NEW ORLEANS — After a slow start in 2021, the St. Augustine Purple Knights closed out the season strong, winning four of their last six games with their season ending in the Division I quarterfinals.
“We went toe-to-toe with the state champions, Catholic of Baton Rouge, and really showed that we can play with those types of programs. The effort that the kids have, the belief, the ambition that we have here at St. Aug. I know that we can play with those types of programs,” says St. Augustine head football coach Nick Foster.
With 11 starters returning this fall, that’s precisely what St. Aug is ready to do.
On offense, the Purple Knights will feature playmakers Karaaz Johnson, Joshua Jackson, Dawson Simmons, and Hubert Caliste.
By now you’ve probably seen Caliste make several plays on a basketball court. Head coach Nick foster hopes he will do the same as a tight end in football.
“A lot of basketball players transition to the position of tight end. Jimmy Graham, a lot of those guys, Tony Gonzalez and he’s similar to those types of players,” says Foster.
“I think football will help me a lot. I’ll be a lot stronger. Conditioning is a lot harder for football, so I’ll be more in shape and a lot stronger,” says St. Augustine tight end Hubert Caliste.
They’ll go as far as their talented offensive line will take them with Louisiana Tech-commit, Troy Smith, and 4-star prospect Tyree Adams.
“Each and every year we always have those five that can really get it done each and every day,” says St. Augustine offensive lineman Tyree Adams.
“Be the best in the state, really be the best in the country. We’ve just got to stay focused each and every day. Come in, work hard and we could be the best if we put our mind to it,” added Adams.
“I mean, he’s 6’6, 290. Just that alone but his leadership but also his football IQ. Understanding different fronts, how to climb to the next level, understanding blitz pickup, and different things like that. He’s a blessing to have but also an advantage to have,” says Foster.
On defense, St. Aug returns five starters with Jacob Dillon and Davis Oliver-Goodwin manning the secondary while Tulane-commit Jah’rie Garner, Shane Payton-Hodges, and Cornell Harris wreak havoc up front.
“They give me problems in practice. You know, I call the plays in practice so I have to switch up my tactics up, what we’re doing with those guys up front. The defensive line, that’s the strength of our team. They work hard and they live on it,” says Foster.
Nick Foster enters his third season as St. Augustine’s head football coach and knows that both Catholic League and state championships are decided in the trenches.
It’s an area the Purple Knights are deep in 2022.
The 31st edition of WGNO’s Friday Night Football, presented by the Allstate Sugar Bowl, returns Friday, August 19th.
You can catch all of the action on Friday Nights at 11 p.m. on Nola 38 the CW and again at midnight on WGNO.