There are just 29 days remaining until the kickoff of the 2018 high school football season. But make no mistake, preparations for the upcoming campaign got underway months ago in weight rooms, sand pits and practice fields throughout the state. And teams throughout northeast Georgia are in full countdown mode.
With that in mind we spent the last couple of weeks catching up with programs around our area to get a feel for how spring practice went, how the summer is going and what coaches believe the fall will look like. We call the series "Two-a-Days" in honor of those old-school grinding sessions that lead us out of summer and into fall, asking each area coach two key questions about the state of their respective programs.
Over the next two weeks, AccessWDUN's Friday Game Night will get you prepped for the start of gridiron action with responses from coaches throughout northeast Georgia. (Teams run in alphabetical order)...
EAST JACKSON
In 2017 Scott Wilkins became the third coach in three seasons for the Eagles. Their 1-win campaign also marked the fifth time in six years that they have won one or fewer games. But Wilkins, who built Cedar Shoals into a consistent winner over 15 seasons in the 1990s and 2000s, is now in his second season and said time and consistency will start to show dividends as they continue to add building blocks. AccessWDUN asked Wilkins how the rebuild is coming along as they get ready for the 2018 season.
QUESTION: Coach, what will be the biggest priorities coming into the season as y'all try to get the program back on a winning trajectory?
ANSWER: Changing the culture of a program is a challenging task and not a quick fix. It takes time and requires patience. We have had three head coaches in the last four years as well as multiple coordinators and assistants. Stability is the key to consistency. When players have three to four years to grow into a system, you have a chance to build a program from the ground up. That building begins in the middle school program and grows each year as players learn a certain way of doing things with steady leadership that is in place. I feel we are headed in the right direction with our coaching staffs on both levels. "Buy in" from a community and kids comes when trust is developed. Trust is developed when people know what they are going to get who is going to be there and relationships grow. The old movie line "if you build it, they will come" comes to mind here. So we begin Year 2 of the process of program building. We have a solid core of young players and I think that will continue to grow if we are given a chance and the time to do it. And I think we will be given that opportunity. The administration has been very supportive and helpful. Society often demands immediate gratification. This changing the culture process takes time.
A: The offense only scored 25 points in region play last season. What changes have y'all made on that side of the ball?
Q: Again, stability and consistency will be a key here. We started two freshman and five first-year players and it showed as we were putting in a new offense. We struggled to stay on the field which put our defense in a tough spot. This is Year 2 and players have a much better feel and understanding of what to do. There have been some changes on the offensive staff, but not in the scheme. We will continue to be a Pro-style, three-wide. We have had a good summer throwing program that should yield positive results when the season begins. Junior quarterback Hunter Hardwick has a good grasp of the offense and RJ White and Caleb Adair return in play-making positions. The offensive line returns starters Bradley Akin and Dakota Norris, along with Colin Hatcher and Cody Whitlock and Cole Dowdy, who all had valuable playing experience last year. Braxton Standrige and Alex Garcia have had great summers and will push for playing time. No one player has emerged at the tight end position, but Jackson Nelms, Justin Haynes and Bryson Seagraves are locked in a heated competition.
- Previously in Two-a-Days: EAST HALL
- Up Next in Two-a-Days: FLOWERY BRANCH
