TDL: Two-A-Days - SWLA Homeschool Knights

Lake Charles, LA (KPLC) - Two-A-Days isn’t exclusive to just 11-on-11 high school football. This year we include the SWLA Knights of the eight-man ACEL homeschool league.

While the four-time state runners-up eye their first state title they’ll have to do so with some new faces. The Knights must fill numerous big roles after losing multiple all-state athletes.

“We’ve got some pieces that are moving around and we are trying to fit different pieces into that puzzle and we are seeing how that is going to fall out but I’ve got a lot of depth this year,” said head coach Morgan Hines. “We’ve almost doubled our roster from last year which it’s a lot of young kids but I’ve also got a lot of younger kids that are new to homeschool.”

The Knights will run a version of the spread option that will allow for plenty of versatility to keep defenses on their toes.

“I like how we have a variety of everything; we have motion, we have base plays and we have a bunch of different formations,” Knights quarterback Nicholas Manuel said. “We can run and there’s a lot of depth in our lineup.”

“It’s going to open up [the defense] and I have some really good skill positions,” said Hines. “Our senior Sam Dotson is an incredible athlete. We didn’t have him last year because he sat out because of COVID so we get him back and he’s going to be a big part of what we do.”

The return of Dotson will be the X-factor for the offense.

“We can put him at wideout, we can put him at running back, and he can run some quarterback,” Hines said of Dotson. ”He’s going to be one of those guys that I’m going to put him where he can be most effective.”

In true ironman fashion, Dotson will be asked to lead the defense as a shutdown corner.

“It’s more my IQ and how you read them. When you read the person and watch his steps and read what he’s going to do and all that, it makes it so much easier to play defense,” said Dotson. “I mean my speed helps a lot but like if they get off of me, I can speed up and catch them.”

After falling short of the state championship last season, Hines likes his team’s chances of finally bringing home a title.

“If we prepare right for this summer and go in and execute, then I think we have a good chance of being there,” Hines said. “It all depends on my guys’ attitude and their commitment.”

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