ROANOKE, Va. – The 1st and 10 Camp Tour continued through the River Ridge District with a stop at Patrick Henry High School, where longtime head coach Alan Fiddler is set to begin his 15th season at the helm of the Patriots.
After a tough first-round playoff exit in 2024 — one that hinged on a costly special teams miscue — the Patriots return to the field with a clear focus: fine-tuning the details and reemphasizing the fundamentals.
“Fundamentals are everything,” said senior tight end and defensive end Raqem Poindexter. “We really need to improve on those. But we mostly got it down pat. There’s no weak spots on the defense or the offense.”
The Patriots face the challenge of replacing key contributors on both sides of the ball. Senior center Landon Depuy acknowledged the roster turnover, saying, “We lost a lot of people last year on offense and defense alone. I think we just got to get to work.”
Despite the losses, Fiddler is optimistic about the new-look Patriots.
“We’ve got some great receivers. We’re going to throw it around,” Fiddler said. “Got some guys that can run it. Should be very diverse.”
Patrick Henry features proven play makers at the skill positions, including standout running back Damarion Perdue and wide receiver Cam Hairston-Taylor, who recently committed to Syracuse.
Offensively, the Patriots plan to continue getting their athletes out in space — a hallmark of their recent game plans. On defense, Fiddler described the unit as “fast and physical.”
The Patriots open their 2025 season on the road at South Alamance (N.C.) on Aug. 29. They’ll play just four home games this fall.