There are just 30 days remaining until the kickoff of the 2020 high school football season. But make no mistake, despite the COVID-19 outbreak, swirling uncertainty since April, and the cancelation of spring practice, preparations for the upcoming campaign have been underway throughout the state since early June. 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 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)...
DAWSON COUNTY
The Tigers under Sid Maxwell have built themselves into a perennial playoff team. But every year they seem to face the spectre of replacing a plethora of talent. The 2020 campaign will be no different.
The defense returns just two starters while the offense does have junior Zack Holtzclaw returning at quarterback but will have to fill a big hole at running back. But they are sure to be a serious contender for a Region 7-3A title once again.
We asked Maxwell just how he is able to keep the train rolling with so many changes each season and got his thoughts on a region without powerhouse Greater Atlanta Christian.
QUESTION: Coach, the defense was hit hard by graduation. Y’all are having to revamp that unit once again. Does a quick development by them hold the key to the season?
ANSWER: It will take all phases to have success this season. We will be replacing some key players, but we have several guys with returning experience and players that have been in our system and are capable of playing their role. Key returning players with experience are Braedon Hubbard, Kade Moledor, Max Moon, Cade Adams, and Kinkade Weaver coming back from an injury after a productive sophomore season.
Q: Region 7-3A looks vastly different without GAC in it. The Spartans won four straight region titles. It seems every team now has a legitimate chance to battle for a championship. What will be the keys to snagging a region title?
A: We will remain focused on ourselves. We will continue to evaluate our players each week and work hard to get better.
