CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The Virginia High School League announces its 2023 Class 2 All-State Football Team.
Radford senior quarterback Landen Clark is the Class 2 Offensive Player of the Year, and Radford senior linebacker Charlie Davis is the Class 2 Defensive Player of the Year. Radford Head Coach Michael Crist is the Class 2 Coach of the Year.
The 6’0”, 190-pound Clark passed for 3,367 yards (207/339) and 40 touchdowns this season. His passing yards are the 11th-highest single-season yards in VHSL history, and his touchdown passes are the 10th-best in a single season.
A dual-threat quarterback, the Elon University commit rushed for 1,181 (136 att.) and 26 touchdowns, including 35 receiving yards. Clark’s 4,583 yards of offense are the third most in a season in VHSL history. In the State Finals, he passed for 260 yards (18/24) and four touchdowns and rushed for 99 yards (15 att.) and a touchdown in the Bobcats’ 39-21 win over Riverheads.
The 5’10”, 200-pound Davis was a dominant force in his linebacker position for the Bobcats. He finished his senior year with 157 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.
In the state title win, Davis led the team with 20 tackles (2 solo/18 asst.) while leading a stingy Radford defense that posted five shutouts, including two games without giving up a TD and holding one opponent to one TD during the 2023 season. He remains uncommitted.
Head Coach Michael Crist led Radford to the school’s first state title since winning back-to-back state titles in 1971-72, with a 39-21 win over Riverheads in the Class 2 state Championship game to complete a perfect 15-0 title run. Since taking over the program in 2021, he has led the Bobcats to a 33-6 record and has a 66-55 overall career record.
Crist joins his father, VHSL Hall of Fame coach Dave Crist, winning a state title in his third year at the school. The elder Crist won two state titles at Blacksburg in 1977 and 1989.
The All-State football team consists of 32 players (Offense: one quarterback; four linemen; one center; three running backs; three receivers; one tight end; one kicker; one kick returner; one all-purpose offensive player (Defense: four defensive linemen; five linebackers; four defensive backs; one punter; one punt returner; one all-purpose defensive player).
Each All-State selection committee comprises eight football coaches (2 from each Region).
