By: Kipp Branch

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

When you sit down with Brunswick High head football Coach Sean Pender the first question on your mind is how you replace 31 seniors from a 7-3 football team that shared a region championship from last season.

Pender is very optimistic about the 2018 Pirates as they conclude spring drills.

While youth and inexperience may be a factor going into the 2018 season, work ethic will not. “Our kids come out to practice and compete hard and listen, and this has been a fun group to teach since our winter program started in January” says Pender.

One position group that has a lot of experience returning in 2018 is the offensive line. The offensive line has four experienced players returning led by who Pender calls the best offensive lineman he has ever coached in Warren McClendon.

At 6’5 and 300 lbs, McClendon is a four-star recruit by all the recruiting services. He can play anywhere in the country that he chooses after the 2018 season is complete.

McClendon will play left tackle. AJ Kirkland will move over to center and has the versatility to play guard as well. Brett Hall returns at guard after bulking up to 250 pounds with the off-season strength and conditioning program. Xavier Ramsey will contend for All Region honors at the other tackle position, and Caleb Cook may win the other guard position. Pender thinks his run game will be solid in 2018 with this group leading the way.

Pender who coaches his QB’s really hard thinks he has some quality at the position in KJ Lee and Anthony Mountain.

Lee played some as a freshman in 2017 and has a quick release. He has a solid grasp on the offense according to his head coach. Mountain, a transfer, played the backup role in 2017 at Glynn Academy. He is learning the offense and a new set of fundamentals as he goes from a run-oriented attack to a spread offense. Both will get some serious looks at QB. Watch this battle as it develops over the summer.

Jaylen Trimmings will be the workhorse at RB and has worked really hard in the offseason for the role. The Pirates will be young and talented at WR. Marlon Carmena, Jailyn Jones, Xavier Bean, Amarion Whitfield, Syveion Ellis, Tyrease Jones, Michael McGee, and Mitchell Richburg will get reps at receiver as this offense gets the ball in a lot of hands. Pender is really high on Che Foy who will see double duty at slot and RB in 2018.

Richburg and Mountain will handle the punting duties and Avery Yoak will be the FG kicker in 2018.

On defense the Pirates lost 13 of 15 players who saw varsity action in 2017.

Justin Akra will be the leader in the defensive line. Pender thinks Akra will have a big season in 2018.

Stacy Young is back at OLB/S and is a major college prospect who Pender calls the leader of the defense. Devin Lafayette, Freddy Towns, and Demetrius Hardee will make the Pirate secondary a solid group in the fall.

Keith Garrett, Xavier Stevens, Jaylen Carter, and George Humphries will provide depth on the defensive line.

The Pirates lost a ton at LB due to graduation, but some talent is ready to step in make a name for themselves. AJ Wilson, Octavis Butler, and Ryne Buckley will have to grow up fast and contribute right away.

Offensively, Pender wants to run his base offense and expects his run game to be solid and is looking for consistency in the passing game.

Defensively the head coach says he wants to see his young kids flying to the point of attack in a bad mood and playing fast and physical.