There are just 26 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)
GAINESVILLE (12-1 in 2023; quarterfinals Class 6A playoffs)
The Red Elephants won 26 games the past two seasons with a slew of experienced playmakers on offense. But the majority of that group has moved on.
The defense brings back seven starters so they should be a formidable group on that side of the ball. The focus has been on the offense, where no starters return among the key skilled positions.
We caught up with Gainesville coach Josh Niblett to see how the changes are coming along during the summer.
QUESTION: Coach, y’all lost more than 6,400 yards of offense to graduation, including a three-year starter at quarterback, your top two rushers, top six receivers, and four starters along the offensive line. What has been the main focus for the offense during the spring and summer to this point?
A: Our main focus is to get the ball in our playmakers hands and generate as many explosive plays as possible with the next group of talented players. On offense, we want to make sure we are physical, play with great tempo, and win the leverage, numbers and matchup battles. This group has the potential to be special.
Q: You had a battle for the quarterback position when the summer started. But senior IMG transfer Jamar Malone, who started in the spring game, is no longer with the team, leaving sophomore Kharim Hughley to get the bulk of the work. How is the development of Hughley coming along?
A: It has been awesome to watch Kharim develop and mature over the offseason. He is a natural born leader. I think at the quarterback position, you have to assert yourself as the leader, but you have to do it the right way. He is young, but well respected by his teammates. Kharim has a high football IQ and can make every throw. He just needs experience and the only way to get that is by playing. Kharim will have some really good talent around him, which will help accelerate his development, comfortability and success.
BONUS QUESTION: Senior Carmelo Byrd has moved from linebacker to running back. How has that transition gone so far?
A: It has been fantastic. I think the move has been big for him. The last two years, we had two really good running backs and we needed him on defense. Now, we need him on offense. I think Mello is a natural born running back. He is an every down back, meaning he can run it, pick up blitz, and run routes. He is a physical athlete who is always falling forward and his ball skills are elite. I am excited to watch his growth and development throughout the course of the year.
- Up Next in Two-a-Days: HABERSHAM CENTRAL
- Previous Two-a-Days: FLOWERY BRANCH
