Bishop Media Sports Network
Return To Rocky Top For Vols?
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Tennessee is a proud member of the SEC. The Vols are second, only to Alabama, in all-time wins and tied with UGA for second in SEC titles with 13 behind only Alabama.
2019 will mark the end of the worst decade in Tennessee football history. The 2019 Vols will try to avoid a third straight losing season under second year head coach Jeremy Pruitt, who inherited a huge mess to clean up in Knoxville after the Lane Kiffin, Derek Dooley, and Butch Jones experiments went terribly wrong.
Tennessee has not won an SEC title since 1998, and hasn’t played for one since 2007, which was the last time this program won 10 games in a season.
When Pruitt was hired, he told everyone to be patient because it was going to take a few recruiting cycles to get the Vols back into contention with the upper tier of the SEC.
Jeremy Pruitt is a tough hard-nosed football coach that knows the recipe for winning. Will Tennessee give him the time to get the job done? That is the real question.
For the first time in three years, Tennessee heads into the season with the same starting quarterback it had in the opener the previous year with Jarrett Guarantano. Guarantano should make big improvements in 2019. Tennessee has a really good set of wide receivers with Jauan Jennings and Marquez Callaway.
The running game must improve this fall with Ty Chandler, who is the best playmaker on the roster.
The offensive line play was horrible in 2018 and must get better but how with transfers, medical retirements, etc.?
Jim Chaney comes back from Georgia as offensive coordinator and is very well respected in the college football ranks.
Defensively, the Vols look good at safety and have some young talented corners.
Tennessee recruited the JUCO ranks hard for defensive line depth.
This team will be better in 2019 but the won/loss record may not reflect that.
Here are my game by game predictions for Tennessee in 2019.
Aug. 31 | Georgia State | Knoxville: The Vols take care of Georgia State at home 34-17 to go to 1-0 on the season.
Sept. 7 | BYU | Knoxville: The Cougars come to Knox Vegas and get beat by Tennessee 31-27. Vols go to 2-0 on the season.
Sept. 14 | Chattanooga | Knoxville: Vols win easy 41-13 to go to 3-0 on the season.
Sept. 21 | at Florida | Gainesville: The Swamp is not very kind to Tennessee and it won’t be again in 2019. Florida wins 31-20. Tennessee drops to 3-1 and 0-1 in the SEC.
Oct. 5 | Georgia | Knoxville: Dawgs won 41-0 in 2017 at Neyland Stadium. UGA is the most talented team in the SEC East and the team the Vols have to catch up with in recruiting. UGA wears UT down and pulls away for a 38-17 win. Tennessee goes to 3-2 and 0-2.
Oct. 12 | Mississippi State | Knoxville: This is a game UT must win. It will be tough as nails but the Vols get back on track with a 24-20 win. UT goes to 4-2 and 1-2.
Oct. 19 | at Alabama | Tuscaloosa: 12 straight losses to Alabama and have given up 40 points or more in 7 of them. This is another ugly one. Alabama 42-10. 4-3 and 1-3 in SEC.
Oct. 26 | South Carolina | Knoxville: Battle of two pretty much even teams. Give UT the edge at home 21-17. 5-3 and 2-3.
Nov. 2 | UAB | Knoxville: Vols get bowl eligible 38-13. 6-3 on the season.
Nov. 9 | at Kentucky | Lexington: Another tough one on the road. Give me the Cats 27-24. UT goes to 6-4 and 2-4 in SEC
Nov. 23 | at Missouri | Columbia: Tennessee is not winning in COMO. Mizzou wins 41-27. 6-5 and 2-5 in SEC.
Nov. 30 | Vanderbilt | Knoxville: Vandy hasn’t beat Tennessee in four straight games since 1923. Not happening in 2019. Vols get to seven wins with a 35-20 win over Vandy.
Tennessee finishes the regular season at 7-5 and 3-5 in the SEC and probably goes to the Music City Bowl in Nashville.
A winning season to close out the worst decade in Tennessee football history. Will the Vols ever be what they once were again? I hope they make it back. We miss you Big Orange.
Cold October For Braves?
By: Mike Anthony
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
There is still plenty of baseball to be played in the 2019 regular season, but thanks to a torrid June and a good July, the Atlanta Braves have placed themselves in prime position to repeat as the National League East champions.
As the Braves dig in for the dog days of August and the stretch run in September, speculation will run rampant as to how the playoffs will shape up.
And with July 31 marking the annual trade deadline and new league rules prohibiting waiver trades during the month of August, playoff contenders will have only their current MLB roster and farm system (along with any unsigned free agents) to turn to as the pressure ramps up.
Regardless of the moves made in the final hours before the trade deadline, the Braves have built a formidable squad.
Ronald Acuna has progressed nicely from his 2018 Rookie of the Year form and 2019 rookie Austin Riley has proven to be a dangerous bat despite a midseason swoon.
Freddie Freeman continues to perform at near-MVP levels while Ozzie Albies is earning every bit of his new contract and the one-year deal struck with Josh Donaldson over the winter is paying big dividends as the third baseman has shown flashes of what made him a former American League MVP.
Without exception, any pitcher taking the mound against Atlanta’s lineup will have to tread carefully.
Unfortunately, the adage still holds true that good pitching tends to beat good hitting in the playoffs. And – in a scenario that seems to be resembling Braves division title runs from 2013 and last season – it could be the arms that prove to be their undoing.
To be sure, the Braves aren’t a bad pitching team. Mike Soroka has already racked up 10 wins in his rookie campaign, Dallas Keuchel is a solid piece in the rotation and Max Fried is quickly becoming a frontline starter.
Meanwhile, Sean Newcomb has found success in later innings since being dropped from the starting rotation and – all hair-raising Luke Jackson appearances aside – the Atlanta bullpen has been better than general complaints from fans would indicate.
But the problem with previous division title winners in Atlanta has been that their pitching just didn’t quite stack up with the rest of the best in the National League, and that issue could prove true once more.
The class of the National League has been the Los Angeles Dodgers, thanks in no small part to their starting rotation.
The Dodgers’ top three all started games in last year’s playoff series win over Atlanta, with Hyun-Jin Ryu and Clayton Kershaw combining for 15 scoreless innings against a similarly hot-hitting Braves offense.
Conversely, Braves starters combined to throw just 13.1 innings over the four-game series, allowing nine earned runs in the process.
The potential matchups aren’t much better for Atlanta if a team like Washington gets through the wild card round and brings its rotation of Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin to town.
St. Louis is currently making a run to the top of the N.L. Central and – while not boasting top starters – has one of the most dependable bullpens in the league that can shorten up tight postseason games.
None of this is to say that Atlanta can’t win. The Braves have the second-best record in the National League and have proven that they can bash teams into oblivion on any given night.
But baseball purists love to look to the past to figure out what will happen in the future. And in the case of the 2019 Braves, that means that the pitching will have to hit another gear or the bats will need to keep hitting like its summertime for the next three months.
Plain Auburn On The Plains?
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Auburn is a very interesting program. It seems like every 4-5 years they have a great team but in between that, the Tigers are average.
They finished the 2018 season 8-5 and demolished Purdue 63-14 in the Music City Bowl.
They lost star quarterback Jarrett Stidham, he graduated and was drafted by New England in the fourth round.
Gus Malzahn is an offensive coach and the Tigers are supposed to have an explosive offense. He needs a good signal caller for the offense to be at its peak. Malzahn is on the hot seat so it’s going to be crucial for him to pick the right guy.
His overall record is 53-27 and he’s 2-4 in bowl games. His best season was in his first year (2013) and the Tigers won 12 games and played in the national championship. Since then Auburn has hovered around the 8-win mark with the lone exception of the 2017 season (10 wins).
There are two true freshmen that will see significant playing time. Bo Nix is a five star recruit and he was the No.1 dual-threat QB in the nation. The newcomer at quarterback broke numerous records while leading Pinson Valley High to back-to-back state titles with his father, Auburn legend Patrick Nix as the head coach.
He had more than 12,000 total yards of offense in his career and recorded 161 total touchdowns, including 127 scores through the air. He earned practically every in-state award you can imagine including the state of Alabama’s Mr. Football.
Joey Gatewood is also competing for the starting quarterback spot. He’s a 4 star recruit and the top ranked athlete in the country.
Gatewood is taller at 6-foot-5 and 233 pounds. He also draws comparisons to Auburn legend Cam Newton from his own teammates at Auburn, which he doesn’t much like to hear, by the way.
Gatewood arrived at Auburn with incredible numbers from high school, even though he shared playing time at Bartram Trail in St. Augustine, Florida as a senior.
He still managed to pass for 1,468 yards and 12 touchdowns while also running for 1,100 yards and 16 touchdowns. He split reps with Riley Smith, who went on to sign with Boise State. They rotated series evenly, and the coaches never deviated from that plan, even when one quarterback may have been playing better than the other during the game.
The season kicks off August 31st against Oregon at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys. The Ducks were 9-4 in 2018 and they are led by talented senior quarterback Justin Herbert. I give the edge to Oregon.
The next two games are home against Tulane and Kent State. Both are easy wins.
The first conference game is September 21st on the road at Texas A&M. I think the Aggies win this one.
They play Mississippi State at home the following week and beat the Bulldogs.
The next three games are all on the road against Florida, Arkansas and LSU. The game I fully expect them to win is Arkansas. Florida will beat Auburn. I think the LSU game will be close. They return quarterback Joe Burrow so I give the edge to the purple and gold Tigers.
They return home versus Ole Miss and that’s a win.
After a bye week, Georgia comes to town. UGA wins this game.
The SEC plays scrimmage games before the season finale and Auburn’s opponent is an FCS team, Samford. This is an easy win.
The final game is against their bitter rival and SEC bully, Alabama. The Crimson Tide will win.
This will be a tough season.
Coach Killer?
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
When was the last time you heard an offensive lineman referred to as a “Coach Killer”? Better yet, have you ever heard of any lineman be referred to in that way?
In most cases, that moniker is reserved for the quarterback because when it comes to the NFL the quarterback is the rock star and most everyone else is just “in the band”.
Now, sometimes your franchise gets lucky and you find an Eddie Vedde leading your squad; others times you get stuck with Scott Stapp.
While I don’t think James Winston has fallen to the dollar bin ranks on the former Creed singer, he’s well on his way.
And as much as he is walking that fine line between being a relevant starting NFL quarterback and a bust, he is also becoming dangerously close to becoming the aforementioned coach killer.
Coach number one was Lovie Smith, who lasted all of one season before being replaced by Dirk Koetter.
Now, I’m not saying Winston was the reason Smith was let go, but I have to imagine he was at least consulted in the decision, especially since it was apparently made due to his relationship with Koetter. I find it hard to believe that if Winston wanted Lovie to be around that a change would’ve been made.
By the time Koetter was let go after last season Winston had long lost any pull he might have had with the organization. But, when you get a coaching gig the way Koetter did, your tenure is pretty much based on the performance of your quarterback.
Which leads us to Bruce Arians, the Buccaneers current coach. Arians is known as a player’s coach and someone who gets the most out of his quarterbacks, hence the reason he’s in Tampa.
No matter what anyone says, or how many years are on his contract, Arians was brought in for one reason; to turn Jameis Winston around and to do it this year.
The likelihood of Tampa having a successful season in spite of Winston is highly unlikely, which would more than likely lead to the Buccaneers parting ways with the former number one overall pick.
If that were to happen Tampa would be starting over again at quarterback. I could see the organization sticking with Arians to mold a new quarterback, but does anyone really see him coaching more than 3-4 years?
If things were to play out that way Tampa would be changing coaches just as their new quarterback would theoretically be entering his prime- not exactly the ideal situation for a franchise to be in.
Wouldn’t it make more sense then to just hire a new head coach from the outset; one who would grow with the new qb, much like the Bucs originally intended with Winston and Smith? (Brining in a new GM probably wouldn’t be a bad idea either, if I’m being honest.)
All this has nothing to do with Arians and his ability to coach, or whether he’s a good fit for Tampa. It’s all about the Buccaneers trying one last ditch effort to get Winston to become the quarterback they’ve always believed he would be. I mean why else bring Arians in and not separate themselves from Winston; there were a myriad of reasons that would’ve justified parting ways with him, both on the field and off it.
So, now Winston’s future (and reputation) rides on the back of Bruce Arians. Here’s hoping his new coach has a little Rick Rubin magic in him.
Camden On The Hunt…Again
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Camden Head Football Coach Bob Sphire enters year three and should start seeing big results from the massive rebuild he started in 2017.
Camden made big strides in year two and have the makings for a fantastic 2019 football season. Look for the Cats to make some noise in Georgia’s highest classification this fall. This is a very good football team folks.
Regular season schedule and my predictions:
08/23 at West Forsyth: Long bus ride for the Cats against a playoff team from last year. Camden won at home last year and they get off to a great start with a 24-17 win over the Wolverines.
08/30 at Wren (Piedmont, SC): Camden plays Wren again in Macon at Mercer University. Camden fell to Wren 25-14 last year, but something tells me that scoreboard will read a little differently this year. The Cats get some redemption by beating Wren 28-17 to go to 2-0 on the season.
09/06 vs Locust Grove: In the home opener for Camden you have Locust Grove rolling in and rolling out with a 35-7 beating. The Cats go to 3-0 on the season.
09/13 vs Richmond Hill: Richmond Hill travels to Chris Gilman Stadium trying to find some offense after losing most of it to graduation. The problem is the offense that graduated only scored 6 on Camden in 2018.
Camden beats down a team that will probably be in their region once the State reclassifies next season. Camden 38-7 to go to 4-0 on the season.
09/20 vs Brunswick: Brunswick High Head Coach, Sean Pender tells me that Camden County is the best team on the Brunswick schedule and that spells trouble for the Pirates. The Cats roll the Pirates 38-20 to go 5-0 on the season.
10/04 at Glynn Academy: The undefeated Cats play the undefeated Terrors at Glynn County Stadium in what should be a great game. Camden will pull out a 24-21 win to go to 6-0 on the season.
10/11 at Colleton County (Walterboro, SC): This one could get ugly in a hurry. Cats win 49-7 to go to 7-0 on the season.
10/18 vs Colquitt County: This will be the biggest home football game in Kingsland in years. The region opener and Colquitt coming in with a new staff, but with top talent.
Could the Cats make a statement here? I think they do and pull out a 24-20 win to go to 8-0 and send a message around the state.
10/25 vs Lowndes: The Vikings roll in for another huge home game for Camden. The Cats go to 2-0 in the region with a hard fought 21-17 win over Lowndes to go to 9-0 and 2-0 in the region.
11/08 at Tift County: The Cats are sky high coming off back to back huge wins at home, and run into a Blue Devil team that has beaten Lowndes and lost to Colquitt in region play.
The Cats fall in a classic 38-34 to go 9-1 and 2-1 in the region. Tift gets great news from Martin Stadium as Lowndes beats Colquitt and Tift wins region championship.
Region 1-AAAAAAA Standings:
Tift: 2-1
Camden: 2-1
Lowndes: 1-2
Colquitt: 1-2
Camden goes 9-1 and finishes with a number #2 playoff seed from region 1.
Opposing Coach View on Camden: “They were down when Bob took that job. Really down. You saw the signs last year that they were starting to get back to being Camden County again.
They have some talent on that football team. Will they get back to what they used to be just a few years ago? I believe they will and are on the right track.
Who will their QB be? They are pretty set everywhere else. I think they have as good of a shot as anyone in their region. They had Lowndes on the ropes at their place last year.
Colquitt has a new coaching staff, and Tift as an at large made it to the third-round last year. They have Colquitt and Lowndes at home. The game at Tift could be for the region championship don’t shake your head because that region is really good and right now with the Colquitt scenario pretty much up for grabs.
Bob is a very good coach and he is in a place where he can win big with the talent pool and resources available.”
Ware Chomping For 2019
By: Mike Anthony
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
From 2012-2016, Ware County underwent its best stretch in school history.
During that span, the Gators won four region championships in five seasons and reached a state title game to go along with a semifinal appearance and two trips to the state quarterfinals.
Ware County has remained solid, but the past two years have seen a bit of a tail off. The Gators are hoping that some new coaching blood brings a shot in the arm to the program as Jason Strickland has now set up shop in Waycross.
Strickland’s resume is an impressive one and one that many in South Georgia are already quite familiar with.
Prior to taking the Gators’ head job Strickland notched winning records at Lamar County, Fitzgerald and Pierce County.
He coached four region champions – including at least one at each of his stops – and his next win will be the 100th of his career against just 39 losses to date.
He will inherit a Gator squad that went 8-4 with a second-place finish in Region 2-AAAAA last season.
Ware County took care of everyone it was supposed to, but dropped games to state powers Coffee and Lowndes before falling to Wayne County in the regular season finale to finish second to the Yellow Jackets in region play for a second straight season.
Last year’s Gator squad overachieved with a young roster, meaning that big expectations await this fall.
As far as returning talent goes, Ware County couldn’t ask for more than seeing Thomas Castellanos back in action. Castellanos was a tour de force in his freshman year, winning the starting quarterback job and tossing 11 touchdowns to just five interceptions.
He also led the team with over 800 yards of rushing and even got in on the other end of the passing game, going for 52 yards and a touchdown on his lone reception of the season.
Castellanos will be breaking in a new receiving corps as his top three pass-catchers have departed, but that could be alleviated by an increased emphasis on the ground game. In addition to Castellanos’ ability to run, the Gators return three others who rushed for at least 280 yards in 2018.
Five of the Gators’ top seven tacklers from last year will return to their starting positions and at least one large chunk of the Ware secondary will remain a no-fly zone as Kevin Weatherspoon returns to his safety spot after hauling in five interceptions to go along with six pass deflections and 46 total tackles from a year ago.
Ware County will kick off its season by hosting Rockledge High School out of central Florida. Rematches with larger classification schools Coffee and Lowndes are back on tap and Region 2-AAAAA could easily come down to the final night of the season once again as the Gators play host to Wayne County on Nov. 8.
The Jesup Buzz
By: Mike Anthony
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
For the last two seasons, Wayne County has been the undisputed cream of the Region 2-AAAAA crop.
During that span, the Yellow Jackets have rattled off consecutive region championships with unbeaten marks in region play, as well as a 10-0 regular season campaign last fall and a pair of trips to the second round of the state playoffs.
Some tough losses to graduation and a quartet of region rivals that all appear to be on the upswing will make a region three-peat a tall order, but there’s every reason to count Wayne County as a favorite yet again until another school can prove otherwise.
At the helm for each of the last two seasons has been Ken Cribb, who has done an outstanding job of building the Jackets into a region power when things could have easily gone in a different direction.
The Yellow Jackets reached the state semifinals in 2013 and won a region title in 2014 under Jody Grooms, but the program was thrown into flux when Grooms was charged with theft in 2016. After a year under an interim coach, Cribb took over and immediately found success.
Cribb now faces the challenge of replacing many of the players who have paved the way to success recently. Six starters depart from a defense that was mostly good in 2018, but gave up its share of points.
They’ll be tested early and often as tough non-region games against Richmond Hill and Glynn Academy pop up in the first month.
Offensively, the Jackets can rest a bit easier as dual-threat quarterback Shamar Taylor returns for his senior season. Taylor threw for 1,689 yards and 12 touchdowns last fall while rushing for 247 yards and three more touchdowns.
However, Taylor will have to once again be a star as there is plenty of production left to fill in around him.
Running back and 1,000-yard rusher M.J. Fuller is gone from 2018 and Kaliz Hadley is the only Jacket other than Taylor with more than 200 rushing yards back on the roster in 2019.
Primary receiving target Ashby Cribb (60 catches, 748 yards, 5 TD last season) is also gone, leaving Hadley and Trevin Wallace as the only returners to put up considerable receiving numbers last year.
It will be hard for the Yellow Jackets to duplicate the 32.7 points per game that they averaged during the 2018 regular season, but if new faces are able to step up there should still be plenty of scoring in Jesup.
SEC Heated Seats
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
In most years, after a season ends there is some turnover within the coaching fraternity.
I say “most” because after last year’s college football season, for the first time since back when Disney Animation used to turn other people’s stories into movies instead of just “reimagining” their own, the SEC did not have any turnover at the head coaching position.
I know this season hasn’t even started yet, but I feel it’s safe to assume there won’t be a repeat this time around.
Below are all the SEC coaches and the likelihood I think they’ll be coaching somewhere else following this upcoming season.
Commit a felony before they’re fired: Nick Saban, Kirby Smart, Dan Mullen, Jimbo Fisher.
In Saban’s case, I’m not even sure committing a felony would get him fired. In fact, I feel pretty sure if that ever happened at least a dozen Crimson Tide fans would plead guilty to whatever the charge was, and then probably be given a key to the city.
As for the other three, they’re not going anywhere, and nor should they be.
The car has a heated seat, but it’s summer time, so there’s no reason to turn it on: Ed Orgeron, Jeremy Pruitt, Mark Stoops, Joe Moorhead.
Short of some kind of national scandal I don’t think either of these four have much to worry about it.
LSU loves Orgeron, Pruitt is only in his second year, Stoops just lead Kentucky to arguably their most successful season in the program’s history, and Moorhead followed the most successful coach at MSU with a decent season of his own.
I’m not saying it can’t happen to either of these three, it’s just not likely.
Phew, is it normally this hot in November: Will Muschamp, Barry Odom, Matt Luke, Derek Mason.
There always seems to be that one coach that is relieved of his or her job that catches people off guard; all four of these could be that coach this year.
Muschamp and Odom are almost mirror images of each other since taking over USC and Missouri, respectively.
A third-place finish or better for either will save a job; a fourth-place finish or below and the football gods won’t be quite so kind.
Luke has done a good job bringing some semblance of respectability to Ole Miss, but is he the long-term answer? At what point do you make that change?
I think Mason is a good coach, but would you really be surprised if he’s gone after another 6-7 season. At some point Vanderbilt has to get tired of the “good, for Vanderbilt” moniker, right?
Does Two Men And A Truck have any trucks available to rent this Christmas: Chad Morris, Gus Malzahn.
Obviously, the name that stands out is Malzahn. I’m sorry, but unless Auburn were to win the West (I don’t think so) or only lose to Alabama I just don’t see Gus making it to next season. I know people like to say “you get what you pay for”, but ask Auburn how they feel about that right now.
As for Morris, Arkansas is coming off their worst season in program history and this season doesn’t look to be much better. Sometimes you’ve just got to cut your losses.
If last season was a fairytale ending you can expect the end of this season to resemble that of a John Wick movie; there won’t be a lack of carnage.
Back To Back?
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Let me go on record and say I have always respected Frederica Academy Head Football coach Brandon Derrick for his coaching abilities, but I have a new found respect for the man because he is an educator of young people to prepare them for life.
The man teaches 5 classes a day and I’m not talking PE classes, I’m talking college prep World History and Government courses on top of his role as head football coach.
The man’s plate is full and he has a passion for developing young people which is evident when you talk to him.
As for the 2019 football season the defending state champs have some big shoes to fill with departures.
But the coach says “I feel pretty good about the experience we have returning this fall. We played a lot of kids last year and we’ll be solid on the lines of scrimmage, running back and linebacker. We have Denver Anthony, Deke Jernigan, who are really good players coming back and we just need to stay consistent because we know what it takes to win and that is an intangible that mentally we have over other programs”.
Schedule/My Predictions:
08/23 at Charlton County: The Knights let the Indians off the hook on St. Simons last fall. Charlton has a new head coach. I have said all off season that I didn’t think Frederica would go down to Folkston and win. I have changed my mind Frederica beats Charlton 21-20 to go 1-0 on the season.
08/30 at Valwood: Frederica continues the brutal road slate with a trip to Valdosta to play a loaded Valwood team that has stocked the roster with Valdosta and Lowndes players that entered the transfer portal.
I think you get my drift here. This will be a tall task for the Knights and they fall early in the season 34-22 to Valwood to go 1-1 on the season. These teams will probably meet up again in the GISA State Playoffs.
09/06 vs Tiftarea Academy: The Panthers, a final four team in 2018, roll into St. Simons probably ranked in the top 5 in State.
The opening three games are brutal for the Knights. Frederica wins their home opener 28-24 to end this brutal opening stretch 2-1.
09/13 at Bethlehem Christian Academy: The Knights hung 62 on Bethlehem last season and will hang 50 on them in 2019. Knights 52-12 to go to 3-1 on the season.
09/20 vs Augusta Prep Day: Frederica dominates Augusta Prep 49-7 to go to 4-1 on the season.
10/04 vs Pinewood Christian: Will Pinewood be much improved in 2019? Maybe, but not that much improved. Frederica rolls 35-20 to go to 5-1 on the season.
10/11 at Westfield: This trip to Perry worries me for the Knights. Westfield is said to be improved in 2019. Westfield was a playoff team last season. Knights pull out a win late 24-21 to go to 6-1 on the season and 2-0 in the region.
10/18 at Trinity Christian: Trap game in Dublin for the Knights. The Crusaders went 7-5 in 2018. Frederica can’t get caught looking ahead to JMA and Bulloch. Frederica struggles, but wins an ugly 14-7 to go to 7-1 and set up a region title showdown with Bulloch Academy in two weeks.
11/01 at John Milledge Academy: Knights travel for the third straight week to Milledgeville to play the team many are picking to win the State Title in 2019.
The Knights blew out John Milledge for the title in 2018. JMA handles the Knights 28-21. Frederica drops to 7-2 on the season.
11/08 vs Bulloch Academy: Rivalry game. An angry set of Knights coming off a tough loss rebound and handle Bulloch Academy easy 31-10.
Not much love between Frederica and Bulloch Academy. Frederica wins another region championship and finishes 8-2 on the season.
Opposing Team view on Frederica: “I thought the Anthony kid was the best player on the field when we played them last year. They flat out put one on us, and we have them circled this year.
Brandon has done a fantastic job there, but I wonder about their feeder system and how long they can keep that thing going over there.
They won a State Championship last year and you have to think they will take a step back this year. That road schedule is brutal.
They will be battle tested and will be a tough out in the playoffs because of the winning culture they have there. This is one of the better GISA programs in the state. They have tremendous financial support there.”
Barring key injuries this team can make another deep playoff run.
Return To Glory In 2019?
By: Mike Anthony
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
For a program with one of the most storied traditions in all of Georgia high school football, the last handful of seasons have been some to forget for Statesboro High.
From 1999-2013, the Blue Devils posted a winning mark every year, while racking up six region titles and two of the school’s five state championships. That all came to a drastic halt in 2014, as the team posted consecutive 2-8 seasons before bottoming out during a winless 2016.
Jeff Kaiser took the reins of the program in 2017 and has been slow but steady in the rebuilding project. Last season marked a big milestone for the Devils as – despite a 4-6 record in the regular season – they were able to clinch a spot in the state playoffs for the first time since 2013.
But for a program with awards and banners dominating most of the school’s trophy case, simply being competitive again isn’t good enough. And the 2019 Blue Devils know that there is much more work to be done.
While Statesboro has moved away from its former identity of a wishbone offense that runs 95 percent of the time and tries to overpower each opponent, the ability to move the ball on the ground is still central to the team’s success.
After years of battling turnover and inexperience in the backfield, Statesboro has plenty to feel confident about in its running game this season. Jaylon Roberson emerged as a star running back two seasons ago, but was pressed into emergency quarterback duty for the final half of the season. He resumed his stellar rushing career last year and will be featured heavily in his senior season.
Roberson was the only runner locked into a starting role at the beginning of 2018, but will be joined this season by fellow seniors Devardrion Lipsey and Corey McCullough.
It was Lipsey’s ability to find the corner and McCullough’s bruising inside running that created a more balanced – and more dangerous – SHS rushing attack by the end of 2018.
Calling the shots under center for a second straight year will be Drake Horton, although the senior quarterback will be without his top two wide receivers from last season.
The SHS defense carried the team early on in 2018, but a tough schedule and mounting injuries kept it from being as effective in the second half of the season.
The Devils return the teeth of what was a very good defensive secondary last season. Graduation claimed some of the front seven, but senior defensive linemen Dake Williams and Xavier Lee figure to hold up the front while experience is gained through the rest of the defensive depth chart.
Statesboro once again finds itself in a five-team region, meaning that the last month will consist of all of its region games for an all-out sprint to state playoff eligibility.
Wayne and Ware County once again figure to be the powers in the region, with Statesboro looking to repeat last year’s victories over South Effingham and New Hampstead for a repeat trip to the postseason.
