HOSCHTON — If not for a couple of key injuries and a rough second half against Colquitt County, Mill Creek may have come away with a state title in 2015. The Hawks were led by a dominating and suffucating defense that allowed just 30 yards rushing and 10 points per game.
A 2016 semifinals trip will likely follow a different road, however, as Mill Creek graduated nine players from that defense but returns nine starters from an offense that scored 520 points in 2015, led by senior quarterback Cameron Turley (2,358 yards, 18 TD, 3 INT) and senior running back Joe Thomas (734 yards, 16 TD).
Coach Shannon Jarvis said it will be a different look for fans.
"We're excited about what the offense will be able to do," Jarvis said. "We should have a strong line with six or seven guys that lettered and return. The offense may have to carry us until the defense gets up to speed."
Seniors Jack Franklin, Tyler Fannin, and Nick Campbell, along with junior John Harris, will anchor the offensive line.
The defense was hit especially hard along line with Peyton Moore (Georgia State) and Tyler Vernon (Georgia Tech), and LB Sydney Otiwu (Mercer) all graduating. Only defensive backs Jamar Hall (Sr., 56 tackles, 2 INT, 3 pass breakups) and Jonathan Gipson (Jr., 52 tackles, 3 INT, 13 pass breakups) return. Look for linebackers Victor Heyward (Sr., 28 tackles, 6 sacks), junior Jake Stewart (Jr) and senior Demetrius Rias to step with seniors David Milon and Ayoola Ogen-Semore anchoring the line.
"Our biggest challenge so far is finding guys that are ready to step up to the varsity level," Jarvis said. "The problem was that we weren’t able to get a whole lot of guys as much playing time the last couple of years as we would have liked because we didn’t have a lot of injuries. That’s good and bad. But, we do feel we have some talented players coming up."
MILL CREEK: NEED TO KNOW
- MASCOT: Hawks
- TEAM COLORS: Vegas gold, Navy blue and Cardinal red
- CURRENT REGION: 6-AAAAAAA
- HEAD COACH/RECORD AT SCHOOL: Shannon Jarvis, 13th season, 73-59
- 2015 RECORD/ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 13-1, Region 7-AAAAAA champions, reached Class AAAAAA semifinals
- KEY LOSSES: RB Daniel LeConte, OL Robbie Bell, WR Miles Riley, RB Tre Alston, LB Aaron Anderson, LB Sidney Otiwu, LB Micah Bull, DE Tyler Vernon, DE Peyton Moore
- OFFENSIVE STYLE: Spread -- The Hawks like to use a power running game to control the ball, but they will throw when necessary
- KEY OFFENSIVE PLAYERS: 9 returning starters -- Sr. QB Cameron Turley, Sr. RB Joe Thomas, Sr. OL Jack Franklin, Sr. OL Tyler Fannin, Sr. OL Nick Campbell, Jr. OL John Harris, Sr. RB Edmund Graham, Sr. RB Preston Norwood, Sr. RB Jack Plummer
- DEFENSIVE STYLE: 4-3 -- Mill Creek uses an attacking defense with fast, aggressive linebackers to shut down the run.
- KEY DEFENSIVE PLAYERS: 2 returning starters -- Sr. DB Jamar Hall, Sr. DB Chase Turner, Sr. DB Kishawn Miller, Sr. LB Victor Heyward (28 tackles, 6 sacks), Sr. DE David Milon, Sr. DE Ayoola Ogen-Semore
- SPECIAL TEAMS: Sr. Brenton King (19 FGs, including a school-record 51 yarder), Sr. KR/PR Edmund Graham (2 TDs)
- STRENGTH: Offense -- The unit, which scored 520 points in 2015, is almost entirely intact and should be just as potent in 2016. Turley and Thomas along with an experienced line give the Hawks plenty of firepower, which they'll need while the defense rebuilds.
- QUESTION: Defense -- losing nine starters from a group that allowed just 30 yards rushing and just 10 points per game would be tough on any program. Rebuilding the line, which was dominating in 2015, is the biggest priority.
- KEY GAMES: The Hawks have a brutal schedule with a season-opening rematch of their semifinal game vs. Colquitt County in the Kell Classic in the Georgia Dome, Dacula two weeks later, and then a road game at Archer. They start the region off with a bang on the road vs. Collins Hill -- the two teams expected to challenge for the region title.
- TRENDING: It would seem only logical that coming off a program-best season that things might trend slightly down. But the Hawks have talent to spare, and once the defense finds its missing parts expect the Hawks to be back in the state title conversation by season's end. There is no doubt that Mill Creek is on its way to becoming one of the power programs in Gwinnett County and, thusly, the state.
2016 SCHEDULE
Aug. 20 vs. Colquitt County (Georgia Dome), 5:45 p.m.
Aug. 26 vs. Stephenson
Sept. 2 vs. Dacula
Sept. 9 at Archer
Sept. 23 at *Collins Hill
Sept. 30 vs. *North Gwinnett
Oct. 7 vs. *Discovery
Oct. 14 vs. *Peachtree Ridge
Oct. 21 vs. *Mountain View
Nov. 4 at *Duluth
*- Indicates region game
(All kickoffs scheduled for 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted)
