5 Things: Here's what FGN crew is looking at heading into 2025

The preliminaries are behind us. The 2025 season is set to officially kick off on Thursday when Buford takes on Milton in its new $62 million Phillip Beard Stadium (still strange not to be saying Tom Riden) in a nationally televised showdown on ESPN 2.

With that, it’s also time for Friday Game Night to kick off its 2025 coverage season. 

Why not start with a bang -- a Week 1 “5 Things” that allows us to give our opinions on what WE THINK are the biggest questions coming into the season.

The crew at Friday Game Night sat down, and each of us named the top storyline we’re looking at for 2025.

1. Can Gainesville rebound from 2024 and make a deep run in the state playoffs?

JEFF BUTLER: Last season ended with a first-round state playoff loss to Sequoyah for Gainesville. Playing one of the toughest schedules in the state that included only three home games, the Red Elephants won six of their first seven games. They faltered late, though, losing three of their last four.

The schedule remains the same as last year, but with seven home games. The Red Elephants will face some of the best teams in the southeast, including Class 5A champion Milton, Class 6A runner-up Carrollton, and Moody, which was the Alabama Class 5A state runner-up. 

What is different about 2025? Gainesville has an experienced defense coming back, led by senior linebacker Xavier Griffin, an Alabama commit, and senior defensive lineman Kadin Fossung, Jamarion Matthew and Ayden Cain. Offensively, junior quarterback Kharim Hughley, who has a year of experience now, junior running back Nigel Newkirk, and wide receiver Philip Williams should make the Red Elephants explosive on offense.

The Red Elephants admit that 2024 did not meet their standards. In Josh Niblett’s first season at Gainesville, the Red Elephants lost in the state finals, and in year two, they reached the state quarterfinals. 

Getting back to the question, will the Red Elephants rebound? Yes. Come playoff time, the experienced Red Elephants should be sharpened by the tough schedule this year and not worn down by it like a year ago. There are many great teams in Class 5A, including the defending state champion and region rival Milton, which is the king until it is knocked off. But motivated by last year’s first-round loss, the Red Elephants will make a strong playoff run in 2025. 

2. Can East Hall turn talent and experience into a state playoff run?

CALEB HUTCHINS: Even Vikings head coach Matt Turner himself will tell you that this is a season he and his staff have been building towards since they took over in Valhalla in 2021.

With Kennesaw State-commit Jamarcus Harrison returning for his senior year at quarterback and veteran talent like Chasen Jones at receiver and Lukas Pruitt at running back, plus defensive playmakers like first-team All Region 8-3A linebacker Elijah Buffington, this feels like an East Hall team finally equipped to challenge for a state playoff bid, and maybe even more.

The question will be if the Vikings can find sufficient line of scrimmage play to tangle with traditionally physical powerhouses like Jefferson, Oconee County and Cherokee Bluff that litter their schedule.

There are a lot of streaks that East Hall could snap if everything comes together. They haven’t made the state playoffs since 2017 and haven’t hosted a playoff game since 2015.

Predicting how deep in the playoffs East Hall could go is a tough question to answer, considering it depends greatly on the unpredictable draw of playoff seeding now dictated in classes 3A and below by the GHSA’s power rating system.

However, will East Hall make the playoffs is an easier question to tackle, and the best bet is yes. With more experience and talent than they’ve had in years, and most of their key region games coming at home, smart money is on the Vikings taking one of 8-3A’s four automatic playoff bids.

3. North Hall is king in 6-3A, unless...

BO WILSON: There’s not much room for error in Region 6-3A, especially if you're North Hall trying to defend the region title. Last season, the Trojans were just 12 skinny points away from ending up in the third spot in the standings. 

Looking at the rosters across the region, North Hall may have the most talented returning starters, but Pickens is a close second. Yes, I said, Pickens. Of course, it's difficult to predict what will happen each week, but if North Hall thinks it can roll through Region 6-3A without a challenge, that's where it will go off the rails. 

Do we think North Hall has that idea? No way. However, teams like GAC, which returns several key players, including a quarterback who played significant minutes in 2024, key receivers and running backs, will be smelling upset in Lilburn on Oct. 10. Lumpkin County might be without Cal Faulkner, but don't count them out. The Indians roster may not have a player like Faulkner, but we're hearing head coach Heath Webb has built a pretty good roster in the Gold City. 

Then they have rival Chestatee to open the region slate. The War Eagles have a stout stable of starters back, including the area's leading rusher, Ben Plemons, and let's not forget that the dislike is stronger in Sardis. Not going to lie here, Chestatee could sneak up on the Trojans at The Brickyard. 

So, what is the answer to the question: North Hall is king of Region 6-3A...unless? Answer: If overconfidence prevails.

However, head coach Sean Pender has already had that conversation. Did it resonate? I think so. Still, though, the crystal ball has its off days as well.

4. Will Rabun return to 8-A D1 dominance with a healthy Ty Truelove and Company?

WALKER McCRARY: Let’s start here. A lot of teams would have taken Rabun County’s 2024 season and been really happy. A 6-5 record with a trip to the playoffs is still successful by a lot of teams’ goals.

But for the Wildcats, it looked like something that hasn’t been seen since 2013, Lee Shaw’s second season.

After that, the Wildcats never failed to move past the first round of the playoffs, winning nine straight region titles before losing out on the 2023 title at the proverbial buzzer to Commerce.

Until last year.

Now, Rance Gillespie comes in and the Wildcats will look a little different, but the pieces are still there. And the goal of Rabun County football hasn’t changed. Ty Truelove should look like the Ty Truelove of 2023, so the question remains. Can the Wildcats return to dominance in 8-A D1?

Athens Academy and Elbert County are the obvious big hurdles that come at the end of the season, but a spread-look Commerce and a tricky triple option Banks County stand out as potential potholes on the quest back to the top of the region.

Yes, it’s Gillespie’s first season, but the fans in Tiger have grown accustomed to long playoff runs. They expect no less in 2025.

5. Can Jackson County or Habersham Central break through and win the Region 8-5A title in 2025?

JEFF HART: Jackson County has never won a region title in its history. Habersham Central has not won one since taking back-to-back Region 8-4A crowns in 2006 & 2007 under Gene Cathcart.

Clarke Central has won four of the last six Region 8-5A titles, including last season, which is where the Panthers and Raiders find themselves for a second straight season. The Gladiators could be vulnerable this year after losing their quarterback, top two rushers, and two of their top three receivers to graduation. They will be young and inexperienced at several key positions.

Initial inspection has me thinking that Habersham Central may not have enough to contend for a region title, but the Raiders will definitely be in the playoff mix with QB Paris Wilbanks back to run Benji Harrison’s spread attack. They finished 3-3 in the region last year and were competitive in all three losses. Experience could be the difference this year.

As for the Panthers, this could be the year they break all the barriers. They tied the program record in wins last year (8) and earned their first home playoff game. They are loaded with talent and experience. They return all five starters on the offensive line in front of QB RJ Knapp, who returns for his third season. Knapp will have leading rusher Daylan Maxwell back, as well as Robert Spry at receiver.

All the Panthers needed was the belief that the program was ready to take the next step, and 2024’s success gave them that. Can Jackson County continue its upward trajectory in 2025? Last year, their only region loss was to the Gladiators (27-11 at home). They beat the rest of the region by an average of 23.6 points/game.

Their region title fate will probably be known quickly. They open 8-5A play against Clarke Central Sept. 19 in Athens. If they can find a way to get their first-ever win over the Gladiators and take care of business against the rest, history could be made once again.

Want one more fun scenario? The Panthers and Raiders close out the regular season in Hoschton. Could that be for the region title outright if things fall just right? Just maybe...

http://accesswdun.com/article/2025/8/1296788/5-things-fgn-looks-at-5-most-pressing-questions-coming-into-2025