This is the fifth of eight GHSA football 2016 classification previews.
Monday August 15th…5A classification
Tuesday August 16th…6A classification
Wednesday August 17th…7A classification
4A, where the top ten will barely change teams all year…
Championship favorites…
Cartersville is once again a guarantee to be playing in late-November. Don’t misunderstand, these guys lost a ton of talent. Graduated is the number one running back, wide out, tight end, and linebacker. All DI talents. Yet, this is the Canes; and believe it or not, some think they will actually be a better club. They return perhaps the best quarterback in the country. Trevor Lawrence is the #1-rated signal caller for 2018 after back-to-back 3,000-plus yard seasons. They also return: the entire defensive line, three men in the secondary, two junior offensive linemen, a very good kicker, the number-two running back and the number three wide receiver. Plus, this team will be far more battle tested after region play than it has over the last six to eight years.
Jefferson may have lost a couple of key defensive pieces from 2015, but their offense has a shot at being the most prolific in the classification. The offensive line should be good, led by preseason all-state selection Caleb Chandler. Burying the lead, the most important storyline for the Dragons is the return of junior running back Colby Wood. Last season, he pushed past 2,100 yards and scored 32 times. Actually, the key could be the play of junior quarterback Bryce Moore. Dragon faithful rave about the maturity and performance of the first-year starter in 2015. Check that, the difference between a championship season and a disappointing end to the year will certainly be on the defensive side of the ball. They will need four or five guys to grow up pretty quick. Still, both this year and next, the Dragons should be on the short list of state championship favorites.
How often do we see a team lose its top offensive player, and top tackler, and then be much better the next season? The answer is every once in a while. That time may have come again and Woodward Academy is the qualifier. Gone is Elijah Holyfield and Max Richardson; but what returns is a long list of players who stepped up last year and became elite players, earned key playing time, or took over starting roles. They will be led by a quintet of potential all-state players. Senior quarterback Ryan Glover, a Colorado State commit, is a potential star at QB. Plus, Glover will have his number one receiver back in senior Josh Johnson. Seniors Jeffery Hubbard (Colorado State) and JR Pace (Northwestern) will roam in the secondary. Junior KJ Phillips could play both sides of the football and two freshmen could hit the scene hard: Arick Gilbert and Dawson Ellington.
Contenders…
Sandy Creek is going too illicit a wide range of varying predictions. Some will point to the loss of five all-state performers: Chandler Tuitt, Tariq Muhammad, Javon Jackson, DJ Forte and Korey Banks. They will opine a belief that the 2015 team underachieved with all of the aforementioned talent as it only won nine games; the fewest in eight years. A rebuttal would offer: a sophomore was starting at quarterback for the first time; and they were beaten by three teams that combined for a 37-4 record (Jonesboro, Woodward Academy and Bainbridge). What is known is the Patriots have two FBS running backs returning: seniors Marvin Hubbard (Duke) and Jaelen Greene (Cincinnati). And yes, they will remind you of former Patriot greats Swinney and Weems. Bryant Walker is a coach’s son and now a junior quarterback in year two. The defense will be good and Parker Mallett is one of the top ten tight ends in the state.
Death, taxes and the proven Marist system. Frankly, the War Eagles probably should have been above the cut-line. They return the starting quarterback (senior Jack Dinges), top offensive lineman (senior Charlie Clark) and two fine athletes who can play all over the field (seniors Jack Davenport and Thomas Snipes). This team has lost just a bit of talent, but many of its main competitors have been hit worse by graduation. Plus, having that multi-grade, multi-school system in place, allows for two or three young men we haven’t heard of yet to emerge. Also, can we just go ahead and put Alan Chadwick, nine wins from second place on the all-time wins list, in the Hall of Fame?
If anyone is going to have an apex type year, it could be Mary Persons. The Bulldogs return a long list of multi-year high impact players that scream of taking the next step. Returning are: senior Malik Herring (Georgia commit and one of the top DE’s in the country), senior guard Caleb Etheridge (Preseason All-State), senior defensive lineman Trey Howard, senior wide receiver Akebren Ralls, senior running back Zach Harvey, sophomore running back Quen Wilson, senior defensive lineman Dan O’Neal, and senior athlete Jay Sims. By the end of the season, MP has a shot to be one of only a few teams to place top ten in both offense and defense.
Blessed Trinity had it in their grasp. The state title was within reach. With a 24-9 lead to start the fourth quarter, and a 31-17 lead late, it all fell apart. While 2015 wasn’t quite a do or die season for the program, it was a culmination type year. The apex of a class that has taken the program into potentially being a constant championship contender. Names like Milton Shelton, Garrett DuPuis, Conner Davis, Logan Craighead, etc., were all three and sometimes four-year starters. Their production resulted in a quarterfinals appearance in 2013, semifinals in 2014 and of course, last year’s runner up finish. The last two seasons the Titans were 26-2-1. So in 2016, the Titans will be at their youngest since 2013. Questions abound.
Playoff bound, higher seeds beware…
Last season, Carver-Columbus was underrated by the media and overrated by people involved with the Tigers program. This was a really solid team that lost to only Creekside in the regular season and then to a good Drew team in the postseason. However, because the defense struggled mightily, and they were bounced in the first round of the playoffs, Joe Kegler lost his job. The problem for folks who wanted Kegler gone, the Tigers will have less talent in 2016.
Major League Baseball is healthier when the Yankees are at least competitive. The NFL is more enjoyable when the Packers are contenders. In the NBA, its Lakers-Celtics. Ok, Cairo isn’t quite any of those teams, but still, GHSA football is far more enjoyable when the Syrupmakers are relevant. Senior linebacker Walter Grant will patrol the defense for a team looking to improve on four wins in 2015.
A lot of people are on the Central, Carroll bandwagon in 2016. As a former seat holder on the previous wagon trails, this time I will jump off and wait to see if they can replace their stud running back.
Is Spalding starting to land the Griffin talent of previous seasons. That is what sources are telling me. Last season, it felt like the Jags and Bears switched places and the win totals reflected that.
Oconee County is a program on the upswing. As in, being consistently competitive. Head Coach Travis Noland loses his son, under center, to graduation, but he receives the son of Super Bowl winner Brad Johnson. Max, a freshman, was slated to attend Prince Avenue, but was a quiet transfer. In fact, surely, many people are still not aware. They will be shortly.
West Laurens could be better in 2016, despite some key losses. The Raiders were very underrated last year; losing three of their four contest by a single possession. Plus, the losses were to Westside-Macon, Veterans and Mary Persons. Senior running back Darius Bradford should turn in a top flight campaign.
Top Ten challengers…
Thomson, LaGrange and NW Whitefield
Chris Mooneyham 