There are just 20 days remaining until the kickoff of the 2022 high school football season. But make no mistake, preparations for the upcoming campaign got underway months ago. And teams throughout northeast Georgia already 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. Our "Two-a-Days" series honors 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)...
UNION COUNTY
The Panthers made the playoffs in 2021, the eighth time in nine seasons, but also suffered their second straight losing season for the first time in a decade. The offense will have a new quarterback while the defense will be making some scheme changes.
Michael Perry enters his second season at the helm, and we caught up with him to discuss the quarterback situation and how the defensive changes are coming along so far.
QUESTION: Coach, y'all will be breaking in a new quarterback this season in junior Caden Tanner and most of the receiving corps. How has their progress in the passing game come along so far this summer?
ANSWER: Caiden has done a great job rehabbing his knee (torn meniscus in the off-season). He will be completely cleared by early August. He has been throwing all summer, and his mobility is coming back. I have faith, due to his work ethic and character, that he is going to have a great season for us. In regards to the wide receivers, Griff Young leads the way for us. He has the most experience coming back and is a very talented player for us. Jensen Goble is also experienced and coming back and can be moved around and cause some problems for defenses. Both he and Griff will be leaned on heavily. Tyler Grasty, Wilson Walker, and Ethan McBride are going to be counted on as well and have been progressing well over the summer.
Q: Y'all also are switching defensive schemes this season. How are the players adapting to the new changes on that side of the ball?
A: Defensively, we are making some changes due to our personnel. They have done a good job on that side of the ball. We are looking for guys to step up in the secondary and will have a much better picture of where we stand when we play some real football.
- Previously in Two-a-Days: TOWNS COUNTY
- Up Next in Two-a-Days: WEST HALL
