Football: Bears ready for 'weird' Wednesday Corky Kell opener

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — On the one hand, being invited to play in the annual Corky Kell Classic can validate a program. On the other hand, a Wednesday afternoon kickoff instead of the normal Friday night, and opponent unfamiliarity, can cause more than a few anxious moments.

Such has been the dilemma for Cherokee Bluff coach Tommy Jones and his Bears.

They open the 2022 campaign Wednesday against Kell with a tough 5:30 p.m. kickoff at Johns Creek High School.

“First, to be asked to play in (the Corky Kell) is a tremendous honor and opportunity for our program,” Jones said. “This is a great chance for us to bring some exposure to the program. We’re very excited about the opportunity.”

But it has definitely come with some side effects.

“That's a tough time to start during the week. When we found out we were going to play on a Wednesday, it basically changed our entire summer schedule,” Jones stated. “It’s only two days earlier than Friday, but it really changed everything in how we prepared. We had to change what our normal workout and practice schedules would be when we came back from Dead Week. More weekend work than normal. It also meant we were working with a little more sense of urgency, but that was probably a good thing.

“As a staff, we have worked 21 straight days to try and get ready for this game because of the two-day difference. That’s also why we scrimmaged (last week) on Tuesday so that we could try and simulate a typical week as if we were playing on a Friday. It was all a little weird for sure.”

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As for the game itself, both teams are going through some transition. Kell, which has made the playoffs for 14 consecutive seasons, dropped down from Class 6A and has a new leader in Bobby May, who led Westlake to 27 wins in three seasons and back-to-back quarterfinals in Class 6A the past two seasons.

The Bears are moving up to Class 4A, the highest classification in its brief five-year history, after winning back-to-back Region 7-3A titles. They will also replace eight starters on offense and eight on defense, including dynamic running back Jayquan Smith (Furman-signee).

It will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

“We don’t know much about them, but we know Coach May does a great job wherever he is,” Jones said. “They’re athletic on the perimeter, their quarterback is as good as anyone out there, and they have some talented guys up front. This is going to be a tremendous challenge for us.”

The Bears will still employ their typical multiple-I offense, but they will look different without Smith and a host of graduated starters. 

Junior Asher Wilson, the backup to Sebastian Irons last season, is expected to get the Wednesday start. In limited action, he went 8-for-12 for 150 yards and 2 TDs in 2021.

Junior Jaylon Carroll has the most returning production in the backfield with 164 yards and 2 TDs on 31 carries, with fellow juniors Connor Hulsey and Perry Haynes and sophomore Connor Griffin, all expected to see some action. Senior Max Eubanks will be used in a variety of ways. 

At receiver, Eubanks, fellow seniors Jhace Justice and Carlos Marlowe, and sophomore Jordan Justice will see the bulk of the snaps to start the season.

The Bears' defense, which allowed just 11.67 ppg -- top 10 in Class 3A in 2021 -- should have a solid line anchored by senior All-Access first-teamer Jacob Benjamin and junior Nathan Richardson. The secondary, led by Jhace Justice, who had 3 INTs, 1 fumble recovery, caused a fumble and had 19 tackles, returns three players that saw significant action in 2021. Marlowe and Jordan Justice each had one pick in 2021. Sophomores KT Thompson and Landon Kemp at safety also help give the Bears a solid back end of the defense.

The big hole is at linebacker, where sophomore Connor Griffin is the leading returning tackler with 42 stops in 2021. Senior Carter Daum, who had 1 INT in 2021, played significant minutes and sophomore Rylan Ackerman started last year as a freshman.

Jones said it’s time for a new crop of players to begin making their mark.

“There are so many unknowns coming into this game, probably more than any opening game I’ve coached since I started doing this,” he said. “We have a large junior and sophomore class, and for most of them, this will be the first time they’ve started or been expected to play this much. It's their turn to lead the program, but you never know until you get out there.

“We’re going to line up and do everything we can to win the game. And with that, we also want to see what we have and then make whatever adjustments we need to and continue to get better and get ready for region play.”