While title runs and the excitement of a busy spring sports season has stolen most of the headlines over the past few weeks, another group of dedicated athletes have been hard at work -- aiming for the headlines of this fall.
Most northeast Georgia prep football programs have already wrapped their spring practice sessions -- but football is far from over. In fact, spring ball is really more of a gateway to the start of the 2015 campaign. Gridiron standouts throughout the area will exit the spring period and head straight into summer workouts, which will hold sway until the first regulation practice and the new season kick off in August.
With that in mind let's look at some of the biggest questions area programs are looking to answer, as spring gives way to weeks of preparation for 2015 football. Our own Mikey Gonzalez -- who was a big answer himself last spring for Gainesville football and is now helping to pace the Red Elephants baseball team into the Class AAAAA championship series -- talked to a handful of area coaches and presents their viewpoints in the video above.
Meanwhile, we wonder:
1. Who's gonna' play quarterback?
There are some programs that don't have to answer this question -- Union County has a great one in Joseph Mancuso, while Rabun County likes what it has in youngster Bailey Fisher and Lumpkin County's Zach Matthews was a revelation after moving into the spot last season -- but many more have big shoes to fill. Buford, East Hall, Gainesville, Jefferson, North Gwinnett, White County, just to name a few, must all replace every-game starters. Certainly there are plenty of potential standouts waiting to step in -- and a summer full of 7-on-7 camps and workouts will start to sort them out.
2. How will all the new coaches settle in?
For the second season in a row, a significant number of area programs will start the campaign with new head coaches: Apalachee, Dawson County, Habersham Central, Jackson County and Riverside Military all made changes at the top after last season. A number of changes from last season look to have already paid dividends, as Winder-Barrow and Lumpkin County experienced impressive seasons under new coaches. Who of the new leaders will effect similar changes in 2015?
3. Who will be the big stars?
There are some obvious candidates already -- Lanier's Derrick Brown has been rated as the No. 2 player in the state by some recruiting services. Buford's Shug Frazier is also a dominant force on the line of scrimmage, as is Stephens County lineman Ben Cleveland. Jefferson lineman Caleb Chandler is also starting to garner some major attention. And West Hall features a stable of backs capable of dominating contests. But there will be plenty of players either under the radar or playing new positions you can expect to shine. Take Gainesville linebacker/running back Chris Byrd. The kid can flat out play football, and it hurt Gainesville when he went down with an injury last season. He will be back for his senior campaign, and you can bet there will be plenty more just like him, ready to come out and shine.
4. Which programs are set for big steps forward?
There were plenty of programs to break through last season -- West Hall and Lanier each won their first region titles; Rabun County won its first solo region crown; East Hall and Lumpkin County surged back into the state playoffs; Winder-Barrow broke an 11-year state playoff drought; Commerce made its deepest state playoff run in eight years... The list goes on. Who is set up for that leap forward this time around? Is it North Hall or Chestatee? Both will be in second seasons under new head coaches; the Trojans certainly came on strong late, winning two of their last three. Stephens County also impressed under Frank Barden and return plenty of standouts from a second round playoff team. And what of the teams that already broke through? Will they keep trending up, as programs like White County look to maintain their run of state playoff berths (now up to a program-best mark three in a row). Is Flowery Branch set for a bounce back after an injury-hampered 2014?
5. How many state titles will there be?
Yes Buford's dominance has added a golden touch to football in northeast Georgia, but Gainesville and Jefferson have each won state championships in the last three years. Meanwhile North Hall and Commerce have reached state semifinal berths in recent campaigns. And as we have seen this spring, there is athletic talent in this area to match just about anywhere else in the state.
That should be enough to stoke your football jones and get us all thinking -- at least for a day -- about what's to come in a few short months.
