BLAIRSVILLE — You know your program is doing well when a winning season is looked on as a disappointment, and that's exactly where Union County football found itself in 2017.
The Panthers made it a program-best sixth straight winning mark at 6-4 -- but also missed out on the postseason for the first time in five years.
This season Union County is focused squarely on getting back into the state bracket. The Panthers have dropped back down from playing up in Class 3A and will resume their place in Region 8-2A along with longtime rivals Rabun and Banks counties -- though long road trips to middle Georgia also await.
The Panthers will also turn to a new full-time starter at quarterback in Pierson Allison, and the junior has the understanding of the Panthers' Run-Pass-Option offense to make it run smoothly (he's been running it at various levels since sixth grade), as he follows two straight collegiate signees at the position. He will also have a deep and talented receiver corps to help out.
Meanwhile, coach Brian Allison believes his defense will feature a stout line -- though there are holes to fill at linebacker and in the secondary.
UNION COUNTY: NEED TO KNOW
- MASCOT: Panthers
- TEAM COLORS: Purple and Gold
- CURRENT REGION: 8-2A
- HEAD COACH/RECORD AT SCHOOL: Brian Allison, 17th year total, 11th season in a row, 90-64
- 2017 RECORD/ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 6-4
- KEY LOSSES: QB Cole Wright, WR Logan Dyer, WR Austin Pattee, CB Sean Dobbins, DT Matthew Beise, LB RJ Banton, LB Cole Dockrey
- OFFENSIVE STYLE: Spread -- The Panthers will continue to rely on plenty of Run-Pass-Option plays, and will look to a new QB to take the reins after back-to-back collegiate signees at the position. The presence of three veteran wide receivers and a veteran running back will help shoulder the burden. Despite returning just one offensive line starter, Allison says the group has gelled well in the summer and may actually be better than last season.
- KEY OFFENSIVE PLAYERS: 6 returning starters -- Sr. WR Kanon Hemphill, Jr. WR Sawyer Drake, Jr. WR Kyle Morlock, Sr. OL Coleson Daniel, Sr. RB Chad Buzzard, Jr. QB Pierson Allison
- DEFENSIVE STYLE: 50/3-4 -- Union County will do its best to stop the run first but will mix and match its coverages based on the opposition. The Panthers have depth up front but are looking for players to step up at linebacker and cornerback.
- KEY DEFENSIVE PLAYERS: 6 returning starters -- Sr. DB Chayton Schafer, Sr. DB Alec Scott, Sr. LB Kanon Hemphill, Sr. LB Jackson Colwell, Jr. DL Nathaniel Ledford, Sr. DL Dylan Williams
- SPECIAL TEAMS: Jr. PK/P Brian Smith (three-year starter)
- STRENGTH: Receivers/defensive line -- The Panthers boast three standout receivers in Hemphill, Drake and Morlock that combine size and speed and will be a great security blanket for new starting quarterback Allison (who did get plenty of reps last season). Meanwhile, the defensive line promises a big step forward this season as players in the trenches gained both experience last season and added size in the offseason.
- QUESTION: Linebackers/cornerback -- Hemphill and Colwell should be standouts at linebacker, but Union County needs two more starters to step forward and take control. Meanwhile, one cornerback spot is still open to competition, and coaches are hopeful that someone will make it their own sooner rather than later.
- KEY GAMES: With several long road trips awaiting in region (at Monticello -- a 292-mile, round-trip voyage -- at Oglethorpe County -- 214 total miles -- and at Elberton -- 202 total miles) the Panthers did well to scehdule two mountain rivals in Towns and Fannin counties in two of their first three contests. Union County dips back into 8-2A with that haul to Monticello on Sept. 14, but the Hurricanes were just 2-9 last season. Then comes a stretch of three contests that will do much to shape the Panthers' season. Putnam County (Sept. 21, home) was 5-5 last season (missing out on the playoffs following a three-way tie in region standings), while Elbert County (Sept. 28, away) is coming off a second round postseason appearance. Following a bye the Panthers take on 2017 playoff team Banks County (Oct. 12, home). Do well in that trio and Union will likely be playoff-bound again. Union's longest-standing rivalry comes in the regular season finale (Nov. 2) when it travels to 2017 Class 2A state runner-up Rabun County.
- TRENDING: After graduating the winningest class in program history (Union's 2016 seniors went 32-12), the Panthers took a slight step back last season, missing out on the postseason for the first time in five years -- a four-game losing skid to the eventual Region 7-3A playoff representatives dousing their hopes. Union still put together its sixth straight winning season, however, and missed out on the Class 3A playoffs by just one game -- and, recall, that the Panthers were playing up a classification. That does not mean that Region 8-2A will be a cakewalk -- far from it thanks to teams like Rabun, Banks and Elbert -- but Union is firmly focused on getting back into the state bracket and adding to what is already the most successful era in program history (44-20 over the last six seasons).
2018 SCHEDULE
Aug. 24 vs. East Hall
Aug. 31 at Towns County
Sept. 7 vs. Fannin County
Sept. 14 at Monticello*
Sept. 21 vs. Putnam County*
Sept. 28 at Elbert County*
Oct. 12 vs. Banks County*
Oct. 19 at Oglethorpe County*
Oct. 26 vs. Social Circle*
Nov. 2 at Rabun County*
*- Indicates region contest
(All kickoffs scheduled for 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted)
