High School Football
Ramming Through
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Grayson has been one of the best programs in the state over the last decade.
They won state championships in 2011 and 2016. They won another state championship in 2020, going 14 – 0. They only had one game decided by single digits.
The Rams lost a ton of talent from 2020 but they were 10 – 4 in 2021. They made it to the state semifinal where they lost to the eventual champion, Collins Hill.
They play in the highest classification and one of the toughest regions, 4 AAAAAAA. I still think they will compete for a state championship this season.
Senior safety Michael Daugherty is the No. 18 recruit in the state and a four-star player. He’s 6’1, 180 pounds and very physical. He’s committed to LSU.
Linebacker Jalen Smith is a three-star recruit and a Tennessee commit. Defensive end Ravon Johnson is also a three-star player. He’s 6’4 and 220 pounds so he has great size for the position.
The Rams also have talented players in the class of 2024. Guard Waltclaire Flynn Jr. is the No. 11 player in Georgia for the class of 2024. At 6’1 and 290 pounds he’s almost the size of a college offensive lineman.
Joseph JoJo Stone is a four-star player and an LSU commit. He’s listed as an athlete, but he contributes on both sides of the ball.
Grayson also has three-star corner back Zion Ferguson in the secondary.
They start the season Saturday, August 20th at Marietta. The Blue Devils won the state championship in 2019 and they still have some talented players. Senior corner back Jace Arnold is a four-star recruit and he’s committed to Wisconsin. Grayson should win this, but it will be close.
The next week is the home opener against Eagle’s Landing. The Golden Eagles are a 5A team and they were 3 – 7 last season. Grayson will blow them out.
They start September with a neutral site game against Fort Dorchester (North Charleston, SC). The Patriots were 12 – 1 last year so they are pretty good. I think Grayson will win a close game.
They play another South Carolina team the following week, Spartanburg. The Vikings were 9 – 4 in 2021 so they are pretty good but I give the edge to Grayson.
After a bye week the last non-region game is at Lowndes. This is going to be on the road in a hostile environment against a very good team. I think the Vikings will win a close game.
They travel to Newton for the first region game and they will beat them handily.
After another bye week the Rams travel to South Gwinnett. This will be another easy win.
Things get much harder against Brookwood. The Broncos should be a top five team and are led by senior quarterback Dylan Lonergan. He recently committed to Alabama. Last year Brookwood won the game 35-14. This game is a toss-up.
The final two games are at home against Archer and Parkview. Both teams are normally pretty good but they struggled in 2021. They hope to bounce back this year but Grayson will be favored to win.
The best-case scenario for the Rams is 9 – 1, worst case is 7 – 3 with a couple of non-region loses. I think they will advance deep in the playoffs.
Armed Pirates
By: Teddy Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
In 2021, the Brunswick High Pirates rolled to an 11-1 record that included a city championship, a region championship, and a second-round playoff appearance.
In 2022, the Pirates have a new head coach, a different region, and aspirations of a much deeper run in the playoffs.
Garrett Grady has taken over as the Head Pirate after five years as offensive coordinator at BHS. Almost all of the coaching staff from last season has returned, which should be a big plus for the Pirates. “The coaches have done a great job developing relationships with our guys,” Coach Grady said in a recent interview with Bishop Media. “Our hashtag is still ‘All About the Family.’ “
When asked about his offensive scheme, Grady said it will reflect the personnel. “We want to play to our strengths,” he added. “We have a great offensive line,” with Quan Gibson, Jamal Meriweather, Eli Smith, and Jonathan Welson returning. “We also have some experienced receivers in Terry Mitchell and Jayden Drayton,” among others.
“We have a new quarterback in J.R. Elkins. I think he will be able to put the ball in space on the outside. We’ll run a lot of zone and gap schemes.”
Replacing Chuckobe Hill and Ree Simmons at running back will not be easy, but Grady is pleased with the performances of several running backs, including William Heck.
As for defense, “We have seven or eight defensive starters returning from last year,” said Grady, including Ka’Shawn Thomas, last year’s region defensive player of the year, and a Wake Forest commit. “Our defense will revolve around Ka’Shawn. He can disrupt a lot of offenses. “
“Everything we do defensively is based out of a 3-4,” Grady added, “but we’ll run multiple fronts out of it. We also have good experience returning at linebacker and in the secondary.”
Special teams should also be a strength for Brunswick High. McClain Fineran, who led the region in scoring last season, will return as kicker for the Pirates. “We’re going to be very athletic on special teams,” Grady asserted.
Brunswick High is still in Region 2-6A, but with some changes. GHSA realignment dropped Bradwell, Richmond Hill, and Statesboro from 2-6A; and added three Augusta schools—Evans, Grovetown, and Lakeside Evans.
The Pirates kick off the season August 19 at Glynn County Stadium on the newly installed artificial turf against Andrew Jackson High School, followed by Camden County (August 26), also at home.
Following a bye week, Brunswick High will host Bolles (September 9) as part of the Border War Classic, and then Islands (September 16) to conclude non-region play.
Region play begins on September 23 for the Pirates against Glynn Academy in the City Championship Game, with the winner earning the inside track for a region title.
Brunswick High will then travel to Augusta to take on Grovetown (September 30), followed by Lakeside Evans (October 7) back at Glynn County Stadium.
The Pirates will have another bye week on October 14 before traveling to Guyton and taking on South Effingham (October 21.)
BHS will make its second trip to Augusta (October 28) to do battle with Evans. Grady’s Pirates will conclude regular-season play at home against Effingham (November 4).
“It’s a tough schedule,” Grady related, “but that’s how we want it. We’re going to be battle tested.”
Five rounds of state playoff games begin on November 11, with the state championship game scheduled for the second week in December.
“I want to commend my coaching staff and players,” Grady said in conclusion. “Everyone’s been working hard, and we’re excited about the upcoming season.”
It says here that Garrett Grady’s Brunswick High Pirates win another city championship, another region championship, and make a deep, deep, deep, deep run in the state playoffs.
Old Familiar Sting
By: Jeff Doke
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Wayne County High has taken a rapid fall from some lofty heights. They’re hoping the rebound will be just as quick.
Just four short years ago, the Yellow Jackets of coach Ken Cribb went undefeated in the regular season. It would be their second straight region championship, and the second out of four straight playoff appearances.
The last postseason berth in that streak was a less than inspiring COVID-year campaign that saw the team go 3-8 and back into the playoffs, losing a close game in the first round to the Jones County Greyhounds.
Then, in 2021, the bottom fell out. The team went 0-9 on the season – their first winless season since 1923. Wayne suffered shutout losses to Ware, Coffee, and Pierce.
Coach Cribb would go on to resign, wrapping up a five-year stint that saw the team post a 31-23 record.
Enter a new administration with solid regional bonafides in the form of Jaybo Shaw.
Coach Shaw, a top 10 all-time QB at Georgia Southern, comes to Jesup after a stellar stint at Rabun County.
In three seasons at the helm of the Wildcats, Coach Shaw notched an impressive 35-5 record and oversaw the development of the much-anticipated UGA signal caller, Gunner Stockton.
In multiple interviews earlier in the year, Coach Shaw said all the right things about the Yellow Jackets program.
Wayne County supports its football team, last year was tough but a learning experience for the players, the 2022 schedule looks tough but exciting.
The season will indeed be an exciting one, and although it will be tough to put up the kind of win/loss records that coach Shaw is used to, nothing is out of the question when it comes to southeast Georgia high school football.
Here’s how we see the season unfolding for the new coach:
WEEK 1 – BRADWELL INSTITUTE – In a matchup of two winless teams from the previous year, it’s not out of the question for the team to be amped up to show their new coach what they’ve got. We’ll give the edge to the Yellow Jackets, 28-14.
WEEK 2 – BROOKS COUNTY – They may be in a lower division, but they were state champs in that division. In a close one on the road, the Trojans even things up on the early season, Yellow Jackets fall 21-17.
WEEK 3 – APPLING COUNTY – The Pirates let the Jackets have it last year, walloping them to the tune of 41-7. It should be a little less lopsided this year, but not enough for the win. Wayne drops to 1-2, 35-24.
WEEK 4 – STATESBORO – The Former GSU Eagle will have his squad ready for this trip to the ‘Boro. Put another W on the scoreboard for Coach Shaw in Bulloch County, 31-10.
WEEK 5 – JENKINS HIGH – The Warriors surprised many with a playoff berth last season. The Jackets won’t be looking past them to their region schedule. Another win for Wayne in a low scoring affair, 17-10.
WEEK 6 – BURKE COUNTY – In a battle of Wayne vs. Waynesboro, the Bears will be the far more formidable force. Coach Shaw will have his team hitting its stride, but the team that many are expecting to challenge Benedictine for the region crown will just be too much. Burke over Wayne, 41-10.
WEEK 7 – ISLANDS – The Sharks will be the ones getting bitten this time around. Yellow Jackets go to .500 in the region in their first lopsided win, 49-6.
WEEK 8 – NEW HAMPSTEAD – Both teams struggle, and the Phoenix unfortunately rises. Yellow Jackets fall in overtime, 24-21.
WEEK 9 – BENEDICTINE – The defending State Champions look to run it back for another crown. They won’t be for long, but the Yellow Jackets will be just a blip on their radar this year. Cadets win big, 51-12.
WEEK 10 – SE BULLOCH – The Yellow Jackets vs. the Yellowjackets. Wayne County fights hard to salvage a .500 season and to make the playoffs. They manage the upset, 27-24.
FINAL RECORD FOR THE YEAR: 5-5 & a playoff berth.
Loaded Pack
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Buford has the best football program in Georgia.
The Wolves have won three consecutive state championship, bringing their total to 14. Out of those 14 championships only one came before the year 2001. They have won in every classification and 2022 will be their first season in the state’s highest, 7A.
As you would expect from an elite program, they are loaded with talent.
Running back Justice Haynes is a four-star recruit and the No. 9 player in the state for the class of 2023. He’s 5’10 and 200 pounds so he has a good combination of size and speed. He’s the son of former Georgia Bulldog and Pittsburgh Steeler Verron Haynes.
Haynes has rushed for 5,873 yards and 72 scores. He is also an elite left-handed pitcher with a 90-mph fastball. He has committed to Georgia.
Offensive tackle Paul Mubenga is a three-star recruit and a Michigan commit. He’s 6’4 and 280 pounds, so he’s huge for a high school player. He needs to develop more power to be an elite player in college.
KJ Bolden is the top player in Georgia for the class of 2024 and a four-star recruit. He’s listed as an athlete, but he plays wide receiver and defensive back. He projects to be a safety in college. He ran 10.76 seconds 100-meter dash.
Junior defensive end KingJoseph Edwards is also a four-star recruit and No. 4 recruit in the class of 2024. He’s 6’5, 235 lbs. and very powerful. He had a great performance at the 2022 Atlanta Under Armour camp.
Fellow junior defensive end Eddrick Houston is the No. 13 recruit in Georgia for his class and also a four-star recruit. Houston is 255-pounds, so he’s bigger than Edwards. He has a great combination of size and strength.
Sophomore linebacker Jadon Perlotte already has about 20 offers. He will be the next great linebacker from Buford.
The season starts August 26th at home against Mallard Creek (Charlotte, NC). The Mavericks were 6-5 last season, so they are an average team. This is an easy win for Buford.
The Next week is also home against North Cobb. The Warriors are a very good team, led by four-star senior QB Malachi Singleton. They played last year in the season opener and Buford won 35-27. This will be another close game that could go either way.
Roman Catholic travels from Philadelphia Week 3 to play the Wolves. They were 3-7 in 2021 so I’m surprised at this matchup. Buford will win big.
The first away game is at Marietta. The Blue Devils have Wisconsin commit, corner back Jace Arnold. This will still be a double-digit win for the Wolves.
Region play begins with the defending 7A state champs, Collins Hill. The Eagles lost a lot of talent from last year’s team, but they will still be good.
Tight end Ethan Davis is the No. 11 player in the state for the class of 2024. I give them the edge in this game.
The last four games of the season are against Mill Creek, Dacula, Mountain View and Central Gwinnett.
The only game I think they are in danger of losing is against Mill Creek. The Hawks are coming off an 11-2 season and they have the top player in the state for the class of 2024, safety Caleb Downs.
Worst case scenario for Buford is they finish the regular season 8-2. I don’t think they will win a state championship this season but they are loaded with talent.
Swash-Buc-ling
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The 2021 McIntosh County Academy Buccaneers finished the 2021 campaign with a 6-5-1 record with a second-round loss in the GHSA playoffs to Manchester.
The Buccaneers were disappointed with the second-round loss. MCA was predicted to make a deep run last year and was a dark horse Final Four team.
This year’s Bucs squad will not only have high expectations again this season but will also be the favorite to win their region.
With reclassification, the Bucs find themselves in Region 3-A Division II. This includes MCA, Portal, Emanuel County Institute, Jenkins County, and Montgomery County. The region should come down to the winner of MCA and ECI. My belief is MCA will handle the Bulldogs of ECI and win their region.
Here is a look at MCA’s 2022 schedule.
August 19th: The Bucs will open at home at The Ship in Darien against the Savannah Blue Jackets. This should be a great way for the Bucs to get their feet wet.
August 25th: MCA will travel to Between the Bricks at Glynn County Stadium in Brunswick to take on the Glynn Academy Red Terrors. Last season the Bucs played the Red Terrors to a tie despite the Glynn being a 6A program.
September 8th: Coming off of a bye week, MCA will participate in the newly formed Border War Classic, where they will play a second straight game at Glynn County Stadium, this time against the West Nassau Warriors from Callahan, Florida
September 16th: The Bucs will return home to battle with the Lanier County Bulldogs from region 2-A.
September 23rd: MCA will again be at home at The Ship. The Bucs will host the 5A Bradwell Institute Tigers. This will be an interesting game as Bradwell is a much higher classification, but the Bucaneers will be looking to prove themselves as a Single A Title contender.
September 30th: MCA will head back to the road, this time against the Atkinson County Rebels. The Rebels are also from Region 2-A.
October 7th: Region play begins for the Bucs as they host the Jenkins County War Eagles.
October 14th: The second game of region play will take place on the road at the Montgomery County Eagles.
October 21st: The Bucs will host region rival ECI. This game against the Bulldogs will likely determine the winner of the region.
October 28th: MCA closes out the regular season on the road against the Portal Panthers.
My prediction for the 2022 MCA Buccaneers: 9-1 and a region championship. I also believe MCA is a legitimate state title contender in the reclassified A division.
Also look for big years from QB JaReese Campbell, LB Lake Linton, RB/LB Ladarrious West and OL Daniel Rush and Danny Thomas.
Cat Prowler
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Jake Lindsey has been playing organized football since the age of four. You can tell it on the football field. The current Camden County Wildcat star has ability that is instinctual and that cannot be taught.
Lindsey is entering into his senior year and his second year starting at safety for Jeff Herron’s Wildcats. Lindsey also started as a sophomore at safety at Coffee County before transferring to Camden County.
His family moved to Camden County as Lindsey’s father, Jon Lindsey was hired away from Coffee County and joined the Camden staff as the Defensive Coordinator.
Lindsey has had the privilege of playing for 2 high school football coaching legends in Jeff Herron and Robby Pruitt, that is pretty good coaching.
“Learning from both coaches has been great. They are pretty similar as far as they love to coach and are very organized.”
Lindsey was born in Dallas, GA, an Atlanta suburb in Cobb County and moved around a good bit growing up due to his father being a high school football coach.
He is the youngest of 3 and his two older sisters, Caroline and Jenna, have set some lofty expectations for their little brother. Caroline just recently graduated from Georgia and is currently at the University of Pittsburgh attending Law School. Jenna just graduated from Camden County High School and will be attending UGA in the fall.
“I have been blessed with the family I have. They have been so supportive and made sure responsibility was instilled in me. My mom, Melissa, is my biggest fan and my dad and I are very close.”
Lindsey also played QB in middle school and last season stepped in at RB for the Wildcats due to injuries. He rushed for over 200 yards against the Glynn Academy Red Terrors last season, not bad for a guy playing out of position.
“I look forward to playing safety. I love it. I love being out there with my team mates and being trusted by the coaches to be able to make adjustments on the field if necessary. But I would not mind working my way into the RB rotation either.”
Last season the Wildcats finished 4-7. “I felt like we were so close in a so many games. Those experiences will make us better and teach how to win those close games. Our goals for the season are win the region. We know we are good enough. We also want to beat Colquitt and Lowndes. We have not beaten those guys in a long time and the time is now. We just want to win.”
Lindsey has seen interest to play football at the next level from Georgia Southern, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, and Coastal Carolina, just to name a few. Currently, the standout safety has committed to the Army Black Knights.
Swash-Buc-Ler
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
There are lofty expectations for the McIntosh County Academy Buccaneers for the upcoming 2022 football season.
Many believe a deep playoff run will be in the Bucs future come playoff time. A key piece of that equation will be rising Senior JaReese Campbell.
Campbell is expected to take over at QB for MCA. He played running back last season.
Campbell is a dual threat QB with dynamic playmaking ability.
JaReese Campbell knows the expectation his Bucs have on them. “We are pretty good and have a senior heavy team. We expect to make a deep playoff run. Losing in the second-round last year was hard. None of us want to repeat that. Our team is like a big family and we are a bunch of hard workers”
Campbell was born and raised in Darien and has been playing football since the age of seven. He will spend his entire high school career at MCA.
“My parents have been the most impactful people in my life. They have always made sure I had everything I needed to succeed at whatever I decided to take on. They taught me about hard work and have always been very supportive.”
JaReese has set some pretty high goals for himself with that support system in place. “I am still trying to figure out what I want to major in in college but I know I am going. I plan to play football at the college level as well”.
Campbell has gotten looks so far from Middle Tennessee State, Georgia State, East Tennessee State, Wofford, Alcorn State, Georgia Southern and Kennesaw State. As the season progresses, it is a given that more schools will be recruiting JaReese as well.
JaReese has set some personal goals for himself on the football field as well. “I feel like if I throw for 1,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards, we will have a great season. That will allow other talented guys on our team to shine too”.
The Bucs QB will not only be under center for MCA but will play on defense as well. Campbell will be the starting safety for the Bucs. This will be his second year starting at safety for MCA.
“I honestly like playing defense better than offense. On defense, I can be more aggressive and I like that”.
Campbell has some high praise for his coach, Bradley Warren too. “Coach Warren has come in here and made believers out of us. He has shown us what it takes to win. The environment at The Ship on Friday Nights has been really awesome since he got here”.
We will see how well the Bucs do this season, but don’t be shocked to see them have a monster year and to hear the name JaReese Campbell as a huge reason why.
A Red Terror
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Glynn Academy Red Terrors roll into the 2022 football season with some lofty expectations for senior QB, Tyler Devlin.
Devlin will be under center for his second season as the Red Terrors signal caller.
Tyler Devlin was born on November 5th 2004. He began playing football at 7 years old. However, the Glynn QB did not start as a quarterback. Devlin started out playing running back and linebacker.
By the 8th grade, he was developing into a very good QB. So much so that he transferred to Frederica Academy and started for the Knights as freshman at QB.
Devlin transferred to Glynn Academy after his freshman year. “I knew I would graduate as a Terror. I wanted to play against the best competition I could and Glynn was the best choice for me.”
Devlin was the backup QB his sophomore year to TJ Lewis, who went on to Louisville. “I looked up to TJ and learned how to be a leader from him. I just tried to replicate everything he did.”
Despite being the backup his sophomore, Devlin still found his way on the field for the Terrors as a 10th grader by playing safety.
The 2021 season saw Glynn go 4-6-1 and lose in the first round of the playoffs. I asked Devlin what the 2021 season was like….”Honestly, everyone was upbeat the whole season. The culture was the same as if we were 10-0. We expected to win. We knew we didn’t have the fastest guys, or the biggest but our team was full of heart and we fought every week.”
Devlin went on to talk about the 2021 season. “We didn’t get off to the best of starts. At the beginning of the season, we were young and didn’t let the game come to us. We played way better toward the end of the year once we got used to our offense and guys got into a rhythm. We had a whole new offense to learn.”
The Red Terrors signal caller tossed 12 touchdowns and threw for over 1,200 yards. Devlin took care of the ball as well, only throwing 3 interceptions during the regular season
Going into 2022 the Red Terrors are expected to be in the mix for a region title. “My goals for the 2022 season are to beat Brunswick High, win the region and then we can go from there.”
A few schools are showing interest Devlin as he is a great athlete. He is also the starting centerfielder for the Red Terror baseball team. “I would like to play both at the next level.”
The Red Terrors will be in good hands putting the offense in Tyler Devlin’s hands and with him going into his second year of Rocky Hidalgo’s offense, I am predicting Devlin to have a monster season.
The Border War
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
On Thursday September 8th the first annual Border War Classic will kick off at Glynn County Stadium.
Glynn County Athletic Director said in a press conference to announce the event, “this had been a dream of mine since I became Athletic Director in 2012.”
Fourteen teams will participate in the inaugural event, seven school from Georgia and seven from Mary’s Florida.
Baker Sports and Under Armor have gotten on board to sponsor the event and all games will be streamed live by WJXT out of Jacksonville, FL.
Here are the games:
September 8th 5p: MCA Buccaneers v. West Nassau Warriors The MCA Buccaneers from Darien, GA reside in Region 3-A Public. The Bucs finished last season 6-5-1 and lost in the second round of the GHSA A playoffs.
The West Nassau Warriors from Callahan, FL reside in 2S District 5. The Warriors finished last season’s campaign at 5-5.
September 8th 8p: Glynn Academy Red Terrors v. Creekside Knights The Glynn Academy Red Terrors from Brunswick, GA call Region 3-6A home. Last season the Red Terrors finished 4-6-1 and lost in the 1st round of the GHSA 6A playoffs.
The Creekside Knights are located in 4S District 3. In 2021 the Knights went 8-3 with a loss in the first round of the FHSAA 4S playoffs.
September 9th 5p: Charlton County Indians v. University Christian Christians The Charlton County Indians from Folkston, GA play in Region 2-A. The Indians finished the 2021 campaign with a 7-4 record and made the playoffs.
The University Christian Christians from Jacksonville, FL play in 1M District 1. The Christians went 7-5 in 2021 and made the second round of the playoffs.
September 9th 8p: Brunswick High Pirates v. Bolles Bulldogs The Brunswick High Pirates from Brunswick, GA finished last season with an 11-1 mark. The Pirates made the second round of the GHSA playoffs and play in region 3-6A.
The Bolles Bulldogs from Jacksonville, FL plays in 2M District 2. The Bulldogs made the 3rd round of the playoffs and had a record of 8-3.
September 10th 2p: Fitzgerald Purple Hurricane v. Madison County Cowboys The Purple Hurricane from Fitzgerald, GA won the 2A State Title in 2021, going 13-2.
The Madison County Cowboys from Madison, FL also won a state title in 2021 going 11-3 on their way. The Cowboys play in 1A Region 2 District.
This is the only game that will pit state champions against each other.
September 10th 5p: Coffee County Trojans v. St. Augustine Yellow Jackets The Coffee County Trojans from Douglas, GA play in Region 1 5-A. The Trojans went 7-3 in 2021, making the playoffs.
The St. Augustine Yellow Jackets from St. Augustine, FL are from 3S District 4. The Yellow Jackets went 6-3 last season.
September 10th 8p: Richmond Hill Wildcats v. Baker County Wildcats The Richmond Hill Wildcats from Richmond Hill, GA play in region 1-7A. Last year the Wildcats went 4-6 last season in 6A and made the playoffs.
The Baker County Wildcats from Glen St. Marys, FL made the FHSAA Final Four and finished 11-3 in 5A. Baker County plays in 5A District 2.
Golden Isles Legend
By: Charles Skipper
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
I have only been writing articles for two months now and I do not know how many more opportunities I will have in the future to write others but I feel it is safe to say that this will be the most difficult one I will ever have to compose.
The reason for the level of difficulty in this particular article is that it is about the passing of my best friend Bob Black on April 4th, 2022.
Bob was diagnosed with Cancer in early February and lived six weeks after receiving the news. During those six weeks hundreds of people reached out to Coach Black, as he was known, and let him know how much he meant to them.
The Glynn Academy Baseball Team honored him at their game with Brunswick High School and he was able to stand and throw out the first pitch.
He told me after the event that he had no idea the amount of love and respect that people in the community had for him. He was humbled beyond words and extremely appreciative of everyone’s support.
I could fill volumes of articles with stories and antidotes of my friendship with Bob from the time we first met in 1983 at Georgia Southern but I have chosen another way to honor Coach Black.
I reached out to other Coaches that were fortunate enough to work alongside Bob in his coaching career and asked them to share their thoughts and experiences with Coach Black. These are their own words on what Bob meant to them and the kids they coached together.
Cricket Mobley: To lose a friend like Bob Black would leave a big hole in anyone’s “Friends” list. For me it takes away someone I have shared a lot of experiences with and shown up with.
We Coached the local kids and allowed us to grow up with them. To be a part of athletics and life with Bob was truly a blessing and I will miss him every day.
God bless Bob and his family and may the voices of time speak well of him. Always available. Always A Competitor. Always a friend. Love you Man
Todd Collier: Coach Black was tough on the field but he was always the first one to give them that atta boy hug afterwards. He was a player’s coach and the kids wanted to work hard for him. They worked hard for his respect. They never wanted to disappoint Coach Black.
Ted Wallen: Coach Bob was our backbone. He not only coached kids, he coached coaches. He would send out group texts to all the coaches at some of our worst times and remind us all of what we have to be grateful for and say “it is a great day to be a Terror.”
Our players are deeply saddened by the loss of their Coach. Bob reminded us just how powerful the Human Spirit can be.
Rocky Hidalgo: He will be remembered as the most honest man I ever met.
Coach Black would never sugar coat anything. He was open, direct and honest with every player and coach in our program, whether they liked it or not. He will be missed by all of us associated with the program.
Scott Spence: I knew Coach Black for over 30 years. I had the opportunity to work with him from the perspective of a Coach, Athletic Director, Principal and Superintendent.
He unselfishly gave himself to the student-athletes of the Glynn County School System. I can think of few, if any, who supported our student-athletes during that time frame in the positive manner that Coach Black did.
He was a good man who unselfishly wanted to see all of our young people succeed. Those kinds of people are very rare and we will miss him tremendously. We lost a good man.
The interactions and relationships Bob had with players and Coaches will be forever remembered and cherished by them. He truly was a person that made the world a better place.
Bob, I hope the fish are always biting and the Braves, Bulldogs and Terrors are winning all their games up there where you are my oldest friend.
We miss you and you keep them laughing up there Pal.
