High-tech meets old-school: How QB Jackson Byrd helped No. 1 Cleveland escape an upset

A blue canopy stationed on Cleveland High’s football sideline draws a steady stream of rotating offensive and defensive coaches and players throughout the game.

What’s the attraction? Well, the Rams have gone high-tech.

Two big-screen TVs are positioned back-to-back with chairs and benches on either side. Wireless tablets are available for use. The Rams study formations on the devices that are connected to cameras in the press box and end zone.

“It’s a good way to make in-game adjustments,” Scott Riley, Cleveland’s 10th-year head coach, said. “This season was the first colleges were allowed to use sideline tablets, but we’ve been doing it four years. I think it will continue to grow from here.”

The Rams’ football tech center remains open for business another week with the NC High School Athletic Association 4A playoffs advancing to the second round. Top-seeded Cleveland (11-0) faces No. 16 seed Wilmington Ashley (9-2) at home on Friday at 7 p.m.

‘We saw something’

In Cleveland’s first-round, 24-21 win over No. 32 seed Heritage (2-9), quarterback Jackson Byrd cited the digital edge helping the Rams survive a monumental upset scare.

“It definitely helps,” said the senior from the Johnston County school. “Every drive we come back to the tent. The offensive line sits on one side and the receivers and skill players on the other. It gives us an eye in the sky.”

Byrd offered a crucial example of how it played out to Cleveland’s advantage at crunch time.

The Rams trailed Heritage 21-17 late with clock ticking down to two minutes in the fourth quarter as Byrd and offensive coordinator Joe Capps huddled with a tablet under the canopy. They agreed on a deep pass — if the Rams got the ball back.

“We saw something on the drive before that made us feel we could get a one on one,” said Byrd, referring to coverage of 6-foot-4 wide receiver Malachi Thomas.

Once the Rams forced a punt, Byrd led the offense back onto the field with 1:42 to play.

The winning formula

On first down from the Rams’ 31-yeard line, Thomas broke down the right sideline while Krisjon Clark ran a post pattern to clear out the safety. Byrd delivered a pass on target that Thomas hauled in over-the-shoulder. The 42-yard gain was to the Heritage 27.

“I was a confident I could make the throw and confident Malachi would run a good route and make the catch,” Byrd said.

Three plays later Cleveland faced a fourth-and-1 at the 4-yard line with 30.4 seconds remaining.

“I told coach I wanted the ball in my hands,” Byrd said.

An option to the right was called. Byrd crossed the line of scrimmage untouched as defenders closed in, but instead of settling for a first down, he pitched wide to Kaleb Ferrel. He gained two more yards before he was knocked out of bounds at the 1.

On first-and-goal, Byrd kept the ball over the left side. He crossed the goal line upright to cap a seven-play, 69-yard game-winning drive with 20.3 seconds to play.

Not a typical 1-32 matchup

The win was Cleveland’s fourth by three points or fewer, and its third in a row. The Rams finished the regular season defeating Garner 29-28 and crosstown rival Clayton 37-35 to clinch the Greater Neuse River Conference title.

“We’ve had some close games this year, and we’ve been able to turn it on when it matters the most,” said Riley, whose career record stands at 108-27. “Hopefully we’ll play better out of out of the gate, but it’s a good trait to have in the playoffs.”

It’s fair to note, Heritage wasn’t your typical No. 32 seed. The Huskies experienced a down year, yes, but the program’s culture is strong while led by a veteran coach, Wallace Clark. Four of their losses were one-score games. Another factor was that the teams met in the second week of the regular season. Cleveland romped to a 34-6 win, but rematches can be tricky.

“They have some good seniors and executed a great game plan,” Riley said. “They played a tough schedule that prepared them.”

Byrd a veteran presence

But aside from Byrd providing a summary on the Rams’ 21st century football tools, let’s not overlook old-school elements also were at work.

Is there anything more valuable than a veteran quarterback? The 6-foot, 190-pound Byrd is a third-year starter bound for East Tennessee State. His career has compiled nearly 10,000 yards passing with 108 touchdown tosses

▪ 2024: 11 games, 196-328 for 3,092 yards, 34 TDs and seven interceptions.

▪ 2023: 14 games, 243-360 for 3,674 yards, 37 TDs and 12 interceptions.

▪ 2022: 12 games, 181-288 for 2,831 yards, 36 TDs and five interceptions.

The career total stands at 9,649 yards, including brief time as a freshman on the varsity with 6-of-8 attempts for 102 yards. He’s also has rushed for 37 TDs — 11 this year, 11 in 2023, 14 in 2022 and one in 2021.

“I’ve always been confident in my abilities, but I am more confident this year with the game on the line,” Byrd said. “I want the ball in my hands. I want to be able to deliver. To me, pressure is a privilege. I want to be able to make the last play of the game.”

Just his name alone — Jackson Byrd — has a ring of drama.

But he demonstrated an additional intangible quality against Heritage: Byrd proved he can rebound from an otherwise off night. He fumbled in Heritage territory in the third quarter and was intercepted at the goal line with 5:42 to play in the game.

“I try to get not too high and not too low,” Byrd said. “I’ve always got the next play mentality. I try to preach that to the guys. After the interception, I told the guys, ‘Let’s get the ball back. We’ll come back and score.’”

And there you have it: The high-tech Rams and old-school football.