High School Football
Brunswick High Pirates 2026 Preview
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Brunswick High Pirates had their 2025 season end at the hands of the Gainesville Red Elephants in the second round of the GHSA playoffs.
Last season ended in controversy as the Pirates and Red Elephants had the game called early due to a benches clearing brawl that made national headlines.
Despite the controversy BHS enters the 2026 season coming off of a 9-3 season and a region title.
They also come into 2026 as a team in transition. Gone are record-setting QB Grant Moore and 4-star TE Heze Kent; 2 vital cogs in the Pirates prolific offense from last year that bludgeoned defenses all season long.
Also gone is former Head Coach Garrett Grady who is now coaching in Douglas with the Coffee County Trojans.
Enter Dr. Byron Slack to take over as the Pirates head man. Slack spent several years on the Camden County staff during the championship years and comes over from Cook County after spending 4 seasons as Head Coach with the Hornets.
Slack will make an emphasis on team discipline and bring out the best in the Pirates on defense; an area that has been inconsistent for the Pirates for over a decade.
Despite losing key cogs on offense BHS does return some key playmakers on offense. Most notably running backs Nigel Gardner, Josiah Gibbons and WR Waseem Murray.
Both Gardner and Gibbons rushed for over 1,000 yards and combined for almost 30 touchdowns last season.
Murray was the Pirates best playmaker in open space and was dangerous every time he got the ball in his hands. Murray had 700 all-purpose yards and 5 touchdowns.
At QB the Pirates will either have senior Keegan Walker or junior Eli Overton under center.
BHS will move up from 5A to 6A and play in Region 1-6A with Glynn Academy, Effingham, South Effingham, Bradwell Institute, Grovetown, Greenbriar and Lakeside.
Brunswick will kick off the season on August 21st against Camden ‘Between The Bricks’ at Glynn County Stadium.
The Pirates will take to the road the week after that to take on Groves. BHS gets a bye the following week and then return home in week 4 to take on national power Grayson at Glynn County Stadium.
Region play starts for the Pirates on September 18th against Grovetown up in Augusta.
BHS then hosts Greenbriar and then travels to Hinesville to square off with Bradwell on October 2nd.
Brunswick High will then take a bye to get ready for the City Championship game against the Glynn Academy Red Terrors on October 16. This game will go a long way in determining who will win the region.
Technically the Pirates will be the home team against Terrors and will be the first of three consecutive home games; the other two will be against South Effingham and Effingham.
Brunswick will close the regular season against Lakeside on the road in Augusta.
I am predicting the Pirates will be serious contenders to win the region. In my opinion who ever wins the City Championship Game will also hoist the region championship trophy at season’s end.
Bulloch Academy Gators 2026 Preview
By: Joseph Stuckey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Recently, I was able to get my first glimpse of the 2026 Bulloch Academy Gators football team.
They met up with the Jenkins County War Eagles in a thud-style practice. So, my observations do have to be taken with a grain of salt, as a thud practice is padded, but tackles don’t get taken to the ground.
The Gators return a lot of impact players, not just from last season but also several who made an impact during the 2024 GIAA 4-A State Championship run.
The Gators have made 3 straight trips to the Elite Eight and beyond (2023: Final Four; 2024: state title; 2025: Elite Eight).
The 2027 class of athletes at Bulloch Academy has the potential to be the best in school history when it comes to players advancing to the collegiate level.
On the Offensive side, for the 3rd straight year, #6 Sam Hubbard is set to lead Mark Lefebvre’s Wing-T attack. Over the summer, Sam committed to play baseball for Georgia Southern after graduation.
Bulloch Academy always has an impressive offensive line, and this year looks to be no different, as Griff Sumner and Slaton Roberts look to lead the big guys up front in the trenches.
Also, along the O-line is senior Colin Grooms, who is very versatile and may serve as a tight end at times and rush the quarterback on defense as an edge.
When naming offensive weapons, you have to start with the versatile athleticism of #17 Rocco Reiss, who you will see play numerous positions throughout the season.
Then the receiving corps includes the very athletic Nick Eason Jr. and Georgia Southern commit Billy Crider.
#20 B.J. Smart looks to be the one who will take the most handoffs at running back; you will also see Maddox Lee and Connor Perry get involved on the offensive side of the ball.
On the flip side of the ball, Chris Kearson’s defense is anchored right up front on the defensive line by Kennesaw State commit Braylon Cone.
You will also see several other players rotated around on the D-line, including Bo Crider and then the aforementioned Colin Grooms coming off the edge.
At linebacker, one guy that really caught my eye was #9 Tate Williams, who will look to clean up what little gets by Cone and company.
In the secondary, the 2 cornerstones are J.B. Roach and Nick Eason Jr., who will look to defend opposing teams’ passing attacks.
As far as kickoffs and punting, it looks like it will be #16 Case Woodrum handling kickoffs, field goals, extra points, and punts.
There are also a few younger players I am interested in seeing develop over this season.
Quarterback Landon Mitchell looks to be the future starter after this season and has shown potential.
A few other players I look to make an impact are Jame Lee, Hunter Chance, and Camden Mager.
The expectations are high for this team as they head into the 2026 campaign. Many around Statesboro have State Championship aspirations, and this team definitely has the talent to make another deep run into the playoffs.
McIntosh County Academy Buccaneers 2026 Preview
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Coach Warren Bradley enters his 8th season as the McIntosh County Academy Buccaneers Head Coach in his second stint holding that position.
Bradley took over the Bucs program in 2019 and has stabilized MCA’s football ranks. Before the hiring of Bradley, the Bucs employed 5 different head coaches in 7 seasons.
Bradley has not only stabilized the program, but he also has re-vitalized winning habits into the Bucs program and turned MCA into a perennial playoff team.
In 2025 the Bucs made the playoffs for the again under Bradley. MCA has made the playoffs every season in Coach Bradley’s tenure in his second go-round.
Last season the Bucs finished 5-5 in the regular season and that was good enough to get into the playoffs as four seed. MCA finished the season overall at 5-6, losing in the first round of the GHSA playoffs to #1 seed Johnson County, 34-7.
MCA enters 2026 with high expectations as they are returning starting RB Earnest McIntosh for his senior season.
The Bucs also find themselves in a new region. Region 3-1A will consist of MCA, Portal, Montgomery County, Emanuel County Institute and Claxton. This region lines up far easier than the last two seasons for the Bucs. While the region added Montgomery County, gone are the powerhouses of Metter and Screven County.
The Bucs will kick off the 2026 campaign at home at The Ship in Darien against Long County on August 21st.
Week two will also be at home against former region foe Charlton County.
The Buccaneers will take to the road in week 3 against Georgia Military and then in week 4 pay a visit to Liberty County to take on the Panthers.
MCA will return home on September 18th against Jeff Davis and then will host Screven County the following week at The Ship.
After a bye the following week region play kicks off for the Bucs against ECI in Darien
The Buccaneers return to the road on October 23rd against the Claxton Tigers.
MCA returns home on Halloween weekend to take on Montgomery County and then will wrap up the regular season on the road against the Portal Panthers.
MCA is a legit contender to win the region in 2026.
Keep in mind the GHSA will be transitioning away from ranking teams according to how they finished in their region and instead will use power rankings rank playoff participants. What this does is place huge importance on non-region tilts as well as the region games as far as seeding.
I am picking MCA to finish the 2026 season with a 9-1 record and to win Region 3-1A.
Worst case for the Bucs, by my estimation, will be an 8-2 mark finishing second in the region.
The Buccaneers have not made a deep run in the playoffs in some time. I think this year that changes. I believe MCA is definitely an Elite 8 team, at worst, in 2026.
Valdosta Wildcats’ Dynamic Duo
By: Ron Reagin
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Local restaurant and hangout, Big Nick’s was recently packed as friends, family, teammates, and coaches filled every seat and it was standing room only.
Valdosta High running backs Deron Foster and Marquis Fennell announced their college decisions in front of Valdosta’s faithful fans.
Foster, the every-down back, will head west to Oregon State. Fennell, the explosive playmaker, utility back, will take his talents to Stanford.
Before they head west, they will try to top last year’s performance for the Wildcats. The duo accounted for 64% of all touchdowns last season and 57% of total yards as juniors with both averaging over 100 yards per game in what was a tremendous offense top to bottom.
Deron Foster chose the Beavers over offers from Stanford, Liberty, and Georgia State. The decision came down to the opportunity to play for associate head coach and running backs coach Lee Marks, who has a strong track record developing backs, and new head coach JaMarcus Shephard’s vision.
Foster rushed for 1,329 yards and 15 touchdowns last season, adding 148 receiving yards and two more scores. He posted nine 100-yard rushing games and sees himself stepping in early in Corvallis.
Marquis Fennell had a long list of suitors, including Colorado, Florida State, and Georgia Tech, but chose Stanford for the combination of football opportunity and elite academics. His mother, Leslie, played a big role in emphasizing the long-term value of the education.
Fennell had a monster junior season with 2,505 all-purpose yards, including 1,480 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns on the ground, plus 764 receiving yards and 10 scores through the air.
He expects to be a versatile running back who can impact games from the backfield or out wide to present multiple problems for opposing defense.
Both backs rushed for over 1,000 yards. The last time the Wildcats had 2 rushers over 1,000 yards, was back in 1988 with Isaac Cesar and James Roberts.
Head coach Shelton Felton praised both as great players and even better young men and leaders.
“You’ve got Live at 5 (Foster), you’ve got Category 4 (Fennell),” Felton said. “They are really great kids on and off the field… I’m blessed to have those two as part of my program.”
Both players expressed relief at getting their commitments done early, though Foster admitted he’s not quite ready to move on from the Friday night lights. “There’s nothing like high school ball,” he said.
With unfinished business after falling just short of a state title, both are motivated for a bigger senior season in 2026.
“We all know we have unfinished business,” Fennell said.
This commitment night caps a special chapter for Valdosta’s backfield while setting the stage for what should be another strong year for the running back duo and the Wildcats.
Buford Wolves 2026 Preview
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Buford is one of the most elite football programs in the state of Georgia and possibly the nation. They have won 15 state championships, with only one coming before the year 2001.
They also have multiple state championships in baseball, boys’ basketball, girls’ basketball, gymnastics, softball, volleyball, wrestling and girls’ track.
Last season they opened Philip Beard Stadium. It has a seating capacity of 10,000 at a cost of $62 million.
The Wolves finished last season going 15-0 and winning the state championship. They were also the consensus national champions.
They have a lot of talent on the team. Junior Edge Luke Nabors (6’4, 210 lbs.) is a four-star recruit. He has over thirty offers from teams like Georgia, Ohio State, Notre Dame, South Carolina, Florida State, Penn State, Texas, Clemson, Oregon, Indiana and Tennessee.
Junior WR Seven Rashad (6’5, 175 lbs.) is a three-star recruit.
Senior LB Ethan Hauser (6’3, 200 lbs.) is a three-star recruit that’s committed to Vanderbilt. They have another three-star LB, Brayden Watson who’s committed to Michigan.
Senior QB DJ Hunter (6’1, 190 lbs.) is taking over as the starter in 2026. He was the backup to Dayton Raiola (Oregon). Hunter is a dual-threat so he should be a new weapon for the offense. He’s a three-star player and he’s committed to James Madison.
Seniors CB Silas Nuckles (6’0, 175 lbs.) and S Jameer Cantrell (5’10, 175 lbs.) are also three-star recruits. Cantrell is committed to Arkansas.
Bryant Appling has been the head coach at Buford since 2019. He has a record of 90-8 and he’s the first coach in GHSA history to win state titles in his first three seasons (2019-21).
Buford graduated 21 players from last seasons national championship team. They are expected to reload the talent but I think that will be tougher than expected. They are the #1 team in the 7A preseason poll.
Their schedule is listed below:
8/22: vs. Gainesville
9/4: @ Mallard Creek (North Carolina)
9/11: vs. Miami Central (Miami, FL)
9/18: @ #3 Grayson
9/25: @ Seckinger
10/9: @ Dacula
10/16: vs. Collins Hill
10/23: @ Mill Creek
10/30: vs. Discovery
11/6: vs. Central Gwinnett
They have a few tough non-region games to start the season.
Week 1 is a nationally televised game on ESPN against Gainesville. The Red Elephants advanced to the 5A state championship last season. They have moved up to 6A this season.
Former Grayson head coach Santavious Bryant has taken over the same position in Gainesville. He was 37-5 in three seasons at Grayson and he won a state championship in 2024. They have one of the most talented rosters in the state.
Miami Central in Week 2 will also be a tough game. The Rockets were 10-2 in 2025. South Florida is known for speed and they have very good players.
Week 4 at #3 Grayson will be the toughest test of the regular season. The Rams expected to repeat as state champions last year but lost in the state quarterfinals.
After this game, the rest of the schedule is easy. Seckinger (Buford, GA) is the newest school in Gwinnett County. They opened in August 2022 and they made their first playoff appearance last season.
Region 8-AAAAAAA play begins October 9th at Dacula. Mill Creek is the second-best team in the region but I don’t think they can challenge Buford.
I expect Buford to lose two regular season games. At worst they will be 7-3 if they lose to Gainesville, Miami Central and Grayson. I think they’ll be tough to beat in the playoffs.
Grayson Rams 2026 Preview
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The GHSA preseason football rankings have been released. Grayson is ranked #3 in class 7A.
The Rams went 14-1 in 2024 and won the 6A state championship. They started 2025 ranked #1 and held that spot for most of the season. Their only loss came in the state quarterfinals, 34-14 to Carrolton.
Head coach Santavious Bryant led the Rams to a 37-5 record the last three seasons. He left to take over as the head coach at Gainesville after the season.
Grayson promoted defensive coordinator Greg Carswell to head coach.
“For a first-time head coach, this is a dream come true,” Carswell said. “I thank God for preparing me the six seasons I’ve had the opportunity to coach here on and off. I’m honored to be chosen to lead these young men. I love these kids so much and will take pride in pushing this program to the pinnacle of high school sports.”
They are coming off a 12-1 season, so we do not expect much to change with a new head coach.
“The standard at Grayson will never change,” Carswell said. “We have a relentless effort and approach to reach the highest level of success this program can reach. We will always play hard physical and dominate the trenches, but the fire, passion and energy that will exude from a coach Carswell team will be unmatched.”
They still have plenty of talent on the roster. Senior IOL Jordan Agbanoma is a four-star recruit and the tenth ranked player in the state for the class of 2027. Agbanoma is 6’2 and 300 pounds. He’s currently committed to Nebraska.
His teammate, KD Jones is a three-star IOL that is also committed to the Cornhuskers. Jones is 6’5, 303 pounds.
Junior Edge Elijah Tillman is 6’7, 215 pounds. He’s also a four-star recruit but that’s based more on his measurables. He should be a key contributor in 2026.
Senior CB Preston Glasco (6’2, 190 lbs.) is a three-star recruit and he’s committed to UConn.
Senior S Jalen Welch (6’3, 190 lbs.) is also a three-star recruit and he’s committed to Syracuse.
Senior DL Waylon Wooten (6’2, 300 lbs.) is committed to Georgia.
Senior QB David “Deuce” Smith (5’11, 190 lbs.) is a dual-threat. He became the starter after four-star QB Travis Burgess was injured last season. He passed for 2,355 yards and 24 touchdowns.
The season begins August 12th in the Corky Kell/Dave Hunter Classic at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta) against North Gwinnett. The Bulldogs were 12-2 last season and they made it to the state semifinals.
Six of Grayson’s first seven games are on the road. Week 2 they travel to Sandy Creek. The Patriots have moved up to 4A but they were undefeated (15-0) and won the 3A state championship in 2025.
After a bye week the next game is at Langston Hughes. The Panthers are one of the top teams in 5A. They were 12-1 last season and they have a lot of talent.
On September 11th they travel to Brunswick. The Pirates were 9-3 last year and they have made the move to 6A this season.
The first home game of the season is the following week against #1 Buford. The Wolves were undefeated and won the 6A state title in 2025.
They face Carol City (Miami) October 2nd.
Region play begins after that with games @Archer, @Newton, South Gwinnett and Rockdale County.
I think Grayson will finish the regular season with a couple of losses but they will be tough to beat in the playoffs.
Valdosta Wildcats 2026 Preview
By: Ron Reagin
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Few things matter more in the new Post-Season Ranking Formula (PSRF) era than building the right schedule.
In the Valdosta Wildcats’ case, wins also carry more meaning as they are racing to be the first high school program to reach 1,000 wins.
Valdosta’s 2026 slate looks like a smart, strategic effort designed for this new system to maximize wins both in the regular season and postseason.
Here is the Wildcats’ confirmed 2026 schedule:
Aug. 7: Worth County (Scrimmage)
Aug. 21: @ Jones County
Aug. 28: vs. Howard
Sept. 4: vs. Bradwell Institute
Sept. 11: vs. KIPP Atlanta Collegiate (Homecoming)
Sept. 25: vs. Stockbridge
Oct. 2: vs. Booker High (Sarasota, FL)
Oct. 16: @ Colquitt County
Oct. 23: vs. Camden County
Oct. 30: @ Lowndes (Winnersville Classic)
Nov. 6: vs. Richmond Hill (Senior Night)
The Wildcats will play six home games, three road games, and four tough Region 1-AAAAAAA contests.
Non-Region Breakdown: Valdosta’s non-region schedule looks well-balanced.
The road trip opener to Jones County and home games against Stockbridge and Booker High (Sarasota, FL) provide quality competition that should boost both OWP and OOWP.
Booker, a consistent playoff team in Florida, could prove to be a strong addition.
The home games against Howard, Bradwell Institute, and KIPP Atlanta Collegiate are winnable matchups that should help build the win column without being too soft.
But as we all know too well, you can never overlook an opponent that has nothing to lose. Those types of teams historically pull out all the stops to beat Valdosta.
The Region 1 Gauntlet: Region 1-AAAAAAA remains one of Georgia’s strongest regions year after year.
The late-season stretch: @ Colquitt County, vs. Camden County, @ Lowndes, and vs. Richmond Hill will be critical.
In a small five-team region, every result carries heavy weight under PSRF. Avoiding a late-season loss will be critical in maintaining a strong playoff seed.
From the unbiased broadcast booth, a 9-1 record with three region wins feels like the most realistic strong outcome.
That should position Valdosta comfortably inside the top 20 statewide with a favorable seed. However, most Valdosta fans will not be happy with anything but a championship.
The expectation to win, especially after a region championship and semifinal run last season, is even higher this year.
Strengths: Six home games help accumulate wins for the 35% winning percentage component.
Quality non-region opponents (especially Booker, Stockbridge, and Jones County) combined with a tough region give Valdosta a legitimate strength-of-schedule advantage without sacrificing winnable games.
Risks: As we’ve alluded to with the new PSRF, late-season swings are very real. The final four games are all region contests. A tough stretch in October and early November could drop the Wildcats several spots in the rankings even with a winning record. This risk is one that all Region 1 teams will be trying to avoid.
Overall, Valdosta’s 2026 schedule appears well-constructed for the PSRF era. It balances winnable home games with enough quality competition to reward a strong season.
Valdosta fans should be excited, as this slate gives the Wildcats a legitimate chance at a high seed and deep playoff run.
GIAA Powers
By: Joseph Stuckey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
With the high-school football season right around the corner, I thought it would be a good time to examine the state of GIAA teams across the area.
GIAA stands for Georgia Independent Athletic Association, otherwise known as the private school league here in Georgia.
I follow GIAA sports very closely as I am the play-by-play broadcaster for the Bulloch Academy Gators football team.
One thing I became aware of last year, with the Gators making several trips up Interstate 16, is that there is a belief among football fans in that area that you have to beat out the Middle Georgia teams to win a GIAA state title.
What I mean by this is that you can always count on a Middle Georgia area team making a push into the Final Four and State Championship game of the GIAA playoff brackets.
Last year, 3 of the 4 state titles went home to Middle Georgia teams. Brentwood Academy in Sandersville brought home the AA title for the second straight season. John Milledge Academy added another trophy to its very large trophy case. And finally, Stratford Academy won the big prize of the AAAA state title, even though they did lose to John Milledge handily in the regular season, 51-13.
Another powerhouse in the Macon area is First Presbyterian Day, which reached the final four in 2025 and lost to Bulloch Academy in the State Championship in 2024.
Also, there is Strong Rock Christian, which is in Locust Grove, that made the elite eight the past 2 seasons.
So, as you can see, there is some backing to the claim of having to beat out Middle Georgia teams to win a GIAA state title.
Southeast Georgia was able to claim 1 of the 4 titles this past season, with Robert Toombs in Lyons winning the A State Championship.
Robert Toombs beat Edmund Burke Academy in the rematch of the 2024 State Championship, which Edmund Burke won.
Right down the road, there is Pinewood Christian Academy in Bellville, which made the elite eight in 2025.
Then, finally, there is the premier GIAA region in Southeast Georgia, which consists of Frederica Academy, Bulloch Academy, St. Andrews, and the newest addition from GHSA, Savannah Country Day.
Pinewood has been in this region in years past, but they are moving down to an A/AA region starting this season. This region consists of AAA/AAAA teams, and the last 3 champions have been Frederica Academy (2025), Bulloch Academy (2024), and Bulloch (2023).
Not only did Frederica win the region last year, but they also reached the Final Four in the AAA playoffs before losing to John Milledge.
Bulloch Academy is celebrating 3 straight seasons of reaching the Elite Eight or beyond (2023-Final 4, 2024-State Championship, 2025-Elite 8) and has its sights set on another State Championship run in AAAA with a loaded senior class.
The unknown in this region is Savannah Country Day, which is coming from GHSA after going 4-7 last season.
Anytime a GIAA school plays a GHSA school, most would think it would be a tough victory. However, GIAA schools have been holding their own; Frederica beat Savannah High School last season 34-7, and Bulloch Academy has gone 4-0 against GHSA schools over the last 2 seasons.
So, with all of that being said, this should be a very exciting year of GIAA High School Football!
Georgia’s Top High School Football Players
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Georgia high school football season will start in August. We are going to take a look at some of the most talented recruits in the state. NIL has made a huge difference in recruiting because most of the elite players are not committed to Georgia.
Edge DJ Jacobs, Blessed Trinity Catholic (Roswell, GA): Jacobs is listed at 6’5 and 235 pounds. He’s a five-star recruit and the top-rated player in the nation. He’s currently committed to Ohio State.
He finished last season with 102 tackles (24 TFL), 16 sacks and 2 FF in 11 games. Jacobs participated in both the Under Armour All-America Game (1 TFL) and the Polynesian Bowl (1 sack, 1 TFL) as an underclassman.
The Titans were 7-5 in 2025 and they lost in the second round of the AAAA playoffs. We will see if they can become state championship contenders this season.
Edge KJ Green, Stephenson (Stone Mountain, GA): Green is 6’4, 230 lbs. and a five-star recruit. He’s the second ranked player in Georgia and sixth nationally. He’s an LSU commit.
He had a monster junior year, with 129 tackles (40 TFL), 18 sacks, 4 FF and 1 FR. Also caught 1 pass for 10 yards and 1 TD on offense.
Green was the Region 5-AAA Defensive Player of the Year. Ha also participated in the Polynesian Bowl (1 tackle) as an underclassman.
The Jaguars were 11-2 in 2025 and only lost one regular season game by one point.
S Kamarui Dorsey, Hampton (Hampton, GA): Dorsey is committed to Texas A&M. The 6’3, 200 lbs. safety is a four-star recruit.
In 2025 he had 61 tackles, 2 TFL and 4 interceptions. As a sophomore in 2024 he had 58 tackles, 4 TFL and 3 interceptions.
He helped lead the Hornets to an 8-3 record last season.
WR Jaden Upshaw, Lee County (Leesburg, GA): We have our first offensive player on the list. Upshaw is the fourth ranked recruit in the state and a four-star player. He’s also committed to play for Texas A&M.
He finished his junior season with 47 catches for 902 yards (19.2 YPC) and 8 TD in 10 games after missing a few contests due to injury. Upshaw also played in the Navy All-American Bowl (3 catches for 19 yards on 5 targets) as an underclassman. He’s 6’1, 200 pounds so he has good size for a receiver.
The Trojans were 8-4 last year. In 2024 they made it to the AAAAA state championship game.
OT Kennedee Jackson, Lithonia: Jackson is the fifth ranked recruit in Georgia and he’s committed to UGA. He’s 6’6, 297 pounds so he has perfect size for an offensive tackle.
He also plays on the defensive line full-time and he plays basketball. He’s a very good athlete and he’s good when pulling and climbing.
The Bulldogs were 10-3 in 2025 and they got to the third-round of the AAAA playoffs.
ATH AJ Tillman Jr., Lithonia: He’s a four-star player like his teammate that we talked about previously. Tillman has committed to Louisville. He plays running back and defensive back. I believe he wants to play on offense at the next level.
As a junior, Tillman ran for 461 yards on 61 carries, averaging 7.6 yards a pop. He also managed to reach the end zone five times.
At DB, Tillman had 22 tackles, 6 passes defended, and a fumble recovery. He combined for over 1,500 rushing yards and 17 TD’s the last two seasons.
He has taken an official visit to Virginia Tech after committing to Louisville, so we will see if he changes his mind.
The GHSA Transfer Rule
By: Ron Reagin
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
We have all seen how GHSA transfer and eligibility rules can change the course of a season with a single decision.
One case in particular still gets talked about around South Georgia, the Jake Garcia situation that gave birth to what many now call the “Jake Garcia Rule.”
The Jake Garcia Case (2020): Highly recruited quarterback Jake Garcia transferred from California to Valdosta High School prior to the 2020 season. He was initially ruled eligible and even played in the season opener. After an ESPN interview raised questions about the family’s move, the GHSA reversed its decision. Garcia was declared ineligible because they determined the family had not made a true “bona fide move.” Valdosta was forced to forfeit a win.
To add insult to injury, Garcia then transferred to Grayson, where he was quickly ruled eligible and played a major role in their state title run that year.
The case highlighted how the GHSA interprets its own rules and led to stricter enforcement moving forward. The lack of clear transparency from the GHSA also fueled speculation and public scrutiny about perceived north/south differences in how rules are applied.
In what many viewed as a “saving face” move, the GHSA strengthened its by-law (By-Law 1.64), which now clearly states: A student who is not eligible at the former school cannot regain eligibility that same year by transferring to a new school. This became known by some as the “Jake Garcia Rule.”
How We Got Here: For decades, the cornerstone of GHSA transfer rules has been the bona fide move requirement; the entire family unit must actually move into the new school’s attendance zone for immediate eligibility. Without it, a transferring student is labeled a “migrant student” and must sit out one full calendar year at the varsity level.
The Garcia case accelerated a trend toward much stricter scrutiny, especially on high-profile and out-of-state transfers.
This led to major rule changes for the 2025–2026 school year:
Automatic one-year ineligibility for second transfers after 9th grade.
Much stricter documentation requirements for proving a bona fide move.
These changes were also driven by big numbers. GHSA Executive Director Tim Scott reported that roughly 59,000 of the state’s 460,000 student-athletes, or 1 in 8 were transfers during the 2024-25 school year.
My Take from the Booth: The GHSA has a very tough, and legitimate job protecting high school sports from recruiting and undue influence. Most of us don’t want programs turning into free-agent destinations.
However, the stricter rules and the heavy burden placed on families to prove a move was not for athletic reasons and have created real frustration in many cases.
All while seemingly having little effect on some high-profile programs with a history of multiple transfers every semester.
With the new PSRF system making every win matter more, these eligibility and transfer decisions now carry even heavier weight. One ruling can shift an entire season as proven with the Jake Garcia situation and others.
The system isn’t perfect, no system ever will be. But greater transparency and more consistent application of the rules would go a long way toward rebuilding trust between the GHSA, schools, coaches and the families of student athletes in this new era of NIL and extremely competitive college recruiting in Georgia.
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