Start date remains, but plans are 'fluid'
Georgia High School Association executive director Robin Hines emerged from his weekly meeting with his sports medicine advisory council Wednesday saying football games remain scheduled to begin the week of Sept. 4 while cautioning that plans remain fluid.
“Our plan as of today is to move forward with the September 4 date for opening football season, as directed by the Board of Trustees,” Hines posted on the GHSA’s website in a series of bullet items. “However, it is possible that the start date of September 4 could change based on COVID-19 data. As numbers dictate over the next weeks, a decision will be forthcoming with regard to the football start date.”
Hines noted that the GHSA’s staff “has contingency plans to cover all start and restart scenarios.”
Savannah schools to play intra-district
Savannah-Chatham County Schools will hold only intra-district sports competitions this fall without band and cheerleading, district athletic director John Sanders announced Wednesday.
Football will start no sooner than Oct. 1, Sanders said. Other fall sports will resume Sept. 1.
“By allowing intra-district play, Savannah-Chatham County Public School System is better positioned to react, respond and ensure proper protocols are being followed pertinent to contact tracing,” Sanders said in an informal board meeting streamed live.
Savannah’s public high schools are Beach, Groves, Islands, Jenkins, Johnson, New Hampstead, Savannah, Savannah Arts Academy, Windsor Forest and Woodville-Tompkins. Savannah Arts and Woodville-Tompkins do not have football teams.
Islands, Jenkins and New Hampstead playl in 3-4A, a four-team region that also includes Benedictine, a Savannah private school.
The other seven are in Region 3-3A. Their departure leaves Liberty County and Southeast Bulloch without huge chunks of the sports schedules. Liberty County's status also is questionable as Liberty and country rival Bradwell Institute have had their sports teams shut down indefinitely by their district.
Calhoun County won’t play this fall
Calhoun County, a Class A Public school southwest of Albany, won’t play football this fall because of the COVID-19 pandemic, GHSA associate director Kevin Giddens confirmed to GHSF Daily.
Calhoun County plays in Region 1-1A with 11 other southwest Georgia schools. The GHSA lists Calhoun County as having 192 students in its most recent reclassification cycle.
Calhoun County joins Twiggs County and Stewart County as Class 1A Public schools that have canceled their seasons.
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Brookwood's Marquis Groves-Killebrew, a transfer from Grayson, was the only sophomore to make first-team all-Region 8-7A last season. (Photo by Rusty Mansell / 247Sports) |
Georgia loaded with talent at DB |
Need a cornerback? Georgia’s got you covered.
Fourteen of the state’s top 100 senior prospects this year are cornerbacks, according to the 247Sports Composite. That’s the most for any position.
Three are in the top 12. One is Newton’s Nyland Green, who made GHSF Daily’s top-10 defensive backs.
Another is North Gwinnett’s Jordan Hancock, who opted out of his senior season, citing the health of his parents.
The third is Westlake’s Nathaniel Wiggins, whose opportunity to make the Georgia Power 100 hasn’t expired. He had 800 yards receiving and qualifies as an athlete, a category coming Friday, probably with multiple DB/WR types.
In addition to all those corners, there are eight safeties in Georgia’s top 100 senior recruits. That makes 22 defensive backs, and even that doesn’t include some DBs listed as athletes. Woodstock’s David Daniel, for example, is a four-star recruit committed to Georgia who is expected to play safety in college.
Here are the latest members of the Georgia Power 100.
*Khalil Anderson, Riverwood: Anderson (5-11, 175) had 38 tackles, seven interceptions and five pass breakups for an 11-1 Class 5A team that won its first playoff game and region championship in the North Fulton school’s 50-year history. He made first-team all-Region 6-5A. A three-star cornerback prospect, Anderson committed to Pittsburgh in June.
*Cole Bishop, Starr’s Mill: Bishop (6-3, 200) had 80 solo tackles, more than any elite safety prospect, for a 10-4 Class 5A semifinal team in 2019. He had five interceptions and nine pass breakups. The three-star recruit committed to Duke in March.
*Quincy Bryant, Parkview: Bryant is a three-year starter who was fourth on the team in tackles last season as Parkview reached the Class 7A semifinals. He was first-team all-region and second-team all-Gwinnett County. A top-100 Georgia recruit, Bryant committed to Wake Forest in May.
*David Daniel, Woodstock: Daniel (6-1, 190) is a consensus top-100 national recruit, the first in Woodstock history. He’s the highest-rated senior defensive-back prospect in Georgia. His junior season wasn’t spectacular, though. He was second-team all-region on a 3-7 Class 7A team. Daniel committed to Georgia last September.
*Omar Daniels, Colquitt County: Daniels (6-0, 180) is the top returning cover corner in Region 1-7A, where he was a first-team all-region player as a junior. He had 31 solo tackles. Daniels committed to Kansas State in May.
*Khari Gee, Woodward Academy: Gee (6-3, 195) had more than 60 tackles, five for losses, and broke up four passes in 2019 for a Class 4A semifinal team. A consensus four-star recruit, Gee committed to LSU in May.
*Nyland Green, Newton: Green (6-2, 175) was a GACA first-team all-state player for a team that went 7-4. He finished with 34 tackles, two fumble recoveries and six interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns. He also contributed on offense with 11 receptions for 269 yards and three touchdowns. Green is the No. 10 player in Georgia and the No. 7 cornerback nationally in the 247Sports Composite.
*Marquis Groves-Killebrew, Brookwood: Killebrew, a transfer from Grayson, was the only sophomore to make first-team all-Region 8-7A last season. He had 18 solo tackles and two interceptions as opponents avoided his side. A top-100 national prospect among juniors, Killebrew (6-0, 180) committed to Georgia in May.
*T.J. Quinn, Lowndes: Quinn (6-1, 200) made first-team all-Region 1-7A as a junior for the state runner-up. A safety, he had 51 tackles. The three-star recruit committed to Louisville in June.
*Jaden Slocum, Alpharetta: Slocum (6-2, 180) is a consensus top-50 safety nationally and top-50 overall player in Georgia, according to the 247Sports Composite. He was one of only two juniors to make first-team all-Region 6-6A on defense last year. He had 24 tackles and three interceptions in 2019. Slocum is a consensus three-star recruit.
Coming Friday: Athletes
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Top DB recruits
Eric Berry of Creekside and Reshad Jones of Washington are the highest-rated defensive backs at their positions this century in Georgia. Berry ended up as a safety at Tennessee and in the NFL. Both played 10 years in the league. Here are Georgia defensive backs this century that earned ratings of 0.9500 or higher in the 247Sports Composite since 2001. Active players in are listed in bold.
Cornerbacks
0.9986 - Eric Berry, Creekside (2007)
0.9960 - Travis Hunter, Collins Hill (2022)
0.9940 - Paul Oliver, Harrison (2003)
0.9901 - Branden Smith, Washington (2009)
0.9891 - Andrew Booth, Archer (2019)
0.9876 - Greg Reid, Lowndes (2009)
0.9745 - A.J. Terrell, Westlake (2017)
0.9728 - Damian Swann, Grady (2011)
0.9720 - Kyler McMichael, GAC (2018)
0.9702 - Geno Smith, St. Pius (2012)
0.9672 - Malkom Parrish, Brooks County (2014)
0.9669 - Marquis Killebrew, Brookwood (2022)
0.9665 - Carlos Thomas, Banneker (2005)
0.9649 - Jordan Hancock, North Gwinnett (2021)
0.9638 - Jamyest Williams, Grayson (2017)
0.9614 - Nyland Green, Newton (2021)
Safeties
0.9934 - Reshad Jones, Washington (2006)
0.9876 - Vonn Bell, Ridgeland (2013)
0.9876 - Richard LeCounte, Liberty County (2017)
0.9770 - Deangelo Gibbs, Grayson (2017)
0.9723 - Xavier McKinney, Roswell (2017)
0.9716 - Nigel Warrior, Peachtree Ridge (2016)
0.9712 - Brian Branch, Sandy Creek (2020)
0.9700 - Kyle Hamilton, Marist (2019)
0.9653 - Tray Matthews, Newnan (2013)
0.9633 - Darren Myles, Carver-Atlanta (2009)
0.9548 - Neiko Thorpe, Tucker (2008)
0.9516 - Derrik Allen, Lassiter (2018)
Join the GACA and be eligible for liability insurance, participation in all-star games, registration to clinics, and access to job listings.
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Casey Soliday became head coach at defending Class A Public champion Irwin County after the January death of Buddy Nobles, who during his public battle with stomach cancer inspired high school fans throughout the state. As Nobles coached many games from an elevated wooden stand that his school built for him, Soliday took over the sideline role through Irwin’s state-finals victory over Marion County. Soliday’s brother, Erik Soliday, also won state titles as a head coach at Americus in 2000 and 2001. Who are the only other brothers who can claim Georgia state titles as head coaches, albeit as the interim guy in the case of Soliday? (Answer Friday)
Answer to Wednesday’s question: The highest-rated cornerback prospect from Georgia since 2000 is Eric Berry of Creekside in 2007, according to the 247Sports Composite. Berry wasn’t really a cornerback, though. He was only projected as such at the time. Berry, an All-American at Tennessee and All Pro with the Kansas City Chiefs, played quarterback and safety in high school and safety in college and the NFL. The highest-rated pure cornerback prospect in Georgia since 2000 was Paul Oliver of Harrison in 2003.
Jostens is the leading provider of yearbooks, caps and gowns, class rings and championship rings and is the Official Championship Ring of the GHSA. Click here to learn more.
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2011 Lassiter lands first-round upset in computer tourney |
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Lassiter reached the 2011 semifinals in the highest class while beating three top-10 teams during the season, all while unranked.
Those Trojans were true to their old form Wednesday in GHSF Daily’s Team of the Decade tournament, defeating 22-point favorite 2019 Lowndes 21-16 in the Class 7A bracket.
The computer model used for the tournament simulation, created by Georgia High School Football Historians Association founder Loren Maxwell, had Lowndes winning 93 percent of the time, as Lowndes was the Class 7A runner-up in 2019 and finished 14-1.
But Lassiter was up to the challenge. That Lassiter team featured all-state quarterback Eddie Printz, who passed for 8,743 yards in his career.
Other 2011 teams fared well in the opening round. The 2011 M.L. King team bombed Camden County 68-21. Like Lassiter, M.L. King had a quarterback, Jonquell Dawson, who threw for more than 8,500 yards in his career.
Walton, which defeated Lassiter in the 2011 semifinals, defeated Collins Hill 32-6 in a mild upset. That Walton team featured RB Tyren Jones (Alabama), OL Brandon Kublanow (Georgia) and twins Zack and Daron Blaylock (both Kentucky).
Another surprise was 2010 Statesboro’s 54-25 victory over Warner Robins’ 2018 Class 5A runner-up team.
Statesboro never scored more than 42 points in a 2010 game, but the computer model places the game in the season of the home team, and 2018 was a little more high-scoring than 2010. Plus, Statesboro was pretty good in 2010. The Blue Devils lost to eventual state champion Chattahoochee 22-21 in the semifinals.
Meanwhile, Deshaun Watson’s Gainesville teams went 1-1. His sophomore 2011 team was beaten in 4A by Ridgleland’s 2017 team, but his 2012 state champion defeated 2013 Wayne County 50-35.
Maxwell's computer model uses historical scores to simulate any matchup involving Georgia high school teams of the past 75 years. In each game, the stronger team will be favored, but upsets and surprising scores will occur, as they do in real life.
Below are the first-round scores in the larger four classifications. Upsets are noted in red.
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Class 7A
2015 Colquitt County 41, 2012 West Forsyth 6
2011 Walton 32, 2013 Collins Hill 6
2012 Norcross 54, 2011 Stephenson 6
2016 Roswell 34, 2012 North Cobb 31
2014 Etowah 32, 2010 Brookwood 23
2015 Archer 31, 2015 Peachtree Ridge 19
2011 Lassiter 21, 2019 Lowndes 16
2017 Tift County 38, 2018 Parkview 19
2016 Grayson 50, 2017 South Forsyth 0
2012 Lovejoy 30, 2012 South Gwinnett 21
2017 North Gwinnett 21, 2014 Westlake 7
2015 Mill Creek 12, 2013 Hillgrove 0
2018 Milton 39, 2011 Dacula 0
2011 M.L. King 68, 2012 Camden County 21
2019 Marietta 42, 2015 Central Gwinnett 0
2010 Valdosta 24, 2019 McEachern 10
Class 6A
2011 Northside (Warner Robins) 52, 2017 Brunswick 7
2011 Warner Robins 55, 2015 Northgate 24
2016 Tucker 19, 2010 Pope 11
2015 Houston County 20, 2016 Dalton 10
2016 Valdosta 31, 2014 South Paulding 12
2017 Coffee 26, 2011 East Paulding 17
2011 Lovejoy 26, 2019 Johns Creek 0
2015 Glynn Academy 19, 2013 North Paulding 18
2018 Lee County 22, 2019 Richmond Hill 0
2016 Alexander 36, 2013 Hughes 22
2015 Allatoona 31, 2017 Alpharetta 20
2016 Mays 50, 2011 Tri-Cities 27
2010 Chattahoochee 46. 2013 Mundy's Mill 3
2010 Kell 47, 2018 Creekview 17
2019 Harrison 28, 2018 Sequoyah 13
2019 Dacula 26, 2015 Lanier 16
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Class 5A
2019 Buford 30, 2012 Whitewater 0
2015 Stephenson 19, 2012 Ridgeland 10
2018 Bainbridge 28, 2015 Drew 20
2015 Ware County 41, 2016 Kell 36
2012 Gainesville 50, 2013 Wayne County 35
2010 Hiram 30, 2011 Flowery Branch 23 (OT)
2010 Starr's Mill 18, 2019 Veterans 13
2014 Mays 26, 2010 Clarke Central 23
2017 Rome 38, 2017 Eagle's Landing 14
2018 Dutchtown 67, 2017 Jones County 25
2013 Griffin 24, 2015 Jonesboro 0
2010 Statesboro 54, 2018 Warner Robins 25
2011 Tucker 42, 2017 Carver (Atlanta) 13
2017 Stockbridge 16, 2016 Woodland (Stockbridge) 9
2013 Creekside 49, 2014 Harris County 17
2019 Carrollton 32, 2010 Thomas Cent. 26
Class 4A
2015 Woodward Academy 35, 2011 Stockbridge 18
2018 Troup 24, 2012 North Hall 0
2012 Sandy Creek 35, 2018 Cairo 0
2019 West Laurens 27, 2013 Monroe Area 19
2010 Carrollton 31, 2015 Worth County 10
2012 St. Pius 31, 2019 Denmark 28
2014 Buford 30, 2015 Spalding 0
2010 Grady 33, 2016 Thomson 26
2016 Cartersville 58, 2010 Baldwin 0
2017 Cedartown 44, 2018 Mary Persons 28
2018 Marist 37, 2018 Eastside 3
2017 Ridgeland 39, 2011 Gainesville 36
2018 Blessed Trinity 35, 2018 Pickens 10
2016 Jefferson 19, 2011 Allatoona 17
2011 Burke County 45, 2013 Central (Carrollton) 13
2019 Oconee County 39, 2014 North Oconee 13
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Today’s interviewee is Prince Avenue Christian quarterback Brock Vandagriff, a consensus five-star recruit who committed to Georgia in January. Vandagriff passed for 2,471 yards and 31 touchdowns in only eight games last season. He threw for 525 yards and five touchdowns while scoring twice in a 62-57 playoff loss to eventual Class A Private champion Eagle’s Landing Christian.
Brock Vandagriff,
Prince Avenue Christian QB
1. From the perspective of a player, what has this offseason been like with your high school team with the uncertainty of the season? “It has been a successful offseason. We have made great gains in the weight room, and we take it one day at a time. The team isn’t concerned with if or when we have a season because we all know that God has a plan for us and for football as a whole. We just have to trust his timing and trust the process now, more than ever.”
2. You rushed for 1,000 yards as a sophomore. You had an injury that kept you more in the pocket last season. Not that it's a goal, but what kind of QB should we expect to see in 2020? “I wouldn’t consider myself a run-first quarterback, but if that is what the team needs me to do then I will do it. I am focused on winning ball games and moving the chains. Coach Brad Johnson used to tell me, ‘Pick a guy and let it fly.’ If they’re not open, tuck it and take what they give you.”
3. Prince Avenue has been knocking on the door as a state contender but never broken through. How prepared is this team compared to others you've played on? “This team is as motivated as ever. We are focused on the process and know that it’s going to be a long season if things go as we are planning. We are practicing hard and trying to get the most out of all of our players, especially our senior leaders.”
4. How do you feel about whether Georgia high school football should be played this season? Would you be sad but understanding, or have stronger feelings if the season is canceled? “I am honestly not educated enough on the virus and the situation at hand to say whether we should be playing or not. I trust the people above me and take it one day at a time. My teammates and I are very hopeful for a season, but if one does not happen, then I would be pretty distraught. You only get one chance to be a senior in high school, and my dad [Prince Avenue Christian head coach Greg Vandagriff] and I have dreamt of a state championship together for many, many years.”
MaskClubTM, the first subscription-based buy one, donate one online mask destination, has launched Highschool.MaskClub.com in partnership with the Georgia High School Association. The new site is home to a collection of masks representing nearly 450 schools across Georgia, encouraging students to comply with CDC guidelines to cover your face while showing school spirit.
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Storm Johnson gives back to student-athletes
Former UCF standout and NFL running back Storm Johnson has joined The Learning Company in offering services to middle and high school students and student-athletes through a boys only academy with NCAA approved classes (in person one-to-one or virtual); final semester program for high school seniors; ACT/SAT prep; athletic training; and Camp Storm, a residential camp facility located in southeastern Georgia on 40 acres. For information, call 770-652-7542 or click here to email.
Jackson County seeks assistant in boys basketball, baseball
Jackson County High School is accepting applications for an assistant boys basketball coach and assistant baseball coach that will include duties as a PE teacher. If interested, click here to contact athletic director Brad Hayes.
Sequoyah seeks boys basketball assistant coach
Sequoyah High School is accepting applications for a varsity boys basketball assistant coach for the 2020-21 school year. Teaching certificate needs to be in science or SPED Math. If you are interested, click here to contact head coach Allen Carden.
St. George’s Episcopal seeks assistants in volleyball, boys basketball
The assistant coaches in volleyball and boys basketball will assist in all matters concerning the varsity teams. We are looking for someone who wants to help build a competitive program in an elite academic environment. We are only in the fifth year of competing at the varsity level. St. George’s competes in GISA AA athletics. These are part-time jobs through the season with the possibility of expanding roles in the coming years. Click here to contact athletic director Britt Gaylor.
Rockdale Co. seeks assistant football, baseball, girls basketball coach
Rockdale County High School is looking for an assistant coach for baseball, girls basketball and football. Interested candidates should be certified in one of the following teaching vacancies – English, Spanish and/or SPED (Science and/or English). Click here to contact athletic director Chad Suddeth.
Manchester seeks head softball coach
Manchester High School is now accepting applications for our head softball coach. Also, there is a possibility of coaching an additional spring sport, with a SPED co-teacher opening as well. Interested applicants can send their resume and cover letter to assistant principal/athletic director Dr. Kelvin Smith by clicking here.
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GHSF Daily classified ads
Reach 22,000 readers per day in GHSF Daily’s classified ads. Rates are $50 per week. Ads must be a maximum of 75 words and include a headline and contact information. Click here to contact us.
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About Us
Georgia High School Football Daily is a free e-mail newsletter produced and owned by Todd Holcomb and Chip Saye. Holcomb is a former lead high school football writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and co-founder of the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. Saye is a 35-year veteran of the newspaper industry who has covered high school sports for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Athens Banner-Herald, Anderson (S.C.) Independent-Mail and Gwinnett Daily News.
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