SHARE:  
Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022
Dylan Lonergan of Brookwood is the state's highest-rated senior quarterback prospect. The two-sport star passed for 3,392 yards and 32 touchdowns in 2021. He plans to play football and baseball at Alabama. (Photo courtesy of Rusty Mansell / 247Sports)
10 magic number for elite QBs
Georgia’s best quarterbacks this season include two who are rated among the 10 best nationally in their recruiting classes, one who stands 3,077 passing yards shy of 10,000 for his career and another who finished in the top 10 all-time in single-season passing yards in the state. In all, the 10 featured here passed for 15.5 miles of yards (27,225) in 2021.
 
This is the first in a series of 10 feature articles that recognize the state’s best players by position. They are chosen based primarily on high school production, though college potential also is considered. These players are the first official members of GHSF Daily’s Georgia Power 100.
 
*R.J. Johnson, Westlake: Johnson has thrown for 6,923 career yards, the most of any active Georgia quarterback, and has led Westlake to consecutive Class 6A quarterfinal appearances. He was the first-team Class 6A all-state QB as a sophomore, then went behind Carrollton’s M.J. Morris (now at N.C. State) as a junior. The Lions are in Class 7A this season. Johnson (6-2, 200) committed to Toledo over the July 4 weekend.
 
*Geimere Latimer, Sandy Creek: As a first-year starter at the position last year, Latimer (5-10, 175) was first-team Class 3A all-state and led Sandy Creek to a 9-1 regular-season finish and a victory over No. 1-ranked and eventual 3A champion Cedar Grove before the Patriots were upset in the first round. He was the region player of the year in Cedar Grove’s region. In 11 games, Latimer passed for 2,792 yards and 30 touchdowns and rushed for 454 yards and 12 touchdowns. He’s committed to Tulane, where he likely will play receiver or cornerback.
 
*Dylan Lonergan, Brookwood: A consensus top-10 QB recruit nationally, Lonergan (6-2, 215) is the state’s top senior prospect at the position and the Broncos’ best quarterback in history. He passed for 3,392 yards and 32 touchdowns as a junior, giving him 6,239 passing yards and 57 TD passes for his career. Brookwood was 10-3 in 2021. Lonergan, also a likely high draft pick in baseball, committed in July to play two sports at Alabama.
 
*Jake Merklinger, Calvary Day: Merklinger (6-3, 185) is the state’s top QB prospect among juniors, rated No. 9 nationally at the position by the 247Sports Composite. He’s rated No. 2 nationally by On3. He’s the highest-rated recruit in Calvary history, not counting Georgia’s Nolan Smith, who finished at IMG Academy. Merklinger has thrown for 4,620 yards and 43 touchdowns with two full seasons left, meaning he’s in position to become a top-10 passer in state history. He has completed 67.8% of his attempts. Calvary was 12-1 in Class A Private last season but now plays in Class 3A. Merklinger also made first-team all-region in basketball.
 
*Prentiss “Air” Noland, Hughes: Aside from sporting the state’s best QB nickname, Noland was 174-of-271 passing for 2,581 yards and 34 touchdowns with seven interceptions for the Class 6A runner-up in 2021. He’s thrown for 3,929 yards in his career with two seasons remaining. Rated the No. 15 junior quarterback nationally, Noland (6-2, 180) has more than 25 reported offers.
 
*Aaron Philo, Prince Avenue Christian: As a sophomore last season, Philo (6-2, 190) replaced five-star quarterback Brock Vandagriff and broke Vandagriff’s single-season school records on a 13-2 team that was the Class A Private runner-up. Philo’s 4,540 yards passing in 2021 rank fifth all-time in Georgia. He completed 297 of his 408 attempts for 47 touchdowns with 14 interceptions. He has mid-major offers.
 
*Cayman Prangley, Kennesaw Mountain: A four-year starter, Prangley (6-2, 200) endured an 0-10 season as a freshman and won his school’s first region title as a junior. He was 93-of-163 passing for 1,942 yards and 25 touchdowns for last season’s 10-2 team. He rushed for 312 yards and seven touchdowns. He does not have many offers yet.
 
*Malachi Singleton, North Cobb: Georgia’s premier dual-threat quarterback is almost unquestionably Singleton, who has led the Warriors to consecutive 10-2 finishes and region titles and made first-team all-state as a junior last season, when he rushed for 1,037 yards and 25 touchdowns while passing for 2,348 yards and 24 touchdowns. He’s also a charismatic leader. “Everyone gets an inch taller when Malachi walks on the field,” North Cobb coach Shane Queen said. To be sure, @M_3Singleton leads Georgia high school quarterbacks in Twitter followers with 4,729. Singleton (6-1, 225) committed to Arkansas in April.
 
*Keegan Stover, Rabun County: A transfer from West Forsyth, Stover (6-4, 225) will succeed Gunner Stockton, the four-star quarterback now at Georgia. As a junior, Stover passed for 2,409 yards and 25 touchdowns with only two interceptions for a 5-6 team. He passed for 281 yards and three touchdowns in a first-round loss to Mill Creek. He led West Forsyth to the Class 7A quarterfinals as a sophomore. Stover has no reported offers.
 
*Kasen Weisman, South Paulding: A three-star recruit and three-year starter, Weisman (6-2, 180) was 120-of-191 passing for 2,035 yards and 17 touchdowns for an 8-3 team that beat two top-10 opponents last season. He rushed for 289 yards and eight scores. Weisman has more than 25 offers, mostly from mid-major schools.

Coming Wednesday: Running backs
Class 6A
The Maxwell Ratings, compiled by mathematician and Georgia High School Football Historians Association founder Loren Maxwell, have projected the region finishes of all 412 football-playing schools in the GHSA. The projections are based on historical scores, with the most recent season weighing most heavily. Teams that did unusually well, or poorly, in 2021 are projected to regress toward the mean. The ratings do not consider changes in player personnel or coaching staff. Below are Maxwell’s projections and a brief look at how Class 6A shapes up in 2022.
Coming Wednesday: Class 5A
Class 6A
Number of hires: 13
Best hire: Josh Niblett, Gainesville
Hardest to replace: Robert Edwards, Riverwood
Best job: Gainesville
Toughest job: Paulding County
Most interesting: Gainesville, which has lost its state-power status since its glory days with coach Bruce Miller and quarterbacks Deshaun Watson and Blake Sims, struck offseason gold with the hire of Josh Niblett, a seven-time Alabama champion. Niblett is best known for his 14 seasons at Hoover, where he won titles in 2009, 2002, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017. Niblett also won his first state championship at Oneonta in 2004.
 
Region 1
*Houston County hired Warner Robins offensive coordinator Jeremy Edwards to replace Ryan Crawford. Warner Robins was 40-4 with two state titles with Edwards running the offenses the past three seasons. The 2021 team averaged 47.7 points per game. Edwards previously had been Cairo’s offensive coordinator. Houston County was 20-37 in five seasons under Crawford, who is now director of feeder operations and head sixth- and seventh-grade coach at Cartersville.
 
*Thomas County Central hired Colquitt County coach Justin Rogers to replace Ashley Henderson, who became head coach at Jasper County. Rogers’ Colquitt teams were 26-7 over three seasons with a region title in 2020. Rogers also coached at Jones County from 2014 to 2018, going 45-15 at a program that had never won 10 games in a season but did twice under him. Thomas Central was 19-22 in four seasons under Henderson and 5-6 in 2021.
 
*Veterans promoted Josh Ingram, its offensive coordinator the past four seasons, to replace Milan Turner, who joined Georgia Southern’s staff as director of high school relations. Ingram is a former Eagle’s Landing and Maryville College player who previously coached at Thomson and Lakeside of Evans. Veterans was 2-9 last season, two years after a school-record nine wins.
 
Region 2
*Brunswick promoted offensive coordinator Garrett Grady to replace Sean Pender, who became head coach at North Hall. Grady was Brunswick’s assistant head coach and offensive line coach the past five seasons under Pender. Grady previously had coached at alma mater Pierce County. He was part of national championship Valdosta State teams as a player in 2007 and a graduate assistant in 2012.
 
Region 3
*Alcovy hired Newton assistant head coach and defensive coordinator Spencer Fortson to replace Jason Dukes, who became an assistant principal at Thomas County Central. Fortson, who played at Elbert County, had been with Newton since 2009 after a shorter stint at Westover in Albany. Alcovy broke a streak of seven losing seasons in 2021 with a 5-5 finish and won the school’s first region title.
 
*Forest Park hired one alumnus, Corey Johnson, to replace another, Rex Robertson, who became Griffin’s offensive coordinator. Johnson, who played at Forest Park with Hines Ward before both went on to play at Georgia, was head coach for Heritage on Conyers from 2016 to 2020 and had a 24-25 record with a 2016 region title. He has been an assistant coach at Jackson and Greene County.
 
*Mundy's Mill promoted defensive coordinator Earthwind Moreland to replace Dwayne Davis, who remained as athletic director. Moreland was Mays’ co-defensive coordinator from 2018 through 2020 and was head coach at alma mater Midtown from 2014 to 2017, compiling a 24-19 record and 2016 region title. Moreland was on Midtown’s staff for three other region titles since 2005. He played at Georgia Southern and in the NFL and Arena League as a wide receiver.
 
Region 4
*Riverwood promoted defensive coordinator Michael Young to replace Robert Edwards, who became head coach at Washington County. Young also has coached at Carrollton, Milton and his alma mater, Collins Hill, where he was a standout defensive back. Riverwood won two region titles in Edwards’ four seasons and finished 9-2 in 2021.
 
Region 5
*East Paulding hired Walton offensive coordinator Chris Hirschfield to replace Billy Shackelford. Hirschfield also has been offensive coordinator at Alabama’s Madison Academy (2010-15), where he was part of three state-championship teams, and at Elbert County (2016). He’s from Tennessee and played quarterback at Murray State and West Georgia. East Paulding was 23-29 in five seasons under Shackelford, 2-8 in 2021. Shackelford is now Gordon Central’s athletic director.
 
*Paulding County promoted defensive coordinator Umbrah Brown to replace Van Spence, who became East Paulding’s offensive coordinator. Brown had been Paulding’s defensive coordinator since 2019. A graduate of Central (Carrollton) and West Georgia, Brown has coached at Hiram (2011-17) and New Manchester (2018). Paulding County was 19-42 in six seasons under Spence, 3-7 in 2021.
 
Region 6
None
 
Region 7
*Johns Creek hired Milton defensive coordinator Drew Connell to replace Matt Helmerich, who became head coach at Peachtree Ridge. Connell had been on Milton’s staff since 2017 and became defensive coordinator in 2018, when Milton won a state title. Connell has been on staffs at Manchester, Villa Rica, Troup and West Forsyth. Johns Creek was 35-20 in five seasons under Helmerich, 9-4 in 2021.
 
Region 8
*Gainesville hired Hoover (Ala.) head coach Josh Niblett to replace Heath Webb, who became head coach at Lumpkin County. Niblett’s record at Hoover was 171-26 with six state titles over 14 seasons. His overall record is 236-58. Gainesville has gone 18-25 over the past four seasons, the past two while competing in Class 7A.
 
*Lanier hired Norcross offensive coordinator Tyler Maloof to replace interim coach David Willingham, who became Milton’s defensive coordinator. Maloof had been on Norcross’ staff since 2014 under his father, Keith Maloof, for whom he also played. Tyler Maloof was a baseball player at Georgia and graduate and student assistant coach on the football team for two seasons. Lanier was 4-6 in 2021, the Longhorns’ second losing season in a row after a streak of seven winning campaigns under Korey Mobbs.

Coming Wednesday: Class 5A
Class 6A changes
Class 6A picked up 21 football teams and lost 20 during reclassification. Here are their comings and goings, with their previous or new classes in parentheses.
 
Coming
Alpharetta (7A)
Apalachee (5A)
Blessed Trinity (5A)
Dunwoody (7A)
Etowah (7A)
Forest Park (5A)
Gainesville (7A)
Jackson County (5A)
Jonesboro (5A)
Marist (4A)
Mundy's Mill (5A)
New Manchester (5A)
Newnan (7A)
North Forsyth (7A)
Roswell (7A)
St. Pius (5A)
Thomas County Central (4A)
Tift County (7A)
Veterans (5A)
Woodstock (7A)
Woodward Academy (5A)
 
Going
Bradwell Institute (5A)
Buford (7A)
Cambridge (5A)
Carrollton (7A)
Centennial (5A)
Central Gwinnett (7A)
Chattahoochee (5A)
Dacula (7A)
Dalton (5A)
Heritage-Conyers (5A)
Kell (5A)
Kennesaw Mountain (7A)
Osborne (7A)
Richmond Hill (7A)
Statesboro (5A)
Tucker (5A)
Valdosta (7A)
Westlake (7A)
Wheeler (7A)
Winder-Barrow (5A)
Brookwood quarterback Dylan Lonergan is a four-star football prospect and likely high MLB draft choice as a pitcher/outfielder. Which 1995 quarterback and AJC all-classification player of the year signed with Georgia Tech but chose baseball after the Cubs drafted him in the second round? Clue: He never made the Major Leagues but did play in the NFL. (Answer Wednesday)
 
Answer to Monday’s question: Collins Hill and Trinity Christian won state titles for the first time in 2021. Fitzgerald won for the first time since 1948, the first season that the GHSA held statewide championships in all classifications.
 
Kick off your game day with the best sports flooring and turf in the industry. Designed to take a beating.
The preseason scrimmage schedule is compiled by GHSF Daily and not maintained by the GHSA or any other organization. Please click here to make additions or report errors. Games in red are those added since Monday's edition. Here are this week’s games:
 
Thursday’s game
Bulloch Academy at Portal
 
Friday's games
Bremen at Rockmart
Bryan Co. at Jenkins Co.
Buford at Jones Co.
Calhoun at Northwest Whitfield
Carrollton at Spalding
Cartersville, North Murray at Pepperell (jamboree)
Cedar Grove at McEachern
Central (Carrollton) at Spalding
Chattahoochee Co. at Brooks Co.
Cherokee at Creekview
Claxton at Montgomery Co.
Clinch Co. at Pierce Co.
Colquitt Co. at Peach Co.
Commerce at Gilmer
Cook at Thomas Co. Central
Crisp Co. at Bainbridge
Denmark at Sequoyah
Discovery at Apalachee
Drew at Lithonia
Eagle’s Landing at ELCA
East Ridge, Tenn. at Lakeview-Ft. Ogle.
Elbert Co. at Stephens Co.
Fellowship Christian at Northview
Fitzgerald at Coffee
Flowery Branch at North Hall
Frederica Academy at Sav. Christian (P)
Glynn Academy at Wayne Co.
Gordon Central at Coahulla Creek
Griffin at Newnan
Habersham Central at East Hall
Hardaway at Redan (HS)
Heard Co. at Bowdon
Irwin Co. at Schley Co.
Jonesboro at Trinity Christian
Lamar Co. at Jasper Co.
Lambert at Walton
Laney at Burke Co.
Lanier at West Forsyth
Loganville at Cedar Shoals
Lowndes at Tift Co.
McIntosh Co. Academy at Long Co.
McNair at Temple
Morrow at KIPP Atlanta Collegiate
Mt. Paran Christian at Whitefield Acad.
Mount Vernon at Lovett
Mount Zion, Carroll at Temple
Mt. Zion, Jonesboro vs. Forest Park (T)
North Clayton at St. Mary’s Academy
North Cobb Christ. at Johnson, Gaines.
North Forsyth at Dawson Co.
North Oconee at Clarke Central
Parkview at M.L. King (GO)
Peach Co. at Colquitt Co.
Rome at Kell
Shaw at Early Co.
Soddy Daisy, Tenn. at Coosa
Sonoraville at Model
St. Pius at Tucker (A)
Stockbridge at Lovejoy
Stone Mountain at Seckinger
Trinity Christ. School at East Laurens
Thomson at Evans
Treutlen at Dublin
Turner Co. at Monroe
Twiggs Co. at Warren Co.
Vidalia at Calvary Day
Villa Rica at Troup
Warner Robins at Veterans
Wesleyan at Pace Academy
Wheeler Co. at Atkinson Co.
Whitefield Acad. at Mt. Paran Christian
Wilcox Co. at Johnson Co.
Woodstock at Cambridge
Woodland, Carters. at Adairsville
 
Saturday’s game
Cedar Grove at McEachern

Stadium abbreviations: (A) Adams; (GO) Godfrey; (HS) Hallford; (P) Pooler; (T) Tara.

Join both the GACA and GFCA for $55.00 per coach! JOIN TODAY!
TD Club lunches
begin on Aug. 24
Join the Touchdown Club of Atlanta for its 2022 awards luncheons, beginning on Aug. 24 with guest speaker Pat Dye, Jr. Speakers at future luncheons include Matt Luke (Sept. 27), Ivan Maisel (Oct. 11), David Cutcliffe (Nov. 1) and Sean Payton (Nov. 15). The Aug. 24 event will begin at 11:45 a.m. at the Piedmont Driving Club (1215 Piedmont Avenue, N.E.). For details on upcoming events or membership information, click here.
Today’s interviewee is Buford coach Bryant Appling, whose team is moving into the highest classification, Class 7A, for the first time after winning state titles the past three seasons in 6A and 5A. Appling, who got the head-coaching job in 2019 after 15 seasons as a Buford assistant, is the first coach in GHSA history to win three state titles in his first three seasons as a head coach.
 
Bryant Appling, Buford head coach
1. Looking back on the 2021 team one more time, what was its legacy? What made that season or that team different from your two other state champions and from other great Buford teams that you helped coach? “The 2021 team has to go down as one that went through so much unprecedented territory. 2019 a new coach and four road playoff games, 2020 move up classification and of course the COVID pandemic. So, that alone over three years was unlike any that has ever played. And then to do it a third time when everyone is shooting for you was very impressive. It was a great academic class as well that had all qualified to be accepted into college and many of them getting scholarships. They were a first-class group that set the bar real high for this group that is following them. Their positive attitude in the face of so much adversity will never be forgotten around here.” [Buford beat Hughes 21-20 in the 2021 Class 6A final, coming from behind in the fourth quarter to win a championship game for the third straight season. Ashton Daniels threw a 34-yard TD pass to Tobi Olawole with 2:55 left, and Hughes missed a 35-yard field goal attempt on the last play.]
 
2. Was getting the Buford job a longtime goal or dream of yours? What has been your career goal and what's been your approach toward achieving it? “Being the head coach at Buford High School was not an aspiration of mine until I interviewed for the first time. Not that I didn’t want it; I just didn’t see myself in their seat until I got closer to the time that it actually happened. I just took it day by day and wanted to do the best at whatever job was mine. I still have many goals that I want to achieve, but I just try to do my best every day, and whatever is in the cards will come in due time.”
 
3. Buford is playing in the highest class for the first time in 2021. Is that an extra motivation or business as usual? “Of course, it is always on our minds. We have been saying repeatedly this could be our toughest schedule, both non-region and region, in the history of our program. Class 7A is hard to fathom, for us to come so far over these years, and we do recognize how tough it will be. For so long, the teams our kids have grown up playing in GFL, our youth rec league, never played against each other in high school due to our different classifications. This year, we are in a region with Mill Creek, Collins Hill and Mountain View, which are all huge schools nearby that we have never played but the kids have grown up with. That is going to be a challenge and a motivating factor in our preseason.” [Buford’s 2022 non-region schedule includes state powers Thompson of Alabama and Mallard Creek of North Carolina along with North Cobb and Marietta.]
 
4. How do you feel the 2022 Buford team be different from past Buford teams in terms of style, personality? The 2022 team will be full of players that have been in backup rotator roles that will move to a starting role due to a large graduating class. We will be playing a lot of players, and they will have to get acclimated quickly. As always, we also have a lot of two-way players. We are always scouting ourselves and refining what we do, but the principles will be the same: Play a fundamental, physical brand of football that is sound on defense, solid on special teams, and a pro-style run-based offense.” [Buford returns six starters on offense, four on defense, and added Alabama-committed RB Justice Haynes as a transfer.]
 
Presenting sponsor of Football State Championships and Bass Fishing State Tournament. Supporter of Georgia Public Broadcasting, Georgia Prep Sports: Drive for the GHSA State Title (video podcast), and NFHS Network. Georgia Farm Bureau Insurance - Always the Home Team.
Score Atlanta seeks Fall interns for high school football TV schedule
Televising 32 high school football games including the Corky Kell Classic, Score Atlanta has positions open for interns who will work Friday nights helping the TV crew broadcast the weekly matchups. TV interns will have an opportunity to learn on site, including Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Score also has positions available for writing interns, helping produce high school football scores and game summaries for ajc.com. If you are interested, contact Graham David via email by clicking here or call him at 513-600-6557.
 
GPSA helps students grow in athletics, education, and life skills
Georgia Storm Prep Academy, named for owner and head coach Storm Johnson (a former UCF standout and NFL running back), is a post-graduate football program. The program includes in-face NCAA-approved classes to increase GPAs, and competitions against other Prep programs and JUCOs to gain additional exposure. GSPA has a complete facility with on-site housing with meals, a weight room, a game room, and a home game field. For information, call 770-652-7711 or contact us via email by clicking here.
GHSF Daily classified ads
Reach 23,000 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.
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 38-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.