There are just 24 days remaining until the kickoff of the 2025 high school football season. However, 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 gauge how spring practice went, how the summer is progressing, and what coaches anticipate 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)...
JOHNSON (0-10 in 2024; did not make the playoffs)
The Knights returned to region play for the first time in several years in 2024, but they took a young and inexperienced team into the fray. Many of those guys are back, but they will also have a new coach, as Donovan Odom has taken over for William Harrell. Odom was part of Harrell's staff the past five years and understands the challenges the program has faced.
But the offseason numbers are up, and Odom feels they should be better able to handle the rigors of a balanced Region 6-3A schedule. We caught up with Odom to see how his first stint as head coach is progressing and how the defense's rebuild is also shaping up for this season.
QUESTION: Coach, first, how has the transition to head coach gone, and how has the turnout been so far in the spring and summer?
ANSWER: It has gone well. I have a loving God, wonderful wife and family, a good supporting cast of parents, coaches and administration on my side that have made it easier. I couldn't do it without them.
QUESTION: Retooling a defense that gave up 600 points last year will be the key to any success this season. Who are some guys that have begun to step up this summer?
ANSWER: We are trying to simplify things, so that we can just go out and play. We need to do a better job as coaches to make sure we take the thinking out of it. Just read 'n react.
- Up Next in Two-a-Days: LAKEVIEW ACADEMY
- Previous Two-a-Days: JEFFERSON
