There are just 32 days remaining until the kickoff of the 2024 high school football season. But make no mistake, preparations for the upcoming campaign began 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)
CHEROKEE BLUFF (4-6 in 2023; did not qualify for playoffs)
The Bears in 2023 were just five points from a possible runner-up position in the now-old Region 8-4A. But instead of a playoff run, they missed the playoffs for a second consecutive season.
As they get ready for 2024 in a new region, they will also have to replace the bulk of their offense with several underclassmen.
Coach Tommy Jones said how quickly the younger players get up to varsity speed during the summer will hold the key if they can get back into the playoffs.
QUESTION: Coach, y’all are having to remake the offense, replacing key starters at quarterback and running back. Connor Griffin and Rylan Ackerman were expected to be among the early front-runners in the backfield. How has that battle come along?
A: We have a number of guys at that position that could potentially see quality reps this year. Obviously, we feel great about Connor and Rylan. Both are very talented and have a ton of experience over the last four years. There are several gifted sophomores that could be in the mix as well. Jackson Pirkle, Tony Rushin, Beau Bruns, and Connor Cook have all shown some real promise in practice and performed well on our JV team last year. In addition, we have a few other experienced offensive playmakers in KT Thompson, Landon Kemp, Malcolm Millsap, and Colin Muyres, who should have a major impact on our offensive production.
Q: Brooks Brien, who left the program but is back after some time at Bethlehem Christian, is back to take over at quarterback and looks poised for perhaps a breakout season. How has he looked so far in the summer?
A: Brooks has worked exceptionally hard for this opportunity. He has all of the attributes that a quarterback needs to succeed. He is talented, persistent, dependable, smart, and savvy. He prepares well and is an outstanding leader. We had the privilege of watching him develop in our program back to his middle school days and we are really excited about having him back.
BONUS QUESTION: But a lot of younger players are expected to fill some key roles. Who are some of those younger guys that have impressed during the summer?
A: We are excited about a number of talented and competitive young players on our roster. Hudson Davis (DL), Tony Rushin (DE/RB), Cohen Carter (OL), Grant McElroy (OL), Dylan Haley (WR), Jackson Pirkle (RB/SS), and Bryce Fontenot (TE/DL) are just a few of our sophomores that have had a good summer and could be called on to contribute this season.
