Bishop Media Sports Network
Glynn’s Season Ends
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The 2016 campaign for the Glynn Academy Red Terrors ended at the hands of the Northside Warner Robins Eagles, 42-20.
In my opinion, this was not a game that Northside won, but instead a game that Glynn beat themselves. The Terrors turned the ball over four times and the Eagles put up 21 points off of those four turnovers.
Typically, Glynn has been the team forcing the turnovers all season long. It was just not their night.
The Red Terrors went to the half trailing 28-7 and came out in third quarter and scored a TD, giving the Glynn faithful some hope for a comeback. Don’t forget the Terrors came back from a 24-7 deficit last season in the Elite 8 against Stockbridge to advance to the Final Four. The turning point in that game was the Terrors’ goal line stand late in the 3rd quarter which turned the game on its head. That stand will forever be known in Glynn lore as the ‘Stand in Stockbridge”.
However, the Red Terrors would have no such come back against the Eagles. Northside’s defense proved to be just as fast as Glynn’s offense and made it tough on Glynn’s offense all night. The Terrors did actually end up with more yards in the game than the Eagles, but when you turn the ball over four times and once on downs it makes it really tough to win a football game.
After the Terrors scored a late touchdown to make the score 35-20 it looked like there was still some hope for a miraculous comeback. However, Northside scored on an onside kick attempt to push the lead back out to three scores and the Terrors season would end shortly after.
Northside Warner Robins has proven to be quite the thorn in the Red Terrors side as they have now knocked Glynn out of the playoffs 3 of the last 5 years. The Eagles beat the Terrors in 2011 in the first round, then again in 2014 in the Elite 8 and then again, this season in the Elite 8.
The last time the Eagles beat Glynn it was en route to state title. Northside is hoping history repeats itself. The Eagles will play Tucker in the semifinals.
As for the Red Terrors, this most recent run marks the 3rd consecutive year they have made the Elite 8 and the second straight region title for Glynn.
Though, the season is over there was much to be proud of for the Red Terrors.
Looking ahead to 2017 the region will still be the same with BHS, Richmond Hill, Effingham, and Bradwell. The Terrors will be favored to bring home a 3rd straight region title.
I also think it is fitting to say farewell to DeeJay Dallas, I have covered high school football in every corner of this great state for almost 15 years and I have never seen a player more talented at the high school level than DeeJay Dallas. Glynn will miss him but will have a more than capable Randon Jernigan to take the reins next season.
Congrats on a great season Red Terrors.
Former BHS Pirate Darius Slay Makes Big Play For Lions
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Former Brunswick High Pirate Darius Slay had quite a Thanksgiving as he led the first place Detroit Lions to another comeback victory over the Minnesota Vikings yesterday to keep the Lions moving towards a playoff berth.
The interception with 30 seconds left in the game set up a Matt Prater 38 yard field goal that gave the surging Lions its sixth win in last seven games.
This Lions team without Slay would probably have at least two more losses on the season as Slay’s late game heroics also sealed a win against the Eagles earlier this year. The season sweep over the Vikings now gives the Lions basically a two game lead in the NFC North Division.
Nothing I see out of Darius Slay ever surprises me. He is quite frankly the most gifted athlete I have ever seen walk the halls at Brunswick High School. His 4.3 speed and ball hawking skills make him a super athlete and well worth with the $50 million extension he signed before the season.
Coming off the hamstring injury that caused him to miss two games, Slay seemed to struggle a bit against the Jaguars last Sunday. He more than made up for that yesterday, as he continues to play a big role on a Lion defense that just rises to the occasion when it needs to.
He made a great play in the first quarter that forced an interception that was flagged for a bogus pass interference call, and just seemed to be on top of every snap that went in his direction.
The Vikings appeared to pick up a third-down conversion with less than a minute left, but Cordarrele Patterson lined up illegally on the play. After the illegal formation penalty, Slay picked off Bradford, who the Vikings traded a first-round pick for right before the season started.
The Lions’ schedule isn’t easy the rest of the way. They still have road games left at the New Orleans Saints, New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys. But now they have a margin for error. They lead the Vikings by a game and have the tiebreaker. They have a two-and-a-half game lead over the third-place Green Bay Packers. It’s their division to lose now.
Since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, the Lions have just three division titles: 1983, 1991 and 1993. Slay’s big play yesterday keeps the Lions on track to win a division title for the first time in 23 years. Yes 23 years which happens to be Big Play Slay’s number.
Nobody picked these Lions to be special this year. Heck, they have not won a championship in almost 60 years, but little did I know that a former BHS Pirate would be their lock down pro bowl type CB.
When Slay jumped that route yesterday I sprang to my feet and yelled “that’s a Pirate who made that play”.
Slay even gave a shout out to the Glynn Academy Red Terrors in his post game interview on the field just after the game. That is hometown pride from a home town hero.
SSE Minute November 22
Georgia Bulldogs versus Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Preview
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
This is a bittersweet time in college football. We’re down to the final week of the regular season. The highlight of this is the many in state rivalry games. We get match ups like Alabama vs. Auburn, Clemson vs. South Carolina, Florida vs. Florida State, USC vs. UCLA and Washington vs. Washington State.
You see where I’m going with this. These games might not decide a spot in the playoffs but they are for bragging rights for the next 364 days. My favorite game is Georgia versus Georgia Tech. This game is called Clean, Old Fashioned Hate for a reason. They first played in 1893 making it one of the oldest rivalries in the country.
This has been a very one-sided rivalry especially as of late. Since the year 2000 UGA is 13-3 against Tech. Paul Johnson is only 2-6 in the series after becoming the Yellow Jackets head coach in December 2007. I think his record is something to keep in mind depending on the outcome of this game.
Georgia Tech (7-4) has had a decent season but it’s a drastic improvement over last year when they finished 3-9. They’re led by senior quarterback Justin Thomas. He’s very good at running the spread option offense that Coach Paul Johnson is known for.
Thomas has over 550 rushing yards and averages 4.6 yards per carry. They don’t pass often but when they do Thomas normally takes long shots down the field. He only averages 6.7 completions per game and he has close to 1,300 passing yards.
Georgia (7-4) is experiencing some growing pains under first year head coach Kirby Smart. They got rid of their most successful coach since the Vince Dooley era last year for not winning enough big games. Smart has to be feeling some pressure especially knowing that it’s tough to reach the unrealistic expectations of the UGA fan base.
The Bulldogs are led by true freshman quarterback Jacob Eason. He was Gatorade Football Player of the Year in 2015. His father Tony was an NFL quarterback that also played in a Super Bowl so he seems to have the pedigree for a successful career. He’s only completing 55% of his passes with 13 touchdowns to 6 interceptions. He’s going through growing pains now but the experience he’s getting should pay off next season.
We tell our kids all the time: You’re remembered by what your senior class does and what your record is against Georgia Tech. So I think the same case as any rivalry. You’ve got to keep it within the grasp of your emotions. You play with emotion, but you’ve got to play with controlled emotion. You’ve got to make good decisions on the field. You’ve got to prepare well,” Smart said.
Neither team is ranked but I expect this to be one of the best rivalry games this weekend. Both teams are already bowl eligible but the winner can possibly have a nine-win season with a win in this game and the bowl game. That will provide a lot of momentum going into the offseason.
They play in Athens at noon Saturday. I think being at home is a big advantage for Georgia. They also have superior talent to Georgia Tech so I expect them to win. Georgia is having a down year so if Georgia Tech still can’t win this game they should look at changing coaches immediately.
Glynn Show November 20
Ryan Tannehill Worth Miami Dolphins Money
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Last summer I wrote a piece revolving around the contract extensions given to Cam Newton and Ryan Tannehill, focusing more on the Dolphins and how they really didn’t have a choice considering there weren’t a lot of alternatives for them to choose from.
I still stand by my opinion at the time I wrote it, but much like the dumbbells I own collecting dust underneath my bed, amongst my wife’s photo albums and lord knows what else, I wonder if Miami is starting to have buyer’s remorse?
What started out as a disastrous beginning to the season for Miami (1-4) has turned around somewhat of late. Their offensive line has been playing better, opening up some nice running lanes for Jay Ajayi, who has become one of the league’s leading rushers. Their defense is finally starting to live up to the exceedingly high expectations they were burdened with to start the season, and they are right in the middle of the playoff hunt.
I really want to jump on the Dolphins’ bandwagon and believe that not only will they make the playoffs, but make a run at New England once they get there. I have confidence in the ground game and feel better about their defense with every passing week, but I just can’t bring myself to jump aboard. Mainly, because of Tannehill.
It’s not that I think Tannehill is a horrible quarterback or anything, I just don’t have a lot of confidence in him. I mean, I like the fact I can buy a large cheese pizza from Little Caesar’s for $5. However, don’t confuse my enthusiasm that for so little money I can feed my kids and myself for a night while my wife is out with the fact that I’m actually going to enjoy that pizza. No matter how much I enjoy saving the money it’s not something I want to do with any type of regularity.
To be completely fair and honest though, I must admit my prognostications over the past two months have been anything but stellar. Seriously, take a look and you’ll see a losing streak that should put me on every bookie’s Christmas card list. So, don’t be surprised at all if Tannehill all of a sudden becomes the second coming of Dan Marino.
If you’re a Miami fan, you’d better hope that happens because you don’t have a plethora of other options, if it doesn’t.
Because Tannehill makes so much money it will be extremely difficult to find a trade partner if management decides they want to move him. And you can’t cut him since his release would end in what I would assume to be a huge salary cap hit. For better or worse, he is the Dolphins quarterback over the next few years.
I’m not saying Miami is anywhere near making such a drastic decision like either of those two options would be. But if you feel like you have a team that can make a playoff run (they do), and your quarterback may be the reason you are hesitant to look too far into it (he probably is), you’d like to have a little bit of flexibility, if needed.
Tannehill seems to have all the attributes that you look for in your starting quarterback, but for whatever reason just can’t put it all together on a consistent basis. If Miami is going to make a run at the playoffs they’ll need him to prove me wrong. If the past few months have taught me anything, my money is on Tannehill.
Glynn Academy Terrors Beat Allatoona Buccaneers
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The rematch of last year’s state title game took place in the second round of the GHSA 6A playoffs.
The Allatoona Buccaneers, who beat the Glynn Academy Red Terrors last season in the Georgia Dome 10-6, took the five-hour trip from Acworth to Glynn County Stadium.
Most felt the Terrors were the better team this time around by far. However, the Bucs took the opening drive of the game right down the field and put themselves in field goal range. Allatoona lined up for the kick and that kick sailed left and no good. The game was over at that point.
Glynn opened up on offense and scored on a 47-yard TD pass by DeeJay Dallas to Quandre Mosely; a thing of beauty
By the half the Terrors had built a 20-0 advantage, which included a double pass for a touchdown; another thing of beauty. Dallas threw to Randon Jernigan behind the line of scrimmage and then went out a few yards for Jernigan to make a pass back across field to him. When Dallas caught the pass he had a convoy of blockers which lead him to the end zone for a 58-yard score.
Allatoona came out in the second half hoping to right the ship and get back into the game. Instead Glynn scored the first TD of the second half to give themselves a 27-0 lead. The Buccaneers then threw an interception on the ensuing possession and the Red Terrors punched that into the end zone and just like that it was 34-0 and at that point any hopes of a second half rally by Allatoona had ended.
Glynn had a 40-0 lead heading into the 4th quarter, which meant the defending state champs would be on a running clock in the 4th quarter; GHSA’s version of the mercy rule.
The Red Terrors had won 47-7 when the clock read 0:00 and eliminated the defending state champions.
Next up for Glynn Academy will the Northside Warner Robins Eagles, who are a perennial power house. As a matter fact, just two short years ago Northside won the state title and beat Glynn Academy in the Elite 8 on their way to the Georgia Dome.
The Eagles have beaten Grovetown and Langston Hughes to get to this point in the playoffs. Northside Warner Robins comes in with a 10-2 record and are no stranger to winning playoff games on the road, which they will have to do to advance against Glynn as the Terrors are the higher seed and will be at home in the friendly confines of Glynn County Stadium. Glynn Academy is undefeated at home this season.
It will be a great game. In my opinion, the winner of that game will be the team the limits the running game of the opposing offense the most as both teams are heavily run oriented teams.
The Game November 19
SSE Minute November 19
Georgia Bulldogs own Auburn Tigers
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
When Kirby Smart sits down with his CPA to do his 2016 taxes he and Mark Richt will share a lot in common, as Kirby will list Auburn as a dependent on his tax return.
The UGA ownership of Auburn continues as the Dawgs won for the 9th time in last 11 meetings with the Tigers with the 13-7 win at Sanford Stadium. Things were so rough for the Tigers that they could not even muster a first down in the second half. This is an offense that averages 300 rushing yards per game, but the UGA defense held them to under 200 yards of total offense for the entire game.
UGA has AU’s number in football right now. I was watching the game and I was amazed at how atrocious the Auburn play calling was in the second half of the contest.
Even the SEC officiating crew tried to give the game to Auburn with horrible calls to ensure an Iron Bowl in two weeks for the SEC West title and Auburn just did not want to take it.
How many times in the second half on 3rd and 2 did Auburn throw the football? When was the last time UGA won a football game without scoring an offensive touchdown?
Georgia salvaged its season with a win over Auburn. How many times have we repeated that statement over the past 16 years?
The oldest rivalry game in the South is one sided at the moment and Gus Malzahn is now 1-3 with three straight defeats at the hands of UGA. Auburn plays UGA like UGA plays Florida in Jacksonville and that is not aggressive and playing not to lose which is usually a recipe for long losing streaks in rivalry games.
It was UGA’s first win over a top ten team since 2014 which by the way was Auburn. By now you are getting the ownership theme right?
This was Kirby Smart’s signature win in what has been a rough year 1 at the helm in Athens. Now Smart must continue to recruit offensive lineman and play-makers in space.
Riley Ridley is turning into a game changer in Athens. UGA is a few pieces away from having a super offense to compliment the talents of Jacob Eason who is starting to look very sharp at QB.
The defense is starting to develop into a good unit. Rod Blankenship looks like Adam Vinatieri, and the Clark Kent glasses are the talk of the Classic City.
If this UGA team can finish 9-4 with a Bowl win and Kirby pulls in this monster class he is assembling then year two could be a treat to watch next fall. Kudos to the crowd for the electric atmosphere as well with a who’s who list of recruits in attendance.
Back to Auburn, how do the Tigers seem to lay an egg in this game annually now? So much of their success depends on recruiting athletes from Georgia as Alabama and Nick Saban own the entire State of Alabama. Is Gus on the hot seat again?
The only thing separating Auburn from 11 straight losses to UGA is being the highest bidder for Cam Newton and a tipped fluke pass in 2013.
Where is Pat Dye when you need him? Coach Dye would not be having this. As for Kirby, he gets a little extra back from the government next year having Auburn as an additional dependent.
The Smart family will be chanting “War Damn Eagle” next year on their family vacation.
Great feeling it is to own Auburn, and to hear the excuses associated with it.
