee is going to be a sophomore for us and Henry is kind of the fifth receiver. He’s going to run a little bit for us, but our best runner is Arthur. if you’re going to cover us and pressure him, he’s going to elude the pocket and he’s our biggest threat,” says Allelo.
The defense will be under the direction of new defensive coordinator Chris Clock from St. Thomas More.
The unit returns 6 starters, including defensive lineman Ahmad Fisher and Rodrick Evans and linebackers, Charles Atkins and Kody Dixon.
“We have some size; we have a lot of speed and they have really bought into what Chris has brought in scheme-wise and that’s kind of been the missing component. If you can put 30 or 40 points on the board, you want to go home with a win and those kids have taken that challenge now,” says Allelo.
The Warriors open the 2021 regular season September 3rd at Livingston Collegiate Academy.
Their district 8-5A opener is set for September 24th at Riverdale.
For the full schedule, click here.