Josh Scarberry 2012 LB | 5-10 185 lbs (2010 HILITES HERE)

Team-leading 46 solo tackles
Team-leading total 68 tackles
Team-leading 14 sacks
Team-leading 4 fumble recoveries
Team-leading 3 caused fumbles
1 blocked FG
1 fumble recovery for a TD

Gaither Cowboys [5-2, 3-0]

The Cowboys opened the season losing two of their first three games. They gave up 46 points in those two losses and needed to make a change

“We were trying to run a base 3-3 stack and it just wasn’t fitting our personnel,” Defensive Coordinator Brian Devalle said. “We changed it to an over-under front and we’re playing lights out.”

Scarberry was playing strong safety for the Cowboys at the beginning of the season, but in the new set he was moved back to linebacker.

“We were kind of wasting him [at strong safety],” Devalle said. “He’s been playing like a man on a mission.”

All of Scarberry’s 14 sacks have come in the past four games where the Cowboys have held opponents to 23 points, including shutouts over Wiregrass Ranch and Freedom.

“Josh just has a knack. He has a nose for the ball,” Devalle said. “He’s a student of the game and his nose for the ball is just something you can’t coach.”

The senior linebacker hasn’t received much action from colleges. Coach Devalle thinks that offers will start rolling in, and believes the only reason he hasn’t seen offers is because of his size.

“People are scared of his size, but I know he can play weak-side linebacker or strong safety in college,” Devalle said of the 5-10 linebacker. “He’s strong has heck, benches 265 lbs. If he was 6-2, 225 lbs everyone would want him.”

The Cowboys are in position to make a postseason push. They take on Chamberlin this week with an opportunity to clinch a playoff spot and get an 11-year-old monkey off their back.

“Chamberlin is a tough team, even though their record doesn’t say it,” Devalle said. “They’re in every game and Gaither hasn’t beaten them in 11 years so that’s the streak we’re trying to beat to get in the playoffs.”