There are just 24 days remaining until the kickoff of the 2018 high school football season. But make no mistake, preparations for the upcoming campaign got underway months ago in weight rooms, sand pits and practice fields throughout the state. And teams throughout northeast Georgia 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. We call the series "Two-a-Days" in honor of 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)...
LAKEVIEW ACADEMY
The Lions were much better than their 2-8 record to end the 2017 season but most of that was playing in the brutally tough Region 8-A, which sent six of the 10 teams to the playoffs. Changes are on hand as they lost dynamic quarterback Alec Bornhorst to graduation and they brought in former Gainesville coach Bruce Miller as an assistant. We asked coach Matthew Gruhn who they expect to take over for Bornhorst and how has the addition of Miller helped them as they continue to try and build the program.
QUESTION: Coach, y'all had the second-best offensive season in program history behind Alec Bornhorst. How has the battle to fill his shoes been coming along?
ANSWER: Alec was an incredible player for us and did many great things, so we are not trying necessarily to fill his shoes, but coaching our guys to be the best they can be. We have two very good young guys who are working very hard and are improving each day. As a coach, you try to develop their strengths and improve their weaknesses. The QB is a position that demands as much if not more than any other position in sports, so the mentality of just being the best version of you is paramount. We are looking forward to their continued development and see what they become.
Q: How has the addition of former Gainesville coach Bruce Miller impacted y'all moving the program to the next level?
A: Coach Miller has been a great addition. He brings a great love of kids, and is still highly motivated. Throughout his career, he has been through it all and with that brings an incredible amount of wisdom. Certainly he is an expert on the offensive side of the ball, but his knowledge in all areas from defense to special teams to running a overall program has been very beneficial to us. We are looking forward to the season and enjoying his ideas as we move forward.
- Previously in Two-a-Days: JOHNSON
- Up Next in Two-a-Days: LUMPKIN COUNTY
http://accesswdun.com/article/2018/7/693714/two-a-days-lakeview