There are just 29 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)
FLOWERY BRANCH (5-6 in 2023; 1st round Class 5A playoffs)
The Falcons got back into the playoffs in 2023 in what was a very difficult Region 8-5A. But now they’re in a revamped Region 8-4A and will be in rebuild mode after graduating nearly its entire starting 22 from a year ago, not to mention some key transfers out of the program.
The challenges will be vast for a Falcons program that has only missed the playoffs four times since 2005.
We caught up with Coach Jason Tester to see where they stand during summer practices.
QUESTION: Coach, the offense is having a complete makeover in 2024, replacing key starters at quarterback, running back, and the entire receiving corps. What have you seen from this group so far in the summer? Who are some guys that look ready to make the jump to Friday night?
A: No doubt we lost a great deal of production from last year. Our rising seniors and underclassmen know it's their time to step up and fill those roles. We'll find out more once the pads go on for the first time on (next week). As far as key guys that stand out, I'll leave that to be determined by what happens between July 29th and our scrimmage vs. North Hall.
Q: The defense is also replacing several key starters after allowing the second-most points in program history. What has been the focus on that side of the ball during the summer?
A: Our defensive approach has been “back to the basics.” We're going to focus on alignment, assignment and executing when the ball is snapped. Discipline, grit, and tenacity will define our defense this season. We have several new staff members who have been pouring into our guys since they arrived. I'm pleased with where we're at right now and look forward to this group's progression.
BONUS QUESTION: Y’all are extremely young across the board with only nine total seniors returning. What have been the biggest challenges in the summer as you try to get the underclassmen ready for varsity play?
A: The biggest challenge has been evaluating so many players. Since spring practice, we've modified our schedule to account for maximizing reps for all players in order to see who will be ready for Friday nights. Those that aren't on the two deep will play JV and then we'll have our freshmen team focus. The challenge of helping these young men mature into being the best versions of themselves is one of the best parts of this job..
- Up Next in Two-a-Days: GAINESVILLE
- Previous Two-a-Days: EAST JACKSON
