By: Kipp Branch

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

It is only May but football is in the air.

I went out and observed the Brunswick High Blue and Gold game this past week and here are my 15 instant observations:

1)Brunswick will run the football on anyone they line up against this fall.

The running game looked special in the game. Kobe Hill, Ree Simmons, and Leon Charlton are a special group of running backs.

2)Jayden Drayton has a burst that I haven’t seen in a while on Altama Avenue.

Drayton played QB, WR, DB, and returned punts yesterday. This kid has the “It” factor and a different kind of football speed you don’t see a lot these days on the high school level.

3)Kobe Hill is back to 100%. Hill sprained his knee in the season opener last season, and just didn’t have his normal speed last year as he recovered.

Hill had a couple of TDs in the game, with one being a long TD run off of a screen pass where he ran away from a fast secondary. Chuckobe Hill is back folks.

4)Brunswick’s offensive line looked very good. LT Kanaya Charlton is a big-time player and Charlton and RT Jamal Meriweather look like human skyscrapers. This offensive line is huge folks.

5)Brunswick has size and depth on the defensive line. Kashawn Thomas should have a big season this fall.

Defensive line looked good at times. Defensive front put good pressure on the QB most of the day.

6)Leon Charlton has slimmed down and has gained some quickness. For some reason I feel like this kid is going to have a very good season this fall. Hill and Simmons get the headlines at RB, but there is just something about this kid. He makes plays.

7)Deep passing game struggled. It was very windy and some balls were overthrown. Short passing game and screen package looked good.

8)Jeffery Waye looked like an experienced QB yesterday. I see a lot of potential at the QB position.

Sutton Ellis led a couple of scoring drives, and Jayden Drayton looked good running the ball out of the QB position.

9)There is a lot of speed and depth in the BHS secondary. I like what I see on the backend of this defense.

10)There is talent at LB, but I want to see more consistent play from the group. BHS lost a ton of experience in this group to graduation. Size, speed, and numbers are there just need more consistency.

11)Kicking game could be a strength. Anthony Elvine boomed a couple of punts with the wind at his back. McClain Fineran looked solid on extra points.

12)BHS has some tall kids at WR. I like Kevin Thomas. He has bulked up and can run. Look for him to have a solid season.

13)Game was well attended. There seems to be a buzz about this team. You can sort of feel it in the air.

14)Don’t be surprised if BHS plays 2 QB’s this fall, and don’t be surprised if Sean Pender rotates them in and out on every play like Steve Spurrier did some while he was at Florida.

15)Long snapping is a big concern.

Sean Pender told me after the game that he thought BHS could have played a lot better especially in the passing game, but said we’ll fix that over the summer.

Personally, I thought they looked good. My blood runs Blue and Gold but folks that know me understand that.

Get ready Pirate fans this fall could be fun.