There are just 29 days remaining until the kickoff of the 2023 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)...
EAST JACKSON
The 2022 campaign for the Eagles was what now fifth-year head Cameron Pettus had been building toward. Their most wins (5) and first playoff berth since 2009.
They lost Gary Maddox III to graduation but return several key players, including quarterback Drew Richardson. Can they build off their best season in more than a decade in a difficult region?
We caught up with Pettus and asked how his group is using last year's success to prepare for the 2023 season and about the development of Richardson.
QUESTION: Quarterback Drew Richardson had a solid season but looks to be ready to have a breakout season in 2023. How is his development coming along this summer?
A: We are excited because Drew is doing everything he needs to do to continue his progression to be one of the best in the state at QB. He has great speed that he works on which will aid us in the run game. His mobility in the pocket has been excellent. He has always had a strong arm but his touch on the ball this spring and summer has taken a big step forward. Allowing him to progress the way he has is attributed to his players he has around him. We will have a fantastic backfield to go along with our front but our WR position is one that has really elevated. Having great people to throw to always makes your job easier as a QB. Great staff who know how to distribute the ball to our playmakers and we have multiple weapons for him to utilize which makes him and our team better.
Q: How is making the playoffs last season helping to motivate your guys so far in the summer?
A: We just always have fun being with our players as a staff. We love them and they love us. We compete daily and preach to enjoy each and every day, love and embrace the hard work with the weight room, speed development and practice. Our players are all in, we have worked extremely hard this off season and summer. We as a staff truly appreciate all the hard work they have done and will continue to do. Playing a team like Rockmart in the playoffs made us very aware of the strides we have to take as a program to take it to the next level. For us it's a good solid reminder of where we were at and where we want to go. It's in the back of our mind everyday.
- Up Next in Two-a-Days: FLOWERY BRANCH
- Previous Two-a-Days: EAST HALL
