By: Kipp Branch

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

Let me own up to something, I knew going into the 2018 football season for the Brunswick High Pirates this team was going to struggle.

I knew this team was going to struggle back during spring practice when I went out to watch the team before I wrote the Pirate Spring Preview for the Georgia Sports Edition.

Those who know me well know that I bleed Blue and Gold. I played on the first two football teams John Willis put on the field at Brunswick High School. I am currently the color analyst for the Pirate Radio Broadcast team for the past 12 years, past president of the booster club, and current vice-president of the Brunswick Touchdown Club.

I have been blessed to work closely with former head coaches Maurice Freeman, whom I can out fish any day of the week, Victor Floyd, who was 5-2 against Glynn, Larry Harold, and current head coach Sean Pender, who took me scalloping for the first time this past summer.

My fiancé, Sandra, knows if something were to happen to me that my football coach John Willis is to be seated with my family at my funeral and if he wants to speak then the podium is his. With that being said here are the reasons I knew this team would struggle is 2018:

1)Lack of game experience at key positions.

In 2017 BHS had 15 different players start a game on the defensive side of the ball and when the clock hit zero in that heartbreaking loss to Northside Warner Robins to end a bounce back 7-3 playoff season 13 of those players graduated.

I was positive publicly about the chances of the 2018 Pirates, but I told my close friends in private that this team was going to struggle on defense.

While this team has struggled on defense this season, especially against the run, looking ahead to 2019 the defense will have 8-10 players back that will have started a varsity game on that side of the ball. Those players will bulk up in the offseason strength and conditioning program.

2)Small senior class. The program lost 32 seniors after the 2017 season, many of which were solid contributors. This senior class only has 5-6 players that are solid contributors overall.

BHS has started a freshman at RB, DB, and OL at various times this season. This program will bounce back fine in 2019 with as many as 14-15 starters returning next season. The current 9th and 10^th grade classes are stocked with good athletes.

3)Skill position players on offense had to develop on the fly. BHS lost a record setting QB and all starting WR’s, who set some single season records in year one of Sean Pender’s air raid offense.

BHS has good, young talent on offense coming back in 2019. In fact, other than Jaylen Trimmings, the Pirates return everyone in the skill areas in 2019.

Brunswick’s best skill players are freshman and sophomores this season. The biggest development area for young players is between their 10^th and 11^th grade seasons in high school.

BHS currently sits at 3-6 on the season with a trip to Bradwell this Friday night to close out the regular season.

If Brunswick can win and have Bradwell lose to Glynn and have Richmond Hill lose to Effingham in Springfield then the Pirates get in the playoffs in a down year.

If Effingham loses to Glynn and Richmond Hill, and Bradwell loses to BHS, and Glynn then a tie-breaker scenario kicks in that does not favor BHS.

I saw a disturbing social media post from a guy who does not support the program with his time or money complaining about the defensive coaches over the weekend. That is fine I guess, but it motivated me to write this story because I know the Pirates have quality coaches and players that will turn this around and be contender for a region title in 2019.

Keep in mind, next season with 15 starters will return, BHS plays only one region game away from Glynn County stadium. That game is at Richmond Hill, a place that BHS has never lost. The Pirates also has Coffee and Bartram Trail coming to Glynn County Stadium for non-region games.

Be patient Pirate Fans. The future is bright with this program, regardless of what pot-stirrers say on social media.