Welcome to our newest series on Friday Game Night and AccessWDUN Sports called “Air It Out.”
“Air It Out” will feature video interviews with coaches and a player from our scheduled radio games for the week on Jacobs Media airwaves and live streaming.
The first episode will look at Gainesville’s upcoming season-opening showdown with Class 5A Stockbridge. The game will kick off Friday night at 7:30 p.m. in Stockbridge and can be heard live on 94.5 FM The Lake.
The two teams have met just once in their history, with the Tigers taking a 40-34 win in the 2015 Class 5A playoffs.
Red Elephants’ coach Heath Webb and senior linebacker Yusif Ali discuss the Tigers along with the excitement of getting on the field against an opponent for the first time since last November.
GAINESVILLE at STOCKBRIDGE
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: Tiger Stadium, Stockbridge
-- RADIO: 94.5 FM The Lake
-- GAINESVILLE (0-0, Region 5-7A): Season-opener, 5-6, 1st rd Class 6A playoffs in 2019
-- STOCKBRIDGE (0-0, Region 4-5A): Season-opener, 8-3, 1st rd Class 5A playoffs in 2019
-- NOTABLE: Stockbridge leads the series 1-0. The Tigers won 40-34 in 2015 in the 2nd round of the Class 5A playoffs in Stockbridge. ... The Red Elephants are embarking on their first season in Class 7A and will get a quick test to see if they are ready in a Tigers program that has won 89 games since 2011 (9.8 wins per year). ... A key group to watch will be the GHS defense, which is expected to be bigger, faster, and deeper in 2020 and led by LB Yusif Ali and DE . The Tigers offense in their first season under new coach Steve Boyd last year dropped off from the year before (24.8 ppg in 2019, 31.4 in 2018) and lost its QB and top rusher from last season. It should be a favorable matchup for the Red Elephants. ... The GHS offense is expected to be more potent as well as QB Gionni Williams looks more polished in the passing game and will have dynamic WR Lenny Chatman to throw to. So. RB Naim Cheeks could be one of the area’s potential breakout stars.
