John Curtis Christian Patriots

By Lee Brecheen

Head Coach: J.T. Curtis (54th year)

2022 Record:

Class & District: Class 5A (District 9)

2022 Playoffs: State Champions in Class 5A Private Schools in 2022.

John Curtis QB Dagan Bruno (Photo taken by Turn to Paige Photography)

The John Curtis Christian Patriots are the defending Division I (Select) state champs. They will face fierce competition not only from Catholic League foes Edna Karr, St. Augustine and Brother Martin but also statewide as well with Catholic (Baton Rouge), Acadiana and Carencro being in the mix as well.

The Offense returns talented senior QB Dagan Bruno who has a good arm and threw for 1,071 passing yards and rushed for 368 yards rushing on 92 carries. This kid is like having a running back under center which is a match made in Heaven for this program.

John Curtis RB Marlon Prout (Photo taken by MADEBYCHR1S)

The veer offense has been the bread and butter of this program for many years under coach J.T. Curtis. He will return a lot of experience and give this program a chance to have possibly the best-running back room in high school football for Louisiana in 2023. The running back room consists of Marlon Prout (1,030 yards & 16 touchdowns in 2022), senior RB Jason Gabriel (528 yards in 2022), RB Kaheam Smith (414 yards in 2022) and young but talented RB Jack Corcoran.

The Passing game for the Patriots returns one of the best the program has had since Malachi Dupre(LSU/NFL) in Michael Turner (6-2, 185) who has legit 4.4 speed, hands and is a high-effort kid. Turner had 25 catches for 519 yards & six touchdowns in a run-heavy offense, which is very impressive. There’s also WR Tyler Mitchell who had 26 catches 413 yards & six touchdowns in 2022. The WR room also has a talented receiver in Xavier Brown to get reps as well.

The offensive line will be talented as it is led by four-year starter Bryce Godfrey (6-3, 290), who can play all five OL spots for the team if needed. You have a three-year starter in Richard Newby (6-1, 265) who can play anywhere on the line as well, OT Orion Duplessis (6-5, 340) and second-year starter Christian Thibodeaux (6-2, 285). More players who will get reps on OL are Myles Riggins, Brody Crescioni, Colin Gonsoulin and TE Joseph Fagin (6-2, 240).

The defense for the Patriots will have some new faces on the defensive line but the spot will be good with just some newer players getting their first starts. The defensive leader coming back will be on the defensive line in Logan Barnes (6-0, 255) who has great feet and a high motor for a big guy along with Korey Chandler and Braylon Montero (6-2, 260). The linebacking corps are led by Kaleb Saavedra (5-10, 230) who had 58 tackles in 2022, LB Hayden Delatte (5-10, 210), young talented Jeffrey Curtis (5-9, 190) and A.J. Smith (5-9, 210) and OLB/DE Zach Drake (6-2, 205) returns after missing six games in 2022 because of an injury and he's a big-time player for this program tackling machine. More players to get reps at OLB are Ben Barron, Lane Lecron and Aiden Morril.

John Curtis WR/DB Michael Turner (Photo taken by MADEBYCHR1S)

The defensive backfield will be talented again as it is led by SS/FS Jason Curtis who is a tough hard-hitter with great IQ, CB Jamal Callio who is a second-year starter, CB Trey Brown, CB Kien Franklin. The secondary also consists of Kolston Martinez, Marc Canzoneri and Frank Massicot. Star receivers Mike Turner and Tyler Mitchell will get reps in the secondary as well during the season.

For the special teams, the Kicker spot is up for grabs and we shall see who wins that job come fall. The Patriots have one of the best long snappers in the state with Jason Dudenhoeffer. The return game has Mike Turner and Marlon Prout making up the best duo returners for a high school in Class 5A.

J.T., if you are reading this article, I want to say hats off to you coach. You will be the winningest high school football coach in all of the high school football nationwide before the season is over. and you deserve it. Coach J.T. goes into the 2023 season with 615 wins. The national record is 621 which is held by John McKissick of Summerville High School (South Carolina). Coach Curtis needs six wins to tie the record and seven to break it, which should and will happen.

John Curtis WR/DB Tyler Mitchell (Photo taken by 6starrfilms)

Head Coach J.T. Curtis graduated from East Jefferson High School (Class of 1966). Coach J.T. was an All-American offensive lineman in high school and signed with Arkansas where he played for three years and finished his playing career at Louisiana (now known as Louisiana Christian. Coach Curtis has coached all of the school’s 28 state championship teams (1975, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988,1 990, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008,2 011, 2012, 2013, 2018 and 2022). He also has an overall record of 615-76 along with six ties. He has had a truly incredible career and I am honored to say I have interviewed Coach Curtis a few times over the years and witnessed a few of these games which started for me in 1990. When Coach Curtis won his first state title in 1975 I was 5 years old. To put that in perspective, Charlie McClendon was still the head coach of LSU football in 1975.

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