The Tigers had a disappointing ending to the 2023 season, losing in the Division 1 State Championship game to Southfield 36-32. They won the Division 1 State Finals in 2022 and 2023 and were close to 3-peating last year. Since 2017, Belleville is 84-6 overall and has been the team no one wants to face in the Michigan state playoffs.
Belleville had blowout wins against Davison, Northville twice, Saline, and Fordson, to name a few. Their closest game outside of Southfield was against River Rouge in Week 1. They had a come-from-behind victory and won 35-28.
Calvin Norman enters his third season as head coach of Belleville after taking over for Jermain Crowell. His 2024 team is ranked nationally and again the favorites to win the Michigan Division 1 State Championship.
Offense
The Tigers’ offense was one of the most explosive in the Midwest last season, averaging 48.5 points per game. Belleville is led by a four-year starting quarterback and LSU commit, Bryce Underwood. Underwood is as impressive as they come. If you asked an AI software program to create the perfect high school quarterback, Bryce would be the result of what it would produce. Bryce is 6’4”, 215 pounds, and has all the physical attributes and athletic ability. His throwing mechanics are spot on, and he can spin it with the best in the country.
Underwood threw for 3,329 yards, a 41-3 touchdown to interception ratio, and completed 64.8% of his passes. Despite losing in the state championship game, he earned Player of the Year honors in Michigan.
On the offensive line, Belleville will have Trazelle Jenkins and Damon Denny returning. Jenkins is a 6’4”, 300-pound offensive tackle who had a nice junior season. He has a big body, is a reliable pass protector, and can make holes in the running game. Denny is a 6’3”, 300-pound right guard. He is a dominant run blocker and loves to finish. Both are ready for big senior years and have much to prove to secure bigger offers.
There is no shortage of playmakers in the Tigers’ offense. Defenses may be able to contain one or two receivers, but Belleville goes four to five players deep. All of them are exceptional weapons in the passing game, and Underwood is great at getting everyone touches and targets.
Elijah Dotson, a 6’1” 180-pound receiver and defensive back, is a new addition to the Tigers this season. He transferred to Belleville for his senior season from the University of Detroit Jesuit. He immediately becomes Underwood’s go-to target in the passing game. Dotson has over 20 Division 1 scholarship offers and is committed to the University of Pittsburgh. He caught 33 passes for 615 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior. He and Underwood will be exciting to watch this season.
Returning for the Tigers, Antwon Thomas (5’11”, 175) is a dangerous senior receiver with a lot of speed and can take it to the house on any given play. Thomas is committed to Miami (OH).
Adrian Walker (5’10”, 180) and Andre Thomas (6’0”, 205) are two-way players for Belleville and were standouts on both sides of the ball. Walker is a tremendous athlete and a big play threat as a receiver. He and Underwood were a lethal combination in 2023. Walker is also committed to Miami (OH). Thomas is the strongest receiver of the four. He can turn a short or intermediate catch into a big gain. He is their best blocker on the perimeter in the run game.
Malik Murrell (6’1”, 195) should be the feature back in this offense. He can make defenders miss and has the speed to outrun defensive backs. His role will increase in 2024. Brayden Lame helps put points on the board as a top-tier kicker.
Defense
Belleville’s defense was stellar last season, giving up only 9.36 points per game and having five shutouts. The Tigers thrive on playing fast and are tenacious in pursuing the ball and putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The leader of last year’s defense, Jeremiah Beasley, signed with the University of Michigan.
Belleville has always taken pride in developing its secondary. The Tigers have superior talent and depth at this position group. Elijah Dotson, Adrian Walker, Desmon Yarbrough, and Marquis Peoples are a coach’s dream to have four players of this caliber.
As mentioned above, Dotson and Walker are two-way players who excel at an elite level. Dotson had 61 tackles and three interceptions last year. Walker’s interception in the state finals made plays of the week on ESPN Sports Center. There are not many in the country who could have made that play. The Big 10 will be knocking on his door before Signing Day.
Yarbrough is a 6’4” safety who continues to take his game to another level. He has unlimited potential and is just scratching the surface of what he can do. Yarbrough had 42 tackles and six interceptions and is committed to Miami (OH). Peoples is now 6’1” and is underrated based on his film and performance from last season. He can cover and is aggressive against the run. His stock is trending up, and he should land somewhere in the MAC on Signing Day. He currently has an offer from Grand Valley.
One of the most impressive players in the front four last year was Rashad Jones. He is 6’4”, 245 pounds, and he has the size, burst, power, and hands to disrupt any offense. Against the run, he can set the edge, and most teams failed to run to his side. He is committed to Purdue. Defensive Tackle Lamar Fairfax (6’2”, 250) and defensive end Deshaun Murray (6’2”, 235) are two talented defensive linemen for the Tigers. Fairfax has a dozen Division 1 offers and is committed to Ohio University. Murray had a solid junior season and is a key player in Belleville, reaching their ultimate goal this season.
Ray-mond Smith returns for his senior season at Linebacker (5’11”, 200). Smith was a force in the middle of the defense, blitzing the A and B gaps and shutting down runs off tackle and to the outside. Joining Smith at linebacker is Andre Thomas. Thomas stood out in 2023 and has the range, closing speed, and toughness all colleges covet for this position. He and Smith are big hitters and bring an intimidating presence to this Belleville defense.
2024 Schedule
The Tigers start their season on August 29 against Clarkston High School in the Prep Kickoff Classic at Wayne State University in downtown Detroit. Clarkston won Division 1 State Championships in 2013, 2014, and 2017 and has a talented team in 2024. This is a strong in-state matchup. The regular season schedule is average outside of playing Dearborn Fordson (Week 8) and the Kensington Valley Conference crossover game (Week 9).
The quality of football from state to state is measured by how many players go to college and how well teams perform in regional matchups against other state powerhouse teams. Belleville has produced more Division 1 talent than any other team in Michigan since 2017. Not scheduling any regional out-of-state non-conference games hurts the state of Michigan’s reputation and drops Belleville in our Top 100 team rankings.
There is a big difference between being a state powerhouse program, a regional powerhouse program, and even a national powerhouse program. It all comes down to scheduling games against the best opponents.
2024 Outlook
When you have arguably the top overall player in the nation and a senior-heavy team with a dozen players with Division 1 offers, it is either State Championship or bust.
This will likely be Belleville’s last chance as a program to compete for a state title. Coach Crowell originally recruited the 2025 class of players, and the Detroit PAL recruiting pipeline is already being redirected to another school. Thirty seniors are on the 2024 roster.
Belleville, on paper, has been the favorite in every game they have played since 2017. However, the gap between them and the rest of the state has narrowed. Belleville is vulnerable to an upset on any given day or would have a few more rings.
Can the Tigers win the X’s and O’s chess match in late November? With Bryce Underwood and the rest of this senior class, they have all the talent necessary to go the distance. The Southfield loss last year is looming over their head, giving them additional motivation for this year. When it is all said and done, we expect Belleville to be at Ford Field on Thanksgiving weekend to take care of some unfinished business.
