NFL Academy battles historic De La Salle high school program at Tottenham Stadium

Spartan running backs put on a ground-game clinic on a chilly, drizzly night in North London

When the Giants and Dolphins played in the inaugural NFL International Series game in London, in 2007, the NFL Academy didn’t exist. Not only that, many of the NFL Academy’s current roster weren’t born. Last night, at the Tottenham Stadium, purpose-built to host football of two varieties, a Europe-Africa NFL Academy team built of home-grown talent, led by an NFL calibre coaching staff, faced off against a California based High School steeped in football history. I was lucky enough to cover the game for The Touchdown. Here’s my story of how we got to such a cool occasion, and a recap of the game itself.

The Rise And Rise Of The NFL Academy

Set up in 2019, the NFL Academy is a major global initiative which aims “to provide full-time high-school education alongside intensive training in American football under the guidance of a world class coaching staff”. And that it has, in earnest. Current coaches include HC Steve Hagen, a former assistant coach for the Browns and Jets, OC Clayton Turner, a college QB at Monroe and Miami, and many notable others who’ve coached and played at the very top level. Ambassadors Efe Obada, Osi Umenyiora, Jason Bell and Christian Scotland-Williamson have consistently supported the program and championed its success globally. Early growth and take-up led the program to relocate from Barnet and Southgate College to Loughborough, a hotbed of athletic education in the UK, in 2022.

The Academy have been playing games for four years, unbeaten against all European opposition, but never against an opponent with such pedigree – De La Salle have won a state-record seven California CIF crowns and 11 national titles, and the current team is considered one of the best they’ve had in recent years. For a fandom accustomed to ‘firsts’ related to the growth of the game in the UK and beyond, milestones are ticked off seemingly every year. The players who took to the turf in Tottenham tonight surely never dreamed of such an occasion, but we must remember how lucky we are, the fans and amateur journalists, to be along for the ride too. Tickets to tonight’s game were just £10, and a crowd of over 1000 took the opportunity.

The success of the Academy is remarkable, and even more so when you consider the speed at which there is a genuine glut of its graduates competing at the NCAA level. Since its inception more than 40 students have secured college football scholarships in the U.S. Upwards of 30 NFL Academy alumni will play college football in the 2024 – 2025 season, with 19 of those athletes playing in Division 1 college programs. This has been helped by the NFL’s solid financial commitment to the program, including camp visits to colleges across the US in Washington, Texas, Georgia and North Carolina. The future is bright globally, too. In April 2024 the NFL announced an expansion to the Academy with a new campus opening up on the Gold Coast in Australia to serve the Asia-Pacific region.

Earlier this year the Academy played a game at the Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton Oregon, losing 35-20 to the Massilon Tigers. Nike have recently been more heavily involved and have funded the trip across the pond for De La Salle, no.7 ranked in California this season, for tonight’s game.

A Celebrated, Recognisable Brand Of Californian High School Football Comes To Haringey

Photo: Joshua Edwards (@joshwa_1990)

Maybe, discerning reader, you’ve heard of the Concord based De La Salle Spartans. Their 151-game winning streak between 1992 and 2004 is oft touted as the longest winning streak in sports history (rather hard to corroborate, but remarkable nonetheless). For those interested, I recommend When the Game Stands Tall, by Neil Hayes, who followed the team during the 2002 season and chronicled the streak wonderfully. The architect of that run, HC Bob Ladouceur, was in attendance in Tottenham this evening. Notable Spartan NFL alumni include Maurice Jones-Drew, D.J. Williams, Amani Toomer and current standouts Isaiah Foskey (Saints) and Henry To’oTo’o (Texans). Jones-Drew’s son, Deuce is a sophomore running back on the team.

“This is a really exciting opportunity for our players,” De La Salle’s current head coach Justin Alumbaugh said in an earlier press release. “Not only is this the first time that our team has travelled outside of the U.S. in the history of De La Salle’s football program, but we will be playing athletes trained by world-class NFL coaching staff. It will be a great experience that will test our players and give them some unforgettable memories.”

Those memories started last Friday, when 59 Spartan players and coaches flew direct from San Francisco to London. Alumbaugh, however, imagines that closer to 500 De La Salle affiliated individuals made the trip, when families and friends are taken into account. Such a highly touted, historic program with aspirations for their first state title since 2015 might be forgiven for assuming an easy ride against a bunch of non-Americans, but Alumbaugh was under no such illusions before the game.

“They’re huge and they like to run the ball. Both Offensive Tackles are 6 foot 7, 300+lb guys from Sweden…it’s going to be a challenge, these guys really hit. A lot of them grew up playing rugby so they know how to tackle.”

There is a certain romanticism about a trip and a game such as this. Many of the De La Salle players had never left the US, and none will have played in such a stadium. London, with its weird and wonderful weather, has a myriad of cultural touchstones familiar to Californians only through an embedded culture of Anglophilia on Television and in the news media. For those fans and players I spoke to last night, almost all of them remarked on how it has felt somewhat un-real. Before the game, in the concourse, Maria told me, “It’s a real eye opener for the boys – they keep talking about how it feels like a dream.” On the field however, it is very much real, to the extent that both the CIF and NCS confirmed that the game counts toward De La Salle’s record (5-0 before tonight).

Game Recap - First Quarter

Any early signs of jet-lag rustiness, or either team having been over-awed by the occasion, were put to bed quickly, as well coached football took centre stage from the off. Senior quarterback Toa Faavae, committed to the University of Idaho, proved his dual-threat credentials from the jump, rushing for a Spartans first down on a QB keeper. The Academy, living up to their hard hitting, solid tackling reputation, played defiant defense, almost forcing a fumble before the running back fell on the ball to sustain the drive. The Spartans then went for a 4th and 12 but turned it over on downs after Faavae failed to find a receiver on an out route near the sideline.

The Academy taking over, a vociferous travelling contingent of Spartan fans, ringing cow bells on every defensive snap, were getting into the swing of things, having been well lubricated at the Bricklayers Arms on Tottenham High Road in the afternoon. One fan I spoke with, Marco, was visibly emotional during pre-game warmups. His favourite thing about London? “Guinness. I finna find me that stuff in Oakland man.”

As the first quarter neared the mid-way point, Academy QB Michael Szabo hit his stride, completing two consecutive first downs to different receivers, but the offense stalled after two defensive stops in the backfield by Spartan defenders. Then came the first error of the game – a low snap on the punt attempt juggled by the Academy punter, which led to the second turnover on downs of the game, setting up Faavae at the 29 yard line in opposition territory. De La Salle then went straight to the ground game in an up-tempo offense. A run by Derrick Blanche Jr. for 17 yards set up 1st and 10 at the eighteen. The first score of the game came on the next play, an 18 yard rush by Dominic Kelley, putting De La Salle up 7-0 after the XP was drilled.

The Academy were unfortunate again on the ensuing drive. Isaac Fuller’s long run was negated by a holding penalty, putting them back at their own 37, and with the rain now swirling around the stadium, Szabo tripped on his own lineman in a collapsing pocket, forcing a second punt attempt. This time it went off without a hitch and an excellent punt was downed at the Spartan 19.

Blanche, committed to Portland State College, was impressive all evening, and Faavae seemed content to hand off as chunk play after chunk play on the ground chewed up clock. A 3rd and 9 draw play to Blanche set up another first down to round out the first quarter.

Second Quarter

The Spartans, perhaps given the increasingly challenging weather, committed fully to the run in the second quarter, rotating between Blanche and Kelley to great effect. A personal foul by linebacker Joel Quessier put De La Salle in Academy territory and a well worked screen pass to Blanche moved the ball to the redzone. Linebacker Meshach Archer made a big stop but the Spartans went right back to Blanche on another screen, and then again on an inside hand-off which he took into the end-zone to put De La Salle up 14-0.

De La Salle began to assert their dominance in the second quarter in all phases, forcing a three and out and another punt before Faavae hit Jaden Jefferson after a pump fake WR screen. Jefferson, part of the offensive skill position group that helped set a school record in the 400-meter relay last spring, showcased his speed on a big gainer. De La Salle then went back to Blanche, and Academy linebacker Meshach Archer, who continued to flash impressive defensive speed, was penalized for a face mask on the tackle. A few plays later Dominic Kelley ran through the middle of the Academy defense for his second score of the game to put the Spartans up 21-0 after the conversion.

The Academy, chasing the game, went straight to the air targeting Sebastian Harris downfield, but he couldn’t corral it. On a 3rd and 2 Szabo hit WR Matthew Okunade on a swing pass. Okunade made a man miss in the open field to give the Academy a chance to claw back points before half-time, setting them up inside the De La Salle forty.

A brief respite in the rain was all too brief, and with it coming down hard again Szabo rolled out to his right to hit Luca Wolf downfield on a beautiful pass on the run. An attempted keeper was snuffed out by lineman Matthew Johnson, a 6’5, 255lb two-way lineman who has committed to Oregon. Then, with the Academy knocking on the door and the De La Salle defense visibly tiring, a costly fumble gave the Spartans the ball back on their own 8 yard line with under two minutes remaining. A huge breakaway touchdown run by Kelley, which would’ve surely put the game to bed, was negated by a hold, the half ending with the Spartans up 21-0.

Third Quarter

The Academy began the second half with a hold call on a broken play, but Szabo wasn’t deterred, hitting Wolf again on a play-action shot a down later. Another first down to Fullah followed on an out pattern but it was a familiar story of one step forwards, two steps backwards as a botched hand-off on an end-around pushed the Academy backwards, resulting in a 3rd and 19 which Szabo was unable to convert on the sideline to Sebastian Harris. The Spartans were handed excellent field position again after an aborted snap on the punt attempt gave them the ball at the Academy seventeen. Stout defense by the Academy ensued which led to the first field goal try of the game, nailed after a delay of game penalty to put De La Salle up 24-0.

Perhaps playing now primarily for pride, the Academy continued to equip themselves well, Szabo hitting Fuller on another sideline route, the tailback holding on despite an immediate hit. More success came on the run for the Austrian, hitting Okunade on a comeback on the other side of the field to take the ball across midfield. After an unsuccessful rush on a 3rd and 3 the Academy went for a 4th and short but Szabo couldn’t complete to WR Jamil Secka on the outside, and another promising drive ended without points.

On the first play of their possession the Spartans went long, a deep shot by Faavae hitting the receiver in stride, who looked to have gone the distance before being tackled at the 4 yard line. Again though the Academy’s goal line defense stepped up, forcing a 4th down and goal after Faavae went for a naked bootleg but was hit hard going out of bounds at the one. On the attempt however, Blanche busted through the line again to get his second TD of the game, the extra point making it 31-0 as the third quarter ended.

Fourth Quarter

The 4th quarter saw the Academy again start with a commitment to the run, Szabo himself keeping it on the first two plays before hitting Wolf on the sideline on a rollout, setting up first and goal from the seven.

On the next play the Academy thought they’d finally got on the board, Szabo hitting WR Sebastian Harris on a post route in the back of the endzone, but a holding call nullified the score. Two near picks followed on forced throws before another incompletion set up 4th and goal from the fourteen. The Academy opted for a field goal to ensure points, kicker Liam Dinnen putting it through to put three on the board and make it 31-3 with ten minutes left.

De La Salle went to their backups for the entire 4th quarter including QB Brayden Knight, who immediately faced a 4th down attempt at midfield. Academy defensive lineman Luke Francis Jr. stuffed the inside hand-off to force a turnover on downs. On the next play Academy WR Thayrancel Pinas took it on an end-around before impressively hurdling a defender downfield, which, unfortunately, is a personal foul at high school level, setting the Academy back past midfield before again turning it over on downs. Pinas got a huge cheer from both sets of supporters regardless, showcasing amazing athleticism.

The 4th quarter continued with Knight throwing short, quick passes to the outside to move the chains. Joel Quessier again showed excellent lateral speed and tackling on defense for the Academy, forcing a Spartan 4th down attempt which Knight converted to Dylan Scott on a wheel route near the sideline. Later on the drive the Academy took their final timeout to set up another 4th down attempt for Da La Salle, on which Knight rolled right and had an open receiver but was unable to connect, his pass sailing out of bounds, giving the home team on final chance on offense with the clock winding down.

The Academy gave backup QB Bobby Bridges an opportunity on the final drive, who immediately hit the reliable Wolf over the middle to move it beyond midfield. Two plays later Bridges hit Devon Myrie between the hashes before scrambling for 5 yards after avoiding a sack. With the clock at 18 seconds Bridges then spiked the ball at the 28. The De La Salle defense got a sack on the next play, taking further time off the clock, and as time expired, Bridges was flushed before heaving it towards the end zone. There was no fairytale comeback tonight, but it was a fairytale ending: Knight’s throw took two deflections and somehow found its way to WR Rafael Blakstad, who made the catch, giving the home side their sole touchdown on the day and ending things on a positive note for the Academy.

Final Score: De La Salle High School 31-9 NFL Academy

Final Thoughts

As a teenager I used to watch the Ipswich Cardinals play in the National Division Southeast Conference of the BAFANL, at my local leisure centre. We’d shout “pass” or “run” to key the defense after the snap and cheer any completion over five yards (they counted as explosive plays). The coaches, players, fans and all of those involved in the BAFA do an incredible job and deserve the utmost respect for their part in the growth of the grass-roots game in the UK. Indeed, many of the players on show tonight were rostered on BAFA teams before they joined the Academy. But it is fair to say that those games were once the pinnacle of amateur American Football played in the UK, and the fact that Tottenham Stadium now hosts the best young players on offer from across Europe and beyond, against marquee American opposition, is an astonishing jump. The likelihood that any of the young men who played tonight might one day grace the same field in an NFL uniform? Not as far-fetched as it once seemed.

Stats & Awards

Location: Tottenham Stadium, Haringey, London England

Weather: Light rain showers, 60F, 13mph winds

Attendance: 1000+

De La Salle MVP: Joint award – Derrick Blanche Jr. (RB) / Dominic Kelley (RB), 2 TDs each

NFL Academy MVP: Luca Wolf, TE (Austria)

Up next for De La Salle is a home game in Concord against San Ramon Valley (6-0) on Friday 18th October. The NFL Academy will begin preparing for a trip to Munich, ahead of the Giants vs. Panthers game, where they’ll face the prestigious IMG Academy on Friday 8th November.

JOSHUA EDWARDS

NFC EAST & COLLEGE FOOTBALL ANALYST

JOSH IS AN NFC EAST SPECIALIST AND LONG SUFFERING COMMANDERS FAN BASED IN LONDON. CHECK OUT HIS ARTICLES HERE AND FOLLOW HIM @JOSHWA_1990 ON TWITTER FOR SOME WRY CYNICISM