*Best player: Prentis “Air” Noland (left), Hughes. Few have produced a better season passing than Noland’s 2022. He was 236-of-323 (73%) for 4,095 yards and 55 touchdowns for a 15-0 team that averaged 52.8 points per game.
*Best position: Quarterback. Noland and Houston County’s A.J. Hill are top-five prospects at their position nationally. Other top returning quarterbacks to 6A are Gainesville’s Baxter Wright, Roswell’s K.J. Smith, Rome’s Reece Fountain and Etowah’s Xavier Mahoney.
*Most highly recruited: Noland is the consensus No. 33 player nationally among seniors. He’s committed to Ohio State.
*That’s interesting: Gainesville has three preseason all-state picks, all transfers. Champ Thompson came from Meadowcreek, Gavin Hall from Hebron Christian and Zion Ferguson from Grayson.
*Snubbed: Hughes wide receiver Joseph Stone didn’t have the production last season at Grayson to unseat incumbent all-state receivers in 6A, but he should have a big season in Hughes’ offense. He’s committed to LSU.
*Underrated: Roswell defensive end Chase Morrison has committed to Virginia, where former Pace Academy coach Chris Slade recruited him, but his recruiting ranking puts him outside the Georgia top 100. That doesn’t add up to a region defensive player of the year who had 19 tackles for losses and 11 sacks for a 12-2 team.
*What else is news: Woodward Academy leads the class with five all-state picks, and those don’t include War Eagles wide receivers Ben Grice, who is committed to Wake Forest, or Josiah Abdullah, a junior with 50 offers.
Offense
QB - Prentiss "Air" Noland, Hughes, Sr.
QB - Antwann "A.J." Hill, Houston County, Jr.
RB - Nykahi Davenport, Roswell, Sr.
RB - Ousmane Kromah, Lee County, Jr.
WR - Kale Woodburn, Houston County, Jr.
WR - Terry Mitchell, Brunswick, Jr.
TE - Ethan Barbour, Alpharetta, Jr.
OL - Dontrell Glover, Hughes, Jr.
OL - Kahlil House, Houston County, Sr.
OL - Anthonie Knapp, Roswell, Sr.
OL - Andrew Rosinski, Creekview, Sr.
OL - Bradley Smith, Woodward Academy, Sr.
ATH - Gavin Hall, Gainesville, Sr.
PK - Hudson Hanges, Woodward Academy, Sr.
Defense
DL - Luke Harpring, Marist, Sr.
DL - London Merritt, Woodward Academy, Jr.
DL - Chase Morrison, Roswell, Sr.
DL - Champ Thompson, Gainesville, Sr.
LB - Andrew Hines III, Woodward Academy, Sr.
LB - Joshua Ofor, Mundy’s Mill, Sr.
LB - Devin Smith, Brunswick, Sr.
LB - Jordan Thompson, Hughes, Sr.
DB - Zion Ferguson, Gainesville, Sr.
DB - C.J. Heard, Woodward Academy, Sr.
DB - Ricardo Jones, Northside-Warner Robins, Sr.
DB - Kendarius “Dee” Reddick, Thomas County Central, Jr.
P - Zechariah Valdez, Douglas County, Sr.
Coming Wednesday: Class 5A
|
Walton's Daniel Calhoun, a transfer from Centennial, is a consensus top-100 national prospect and the highest-rated senior offensive lineman in Georgia. (Photo courtesy of On3)
|
Centers, guards dominate on OL |
GHSF Daily’s rollout of the Georgia Power 100 continues today with offensive linemen. A tackle protecting the blind side is this group’s glamor position, but most of these 10 are projected to play guard or center at the next level, and many already do. GHSF Daily’s Georgia Power 100 are chosen primarily on high school production, though college potential also is considered.
*Gemyel Allen, Mountain View, Sr.: Allen (6-3, 305) had 61 knock-down blocks in 11 games at center last season. He was first-team AJC all-Gwinnett and first-team all-Region 8-7A. He’s the top-rated offensive lineman in Mountain View history. ESPN rates him the No. 3 center prospect nationally. Allen committed to Duke in June.
*Aiden Banfield, Mill Creek, Sr.: Banfield (6-3, 280) is a four-year starter and the lone returning first-team AJC all-state offensive lineman in Class 7A. He was first-team AJC all-Gwinnett and first-team all-Region 8-7A. Playing guard, he was the alpha offensive lineman for a state-championship team that set the state record for scoring in the highest classification. ESPN rates him the No. 26 guard prospect nationally. He committed to North Carolina in April.
*Daniel Calhoun, Walton, Sr.: Calhoun (6-6, 355) is a consensus top-100 national prospect. the highest-rated OL recruit in Georgia and highest-rated Walton offensive lineman in history. A transfer from Centennial, Calhoun will be a four-year starter. He’s allowed one sack the past two seasons. He was the only Class 5A junior offensive lineman to make first-team AJC all-state last season. He was first-team all-North Fulton and first-team all-Region 6-5A. He played right tackle at Centennial and is likely to play the left side at Walton, protecting the blindside of Georgia Power 100 QB Jeremy Hecklinski. Calhoun has older brothers who have played at Wake Forest and Minnesota, and his father played at Alabama. Calhoun committed to Georgia in July.
*Caleb Holmes, Creekside, Sr.: Holmes (6-4, 290) was first-team all-Atlanta/South Fulton and first-team all-Region 5-5A last season and the best blocker as the left guard on a 10-3 Class 5A quarterfinal team. A consensus top-300 national recruit and 247Sports’ No. 1 IOL prospect, Holmes committed to Pittsburgh in June.
*Waltclaire Flynn Jr., Grayson, Sr.: Flynn (6-2, 305) was one of the five AJC first-team all-Gwinnett offensive linemen last season and was first-team all-Region 4-7A. He played right guard for a 10-3 Class 7A team. Flynn is a consensus top-300 national recruit. Rivals rates him the No. 1 center prospect nationally. He committed to Central Florida in July.
|
*Dontrell Glover, Hughes, Jr.: Glover (6-3, 290) was first-team all-Atlanta/South Fulton last season when he played left tackle as a sophomore for a Class 6A champion and the highest-scoring team in state history. Glover was one of two sophomores to make first-team all-Region 5-6A. A consensus top-200 national recruit and ESPN’s No. 5 junior guard prospect, Glover committed to Alabama in April.
*Anthonie Knapp, Roswell, Sr.: Knapp (6-4, 270) was first-team all-North Fulton and first-team all-Region 7-6A last season. He was the left tackle on a 12-2 Class 6A semifinal team that averaged 40.9 points per game. On3 rates Knapp the No. 12 IOL prospect nationally. A consensus top-400 national prospect and Roswell’s highest-rated OL recruit this century, Knapp committed to Notre Dame in March.
*Jameson Riggs, Hiram, Sr.: Riggs (6-4, 300) is Hiram’s left tackle and a three-year starter. He was first-team all-Region 7-5A last season for a 5-5 team. Riggs and teammate Clinton Richard, who has committed to Wake Forest, might be the best pair of senior offensive linemen in the state. Riggs is a consensus top-750 national recruit whose reported favorites are Auburn, Clemson and Georgia Tech.
*Andrew Rosinski, Creekview, Sr.: Rosinski (6-6, 280) had 65 knock-down blocks in 10 games last season. He was the only Class 6A junior offensive lineman to make first-team AJC all-state. He’s the second-highest-rated Creekview recruit in history behind Clemson tackle John Williams. Rosinski committed to North Carolina in January.
*Elyjah Thurmon, Bradwell Institute, Sr.: Thurmon (6-5, 270) was first-team all-Region 1-5A last season on a team that has only one victory in the since 2019. His film and good work in offseason camps have made him Bradwell’s highest-rated recruit this century, and that includes New England Patriots running back Kevin Harris from five years ago. A consensus top-400 national recruit, Thurmon has more than a dozen offers.
Coming Wednesday: Defensive linemen
|
Class 2A
The Maxwell Ratings, compiled by mathematician and Georgia High School Football Historians Association founder Loren Maxwell, have projected the region finishes of all 413 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 2022 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 2A shapes up in 2023.
|
Coming Wednesday: Class A Division I |
|
Longest-tenured: 2A
Callaway’s Pete Wiggins is the longest-tenured coach in Class 2A. Wiggins got the job in 2005, when the Cavaliers had never won a playoff game. They’ve won at least two playoff games each of the past seven years and won Class 2A in 2020. Wiggins’ record is 169-55.
19 - Pete Wiggins, Callaway
12 - Myron Newton, Butler
11 - Joe Dupree, Southwest
9 - Josh Alexander, Athens Acad.
8 - Preston Poag, North Murray
8 - Biff Parson, Rockmart
7 - Tucker Pruitt, Fitzgerald
7 - Scott Peavey, Haralson Co.
7 - Lance Helton, Jeff Davis
6 - Jay Reid, Banks Co.
6 - Geoff Cannon, Brantley Co.
6 - Chad Cheatham, Fannin Co.
6 - Brandon Tull, Glenn Hills
6 - Jeremy Wiggins, Northeast
6 - Michael Youngblood, Thomson
5 - Cameron Pettus, East Jackson
5 - Jeff Hunnicutt, Model
5 - Ryan Herring, Pierce Co.
|
100 Greatest
GHSA Finals
|
At what school can the wall pictured below be found? (Answer Wednesday) |
Answer to Monday’s question: Prince Avenue Christian quarterback Aaron Philo is the only Georgia player to pass for more than 4,000 yards in a season twice. He passed for 4,598 yards in 2022 and 4,540 in 2021.
|
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 updated or added since Monday's edition.
Wednesday's games
Screven Co. at Effingham Co.
Southwest DeKalb at Dacula
Thursday's games
Archer at Peachtree Ridge
Brookwood at Paulding Co.
Bryan Co. at Tattnall Co.
Cass at Cedartown
Cherokee Bluff at Morgan Co.
Coahulla Creek at Gordon Central
Creekside at Westlake
Dooly Co. at Dougherty
Eastside at Monroe Area
Gainesville at Milton
Groves at Glenn Hills (GHM)
Heritage, Ringgold at Dalton
Jackson Co. at East Jackson
McNair at South Atlanta (HA)
Meadowcreek at Alpharetta
Mount Zion, Carroll at Bremen
Northeast at Swainsboro
Redan at Salem
Ringgold vs. Soddy Daisy, Tenn. (TC)
Riverdale at Douglass (L)
Rockmart at Rome
Union Grove at Starr's Mill
Wesleyan at Walnut Grove
Westfield at Wilcox Co.
Friday's games
Alexander at Carrollton
Ashley Ridge, S.C. at Camden Co.
Adairsville at Trion
Allatoona at Kennesaw Mountain
Arabia Mountain at Alcovy
Athens Academy at Westminster
Baconton at Terrell Academy
Baldwin at Jackson
Banks Co. at Lumpkin Co.
Blessed Trinity at Oconee Co.
Brantley Co. at Frederica Academy
Butler at Hephzibah
Carver, Atlanta at Decatur
Carver, Columbus at Lee Co.
Central Gwinnett at Seckinger
Chattahoochee Co. at Brookstone
Chattooga at Ridgeland
Claxton at Portal
Clinch Co. at Pierce Co.
Columbus at Marion Co.
Columbia at LaGrange
Commerce at Holy Innocents’
Community Christian at Walker
Creekview at Cherokee
Cross Creek at Lincoln Co.
Dade Co. at Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe
Darlington at Sumter Co.
Drew at Forest Park (SC)
Duluth at Osborne
ECI at Fitzgerald
Etowah at Sprayberry
Flint River Academy at Jordan (OS)
Forsyth Central at Pope
GMC Prep at Montgomery Co.
George Walton at Mount Paran Christian
Glascock Co. at Jenkins Co.
Gordon Lee at Coosa
Greene Co. at Putnam Co.
Hapeville Charter at Chattahoochee
Hardaway at Manchester
Harris Co. at Upson-Lee
Harrison at East Paulding
Hughes at North Gwinnett
Jeff Davis at Atkinson Co.
Jenkins at Liberty Co.
Johnson, Savannah at Lakeside, Evans
Jones Co. at Buford
KIPP Atlanta at New Manchester
Lafayette at Model
Lakeview Acad. at Lake Oconee Acad.
Macon Co. at Lanier
Marietta at Campbell
Marist at Jefferson
McIntosh at Whitewater
McIntosh Co. Academy and Savannah Christian at Brunswick (jamboree)
Miller Co. at Deerfield-Windsor
Mount Bethel at Cherokee Christian
Mt. Pisgah Christ. at Providence Christ.
Mount Vernon at Prince Avenue Christian
Mountain View at South Gwinnett
Murray Co. at Southeast Whitfield
Newton at North Springs
North Cobb at Collins Hill
Northgate at Fayette Co.
Pelham at Worth Co., canceled
Pendleton, S.C. and Wren, S.C. vs. Madison Co. (at Hart. Co. jamboree)
Perry at Northside, W.R.
Pickens at Pepperell
Pike at Hampton
Pinewood Christian at Brentwood
Powdersville, S.C. and T.L. Hanna, S.C. at Hart Co. (jamboree)
Rabun Co. at Bowdon
River Ridge at Wheeler
Rockdale Co. at Banneker
Roswell at Lambert
Schley Co. at Irwin Co.
Seminole Co. at Shaw (K)
Shiloh at South Forsyth
Social Circle at Tattnall Square
Southwest at Laney
St. Anne-Pacelli at Southland Academy
St. Francis at King’s Ridge Christian
Statesboro at Long Co.
Stone Mountain at Johnson, Gainesville
Tift Co. at Lowndes
Tiftarea Acad. at SW Georgia Academy
Toombs Co. at Benedictine (SM)
Union Co. at Chestatee
Valdosta at Thomasville
Valwood at Hawkinsville
Villa Rica at Haralson Co.
Ware Co. at Cairo
Warren Co. at Telfair Co.
Washington Co. at Jefferson Co.
West Hall at Oglethorpe Co.
West Laurens at First Presbyterian
Westside, Augusta at Greenbrier
Westside, Macon at Bleckley Co.
White Co. at East Forsyth
Windsor Forest at Bradwell Institute
Woodland, Cartersville at Lassiter
Woodland, Stockbridge at Chapel Hill
Woodward Academy at GAC
Stadium abbreviations: (GHM) Glenn Hills Middle School; (HA) Henderson-Atlanta; (K) Kinnett; (L) Lakewood; (OS) Odis Spencer; (SC) Southern Crescent; (SM) Savannah Memorial; (TC) University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
Join the GFCA today! The GACA/GFCA has new membership options for your school for the 2023-2024 school year. You can now join all coaches/all sports in your high school and middle school for one discounted price depending on your school’s classification: GISA, A, 2A and 3A for $1,000; 4A for $1,250; 5A for $1,500; 6A for $2,000; and 7A for $2,500. For more information call or text 770-578-6366 or email Craig Davis by clicking here.
|
|
|
Class 2A
Number of hires: 16
Best hire: Rodney Garvin, Vidalia
Hardest to replace: Shaun Pope, Putnam County
Best job: Fellowship Christian
Toughest job: Sumter County
Most interesting: Lenny Gregory resigned at Collins Hill in December, 12 months after winning a state title in the highest classification. In January, he took a job at Gordon Central, a Class 2A program on a 21-game losing streak while playing in the shadow of nearby Calhoun. “I’ve never coached or lived in a small town, and I’ve always wanted to do that,” Gregory told GHSF Daily. “My wife and I are looking for a bit of a change and wanted to go to a beautiful part of the state. I’ll try to use the blueprint I’ve used at my last two schools and build a championship program.”
Region 1
*Berrien promoted quarterbacks coach Ken Eldridge to replace Tim Alligood, who is now the linebackers coach at Jeff Davis. Eldridge was head coach at Coffee (2008-11) and Swainsboro (2013-15). Berrien was 7-5 last season, its first winning record since 1995, and won its first playoff game since 1991.
*Dodge County hired Wheeler County coach Thomas Smith to replace Ray Hardin, who retired. Smith was 11-20 in three seasons at Wheeler County, which had won only two games the previous two seasons. The 2022 Wheeler County team reached the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Smith was coach at the GIAA’s Toombs Academy the 10 seasons prior and had a 64-48 record and won a Class A title in 2013. Dodge was 4-6 last season and 11-10 in Hardin’s two seasons.
*Sumter County promoted defensive coordinator Will Rogers to replace Clifford Fedd, who became head coach at Griffin. Rogers joined Sumter’s staff in 2022 and previously coached at Dutchtown, Creekside and Valdosta. While coordinating Dutchtown’s defense in 2018, he persuaded reluctant sophomore running back Will Anderson to move to defensive end, a move that the NFL first-round draft pick later called life-changing. Sumter County has won one game each of the past three seasons.
Region 2
*Central (Macon) hired Salem coach Jarrett Laws to replace Joaquin Sample, who is now Houston County's ninth-grade head coach. Laws has been head coach at Mount Zion in Jonesboro (2007-09), Drew (2009-13), Griffin (2014-16) and Salem (2016-22) and made the playoffs at each school. Central, 3-8 in 2022, was 16-36 in five years under Sample and won its only playoff game in 34 years in 2020.
*Rutland hired Burke County defensive coordinator Anthony Williams to replace Jamarcus Johnson, who is now Mary Persons’ offensive line coach. Johnson was Burke County’s defensive coordinator for the past 14 years and served as Burke County’s interim coach for three games last season when head coach Eric Parker was recovering from a heart attack. Williams previously worked at Southeast Bulloch. Rutland’s 5-5 finish in 2022 was its best since 2013.
Region 3
*Toombs County hired its athletic director, Buddy Martin, to replace Richie Marsh, who became head coach at Frostproof in Florida. Martin also was Toombs’ defensive coordinator last season. He came to Toombs with Marsh in 2016 after serving as head coach at Hardee in Florida, where his teams were 40-25 in six seasons. Toombs was 46-31 in seven seasons under Marsh.
*Vidalia hired Metter coach Rodney Garvin to replace Jason Cameron, who is now Calvary Day's offensive coordinator. Garvin led Metter to 52 victories in five seasons. He was Vidalia’s defensive coordinator for 11 seasons before taking the Metter job in 2018. Metter was 3-7 the season before it hired Garvin, who led the Tigers to a 6-4 record in his debut, then to four quarterfinals and two semifinals. Metter was 9-4 in 2022 and lost in the Class A Division I quarters to eventual champion Prince Avenue Christian. Vidalia was 16-15 in three seasons under Cameron and 6-4 in 2022, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2011.
Region 4
*Josey promoted defensive coordinator Lawrence Pinkney, an alumnus, to replace John Starr II. Pinkney has been Josey’s defensive coordinator the past four seasons and ran Laney’s defense two seasons prior. He was a member of Florida’s 2007 and 2009 national championship teams. Josey was 8-30 in Starr’s four seasons in 2-7 in 2022. Starr has relocated to the Washington, D.C., area.
*Putnam County hired Early County coach Joel Harvin to replace Shaun Pope, who retired. Coaching at his alma mater, Harvin led Early County's 2022 team to its first region title since 2003. Harvin inherited a team that had gone 1-8-1 in 2016 and went 33-32 in six seasons. Putnam County was 38-19 in five seasons with Pope and won a 2021 region title.
Region 5
*Redan hired Southwest DeKalb coach Damien Wimes to replace Derek Vaughn, who is now coaching offense and special teams on Stephenson’s staff. Wimes was 39-24 with two region titles in six seasons at Southwest DeKalb, his alma mater, but was forced out following a 2-8 season in which the Panthers lost four region games by six points or less. Redan, another DeKalb County school, has not had a winning season or made the playoffs since 2007.
*Towers hired Bethune Middle coach Henry Garrett to replace John Bowen, who retired. Garrett spent the first seven years of his professional career coaching multiple sports at Bethune, Tower’s feeder school, which he led to the DeKalb middle school football title in 2018. He’s a Nashville native and UT-Martin graduate who interned on football staffs at Vanderbilt and Georgia State as a recruiting/staff assistant. Towers was 0-9-1 in one season under Bowen, whose 25 seasons as a head coach covered seven Georgia schools, typically those he found in poor shape.
Region 6
*South Atlanta hired Woodland of Stockbridge defensive coordinator Jeff Franklin to replace Michael Woolridge, who became head coach at Pebblebrook. Franklin, a Chicago native, has coached at South Gwinnett in Georgia, Chicago Bulls Prep in his home state and Bridgton Academy in Maine. He’s made college stops at Holy Cross, Wabash College, Wright State and Central State and worked internationally for the Milano Daemons in Italy and the Minas Locomotives in Brazil. He’s in alma mater Central State’s sports hall of fame. South Atlanta was 11-1 and 11-2 in two seasons under Woolridge.
*Walker promoted offensive coordinator and associate head coach T.J. Anderson to replace Tom Evangelista, who is not coaching this year. Anderson is a former star running back at South Gwinnett and Georgia Southern and played arena football. He’s been on staffs at Westminster, Mountain View and Etowah and was Georgia Southern’s director of high school relations in 2018. Anderson will be Walker’s sixth coach since 2019. The program has won three games since 2020 and will play a non-region schedule for the second consecutive season.
Region 7
*Gordon Central hired Collins Hill coach Lenny Gregory to replace T.J. Hamilton, who is now on Southeast Whitfield’s staff. Gregory was 46-28 in six seasons at Collins Hill and led the Eagles to the 2021 Class 7A championship with the nation’s No. 1 recruit, Travis Hunter. Gregory was Centennial’s head coach in 2014-15 and was on Grayson’s staff for a 2011 state championship. Gordon Central has finished 0-10 the past two seasons.
Region 8
*Fellowship Christian promoted defensive coordinator John Thompson to replace Tim McFarlin, who is now Georgia Tech's high school relations director. Thompson is a former defensive coordinator or co-coordinator at Ole Miss, Florida, Arkansas and South Carolina. He was East Carolina’s head coach in 2003 and 2004 and was Georgia State’s first defensive coordinator under coach Bill Curry and served from 2008 to 2011. Thompson, 67, joined Fellowship’s staff in 2021. Fellowship Christian has won region titles each of the past four seasons and was 10-4 in 2022.
*Providence Christian hired Tattnall Square associate head coach John Russ to replace Joe Sturdivant, who became head coach at Parkview. Russ is a former Mill Creek and Mercer quarterback who has coached at Mercer, Georgia State, Hebron Christian and Cherokee Bluff. Providence was 2-8 in Sturdivant’s lone season.
Coming Wednesday: Class A Division I
|
|
Today’s interviewee is Thomson coach Michael Youngblood, whose team won Class 2A last season. Youngblood’s teams are 45-18 in his five seasons. Before coming to Thomson, Youngblood was on state-winning staffs at alma mater Burke County (2011) and Tucker (2008).
Michael Youngblood, Thomson head coach
1. Looking back on the 2022 season one more time, what was the legacy of that team and season? “Twenty long years to get a program back to the glory days. With being at the helm of one of the most prestigious programs in the state of Georgia, it has taken us five years of implementing what we think is a championship program. It was not easy, but the dedication from our kids, coaches, families of the coaches, administration and community played a vital role in us coming together to be ‘One Thomson.’ When the dust settled, we played the No. 1-, 2- and 3-ranked teams in the state of Georgia in 2A all on the road during the playoffs. Some would question our [regular-season] schedule, but at the end of the day, we were able to bring home championship No. 6 to Thomson High School in football. Our big-play ability carried us all season long. You could literally have us bottled up, and we would find a way to take off and win the game. Sometimes those big plays happen on offense with our skill kids, defensively with our speed or in the special teams game running a kick back for a touchdown. Our kids wanted to be the group that put Thomson football back on the map in the state of Georgia.” [One Thomson was a rallying cry for the team and community during the 2022 season.]
2. What's the scouting report on this year's team? What are the strengths and concerns? “This year's team will have some of the same capabilities of making big plays. We have some skillful kids that can still go the distance. I feel like the quicker we settle in and get better at the small things, then we can identify our identity to make sure we are helping our kids be successful on Friday night. There is no evaluation that is better than game time, and we are going to be young in a couple of spots. It will be interesting to see who will rise to the occasion to do things that we like to do or shall I say want to do. We are a little thin with the big guys, and that always worries me. We have to be able to win the trenches because we feel like our skill kids only need a small opening.”
3. Jontavis Curry has graduated [Curry rushed for 243 yards and scored four touchdowns in the state finals victory over Fitzgerald, three on runs of more than 50 yards], but you're returning some key guys in the backfield. What's the skill set of Anthony Jeffery, and how will you use your quarterbacks, Noah Story and Jahkiaus Jones? “We have a two-QB system that works for us, and we are able to utilize both QBs. Jones is a dual-threat, and we are going to find different ways to get him the ball in space to let him run a little. Story is more of a general that distributes the ball to our skill kids and makes the people around him better with his leadership. Anthony Jeffery, who we call Tre-Tre, is a diamond in the rough. With Curry having the spotlight, he still rushed for over 1,000 yards as a sophomore, and we are looking for him to carry the load in his junior year. Tre-Tre is a downhill runner that gets better as the game goes along and has been doing a better job over the summer in the passing game. Jordan Lane will rotate in the backfield along with Jamere Roberts, and we feel like any of those kids can step up and be what we need them to be in the passing or run game. We definitely have a few options on the offensive side of the ball in the backfield.”
4. What do you feel are the most important things that you and your staff have done in your five years that helped put Thomson back in position to win state titles? “We honestly feel like most of the kids when we got here were broken. They did not have any confidence in themselves to make plays on Friday night. So we started a foundation of toughness, mentally and physically, to be able to play this game we call football. It took some time to install the toughness that we like to play with, and it was teaching them the game of football along with some life lessons. The tide turned when the kids realized that we were not going to let up and that we cared about them on and off the field. We have so many things that are going on in our program that it is truly hard to implement everything in the first year. We had to take it brick by brick and build it the way we wanted it to look. Everyone sees the product of Friday night, but no one sees the work from Saturday until Friday at 7:30 game time. It is getting everyone on board to be One Thomson, a brotherhood or a family that sticks together no matter the situation. To us, that is what helped us get back to the position to win state titles.”
Whatever your sports or event lighting need, Musco Sports Lighting has the solution. A leader in developing sports-lighting technology – including solutions for permanent and temporary lighting, and sports facility management – Musco offers innovative systems, a comprehensive package of services and decades of experience. Musco’s team can state: “We Make It Happen.” Contact Rob Staples at 706-870-2177 or via email by clicking here.
|
|
GHSF Daily classified ads
Reach 24,000 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
