By: Drayton Hogarth

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

Unfortunately, the Glynn Academy Red Terrors 2016 season came to a sudden stop against the Northside Warner Robins Eagles.

With the loss of a tremendous senior class, including Miami Hurricanes commits, Dee Jay Dallas and Zalontae Hillery, many expect the Red Terrors to take a major step back in the 2017 season. However, it would be a big time mistake to underestimate the Red Terrors going forward.

Coach Hidalgo has taken the Glynn Academy program to a new level since his arrival three seasons ago. Each season since his initial year of coaching for the Terrors, Hidalgo has heard the doubts that the success of his team will continue after losing players to graduation or assistant coaches moving on to expand their own coaching resumes.

On the Bishop Media Glynn Academy Coach’s Show, Hidalgo was excited about the prospects of the 2017 season and explained why, “I told those kids that anyone who thinks we are just going to go the way of the Dodo is wrong. My first year we lost a great offensive coordinator in Coach Jackson, and they said ‘well, they are done’. Then the next year they said ‘oh they lost Garrison Hurd and Dexter Roberson and they are done’. Now they are saying they are losing a great group of seniors and people around the state will say, ‘oh they are losing Dee Jay Dallas and some great kids, and they are done.’ Well, that’s not the case, we will be back in this position next season. I believe that we have a chance to be a great football team next year because we have kids committed to winning, and have a great group of seniors and some really good young players. We are going to have to develop some kids, but we will be right back in the mix next year.”

One of those great players mentioned above who is moving on to the next stage of his education and playing days, Dee Jay Dallas, also feels that his Glynn Academy teammates will be able to maintain the winning ways established in Dallas’ high school tenure.

The Terrors will struggle some at first but I have faith in my men! They aren’t afraid of any challenge. I think the pride that they carry when they put on the red and white will carry them through the regular season with an undefeated record and into to compete and possibly win a state title.” Dallas told me when asked about the Red Terrors prospects ahead of them in 2017.

Some of those “men” that Dallas is talking about were mentioned by Coach Hidalgo as well. “I think we will be outstanding on defense, both our safeties will return. We return Hunter Hall and David Murray at linebacker, and Tyler Cleghorn, Marlin Taylor, and Isaiah McDonald on the defensive line. We moved Marvin Dallas to cornerback. We’ve got a chance to be really good defensively.”

On offense, Hidalgo feels that the offense will pack a punch with players like Randon Jernigan moving to quarterback, “Randon’s career numbers are likely better than Dee Jay’s given his years at Brunswick.”

Running back looks to be boosted with “getting Tyler Grant back from injury Tyshaun Wallace kid sat out this year with a knee injury who’s a really good running back. Quan Bostic will replace Randon in the slot. We need to develop some offensive linemen. Our 9th grade class has a lot of really good linemen in it. Drez Wilcox will play for us next year, along with 4-5 kids who have chance to be division one football players. Our future is very bright, go back to work, put together a new weight training program, and utilize the new fieldhouse and facilities. The offseason starts tomorrow.”

That is the prevailing reason why the Red Terrors very likely will be back challenging for city, region, and state championships because of the workman like attitude. While the season just ended, the thought is not look at what we did, it is look at what we are going to do.