Georgia Sports Edition
The Knights’ Quest
By: Rich Bontrager
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
For Frederica Football the 2017 was a season of injuries, adjusted lineups, severe weather and a heart-breaking loss to end an amazing season.
While the Knights’ season may have come to a tough end in a come-behind victory by Valwood in the third round of the GISA-AAA playoffs, it was a season of vast growth which brings them into 2018 with extremely high expectations.
Last year started with big adjustments as starting QB Gavin William received an injury that cost him the entire season. While star receiver JaShawn Sheffield was limited for much of the season with an injury, the team and coaches rallied around Junior QB Jaylin Simpson and formed a slightly different offensive scheme. This scheme emerged as a very mobile and exciting one.
While the offense had to adjust early on, the defense seemed to only gain speed and strength behind a then junior squad that featured emerging stars such as Harry Veal, JT Elliot, Isaiah Jackson, and Cameron Gardner. This Defense often made great plays that helped set the offense up for easy scores.
This season sees the return of many of last year’s junior class now playing as seniors and veteran leaders, headed by Simpson and Sheffield, who have both committed to Auburn Football in 2019.
With an experienced senior class all back on the field the Knights are heavily favored to make another strong march to Mercer for a State Championship. However, this run will not be easy.
The Knights will open the 2018 Campaign at home in a non-GISA game vs Charlton County Indians, from Folkston, GA., on Friday, August 17th at Frederica under the oaks. The Indian’s are in the A Region 2 and in 2018 posted a 9-3 record.
Then on Friday, August 28th, the GISA 2017 State Champions, Valwood returns to SSI. This game is a rematch of last season’s heart-breaking GISA Playoff game. It was an intense defensive battle with all scoring taking place in the second half. Expect nothing less in the early season key matchup.
The third week has the Knights hitting the road for the first time and traveling to play Lanier County in Lakeland, GA on Friday, August 31.
September starts with Frederica hosting Bethlehem Christian Academy. In 2016 the Knights defeated them in the first round of the playoffs 52-21. In that game QB Gavin Williams was 8 of 11 with 2 touchdown passes and 197 yards.
Friday, Sept 14th Augusta Prep Day will welcome the Knights to their home turf. This game is highlighted as Augusta’s toughest potential match up in 2018 with Frederica favored by over 30 points.
Friday Sept 21 is an open date and may be much needed as the following week will be “Rivalry Game” against Pinewood Christian in Bellville, GA.
In 2017 the Knights won this same game 30-17! It was a balanced attack as JaShawn Sheffield caught 2 TD passes, Jaylin Simpson ran for 2 touchdowns and Junior Running Back Isaiah Jackson rushed for 102 all-purpose yards.
Week 7, Oct 5th will see the Knights back under the oaks hosting Westfield School. While the Hornets posted a 2-9 season in 2017, this is the kind of opponent that Frederica does not want to potentially play down to.
Friday, Oct. 12 and the second half of the season is on as the Knights stay under the oaks and welcome Trinity Christian to the island. In 2016, The defense played a key factor in this 40-20 victory over the Crusaders, as Frederica claimed 2 interceptions and tacked on 3 sacks.
Oct 19th has the Knights back out on the road as they face Westminster School of Augusta. The Wildcats have a tendency to field a very small number of players. A late season matchup such as this may be timely to help rest the starters and get healed up before the final two games and playoffs.
Friday the, “Drive to Mercer”, heats up as the perennial powerhouse John Milledge Academy Trojan’s come into Frederica. 2016 saw the Trojan’s crowned State Champion and last season marked the sixth straight 10-win season. This is a battle not to missed!
The regular season closes out on Friday, Nov. 2nd with a road trip to Statesboro to once again face Bulloch Academy. The last two seasons Frederica has split this match up in fierce competition. Losing by one in 2016 (7-8) and winning in 2017 (28-21). This year’s game should be nothing less than another nail bitter.
While the Knights have grown to be one of the GISA top contenders, 2018 will cause this veteran team to be extremely challenged.
One missing piece of the puzzle for the Knights is who will fill the kicking shoes of last year’s graduate, John Mitchell Brock?
His foot and aim were a weapon that few High Schools have the luxury to rely on. Such a weapon may be the key to late game victories and a march to Mercer.
Coastal Buzz
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
No matter the level of sports you play and no matter what conference or division you play in, you’re going to always have one group that is more dominant than the other; beside the whole “sports camaraderie” thing it’s kind of the purpose of playing, right?
When it comes to ACC Football, the more dominant division, historically, has been the Atlantic. The Coastal Division, which Georgia Tech won in four of the first seven seasons after Paul Johnson was brought in, has played the role of the NBA’s Eastern Conference.
Basically, the Coastal has been the little brother that keeps swinging at the older brother (Atlantic) but is always kept at arm’s length, just far enough to never really land blows.
This bodes well for Johnson and the Yellow Jackets, who after a seventh, fifth, and third place finish in the Coastal over the past three years and a new extension for the aforementioned head coach, need to see continued improvement as they try to regain that early success.
At first glance, Georgia Tech’s schedule seems fairly daunting, however I think it’s more than manageable. Like most college football teams, the difference between a successful season for the Jackets and one that ends in everyone eating away their pain at the Varsity, will come down to handful of games.
I know it’s dangerous to assume, but let’s roll the dice and assume they defeat Alcorn St., USF, Pittsburgh, Bowling Green, and Virginia. And that they lose to Clemson and Georgia. This leaves them with a 5-2 record, with 5 games up in the air; all five of which happen to be in row.
The first of the five is against Louisville, at Louisville. With Lamar Jackson in the NFL and the Cardinals matador style defense, I like Tech’s chances. This is one I would not be surprised to see them leave with a win.
The next opponent is Duke, at home. Now, before David Cutcliffe arrived this would be more of a guaranteed win than the Alcorn St. game, but Duke has played Tech well over the last few years, winning in Atlanta two years ago.
After the Blue Devils come to town and a bye week, there are back to back road games against Virginia Tech and North Carolina. Truth be told, the season could come down to these two games.
As tough as the Hokies are at home, the Yellow Jackets have always played them tough since Johnson’s arrival and have won three of the last four. A win won’t be easy but it won’t be stunning either.
There’s absolutely no telling which Carolina team will show up this season but the games always seem to be close, a common thread with Georgia Tech and I would expect nothing different when they meet in November.
This stretch of five games concludes back in Atlanta, against Miami. The Hurricanes have looked good since Richt’s return and I know the expectations are high in Coral Gables. I almost included this game in the loss column but with it being at home and the potential for a first-place division title on the line, I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. I don’t think they will win, I’m just not convinced a Georgia Tech loss is a sure thing.
So, there you have it; a Coastal Division title, right in their grasp.
Of course, now that I’ve said all this, you realize Alcorn State is going to win that first game, don’t you?
Falcons To Soar
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The only team from the NFC South that has made the playoffs the last two seasons, the Falcons are locked and loaded to make another run at that elusive Super Bowl victory.
They will face plenty of challenges from the rest of the improved division but they have the tools to be a force in 2018.
They have some questions as well. With training camp rapidly approaching, let’s take a look at where the Falcons stand now.
First off, the biggest news of the offseason was Matt Ryan’s massive contract extension. Matty Ice inked the richest contract in the history of the NFL to the tune of $150 million. That kind of contract tends to come with an added level of pressure.
However, as his nickname suggests, Ryan will likely be able to go about his business without it weighing too heavily on him. He’s still the elite quarterback the Falcons need to lead their charge.
On less sturdy ground at the moment is Julio Jones. He has been a no-show at all of Atlanta’s offseason preparation events so far in 2018, due to an ongoing contract dispute.
While there is no real reason to doubt that this will be an issue that blows up to the point that Jones ends up in a different jersey, there might be cause for concern with all the time he’s missing.
He may be the best wide receiver in the NFL right now but he also had a year in which he only scored three times and that was after missing significant offseason time with an injury.
A player of his caliber might not necessarily need the practice reps to be good to go for the season but you have to wonder how well he’ll be used if he’s not around to train.
From that we come to Steve Sarkisian. Sark was the scapegoat for a lot of people who saw the Falcons underperform the year after a Super Bowl appearance and it is certainly true that the record-breaking 2016 offense took a step backward.
Despite a lot of noise calling for his head, Sark is going to get another chance to move the stellar offensive pieces he has at his disposal into position in which they can win.
Coaches, and especially offensive coordinators, can get too much blame when things go badly and too much praise when things go well. Sark has got too much talent on his hands to not be overly praised for their success in 2018.
Something to keep an eye on at training camp and the season draw closer is the health of Devonta Freeman. Two concussions and an injury to his knee took their toll on him last season and to put a cherry on top he tore his MCL and PCL in the last game before going into the playoffs.
All signs point to him healing quickly and being ready for the start of the season but having such an injury-plagued campaign in 2017 is concerning and something to be monitored.
On the other side of the ball, drafting Calvin Ridley did not shore up the defense, and the lack of depth at linebacker is still a concern.
De’Vondre Campbell and Deion Jones are a strong duo but beyond the two of them are question marks on question marks.
Duke Riley will likely start the season’s early games and he showed last year that he was still a work in progress.
The defensive side of the Falcons’ game as been a concern for a while now and while the offense can shoulder a lot, the issues of stopping the other teams will likely continue.
There is plenty to be excited about as the end of July nears, especially for a Falcons team that expects and should be expected to make the playoffs a third consecutive time.
I’m Coming Home
By: Josh Aubrey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Football season hasn’t even begun but there’s already talk of a homecoming at Bulloch Academy, as after nearly 25 years there will once again be a Shaver coaching on the sidelines in Bulloch County.
Bill Shaver, son of legendary Southeast Bulloch head coach Fred Shaver, left Statesboro High in 1993 to take over as offensive coordinator at Thomas County Central.
As OC, under Yellow Jacket head coach Ed Pilcher, Shaver helped Thomas County Central to five state championship appearances and three state titles.
Shaver took over the head coaching reigns from Pilcher in 2008 and over the past 10 years helped TCCHS to 3 region titles and a record of 74-40.
Despite that success, at the end of last season school officials felt it was time for a change and Shaver was relieved of his coaching duties.
“The folks down there felt it was time for a change,” Shaver said. “I guess it was a time for a major change in my life. Luckily the good lord opened a door for me back here in Bulloch County.”
Shaver and Bulloch Academy head coach and athletic director Pat Collins were both on head coach Charles Webb’s staff for two years at Statesboro High in the early 90’s. The two remained friends and their paths have crossed many times over the past 25 years.
“We have remained good friends throughout the past 25 years,” Collins said. “I approached him in the spring and asked him to be a part of our staff and he flat out said no.
I asked him again a month later and got the same response. We ran into each other recently at a quarterback and receiver camp and I asked him again and he said I’ll think about it. A little later I got the call I was hoping for and he said yes.”
“I decided to retire from public school and looked around southwest Georgia for a job,” Shaver said. “Nothing came up, but I kept getting calls from coach Collins. I prayed about it, and then just felt the lord working on me to come back home to Bulloch County.”
While Collins persistence was important in keeping Bulloch County on Shaver’s mind, the quarterbacks at Bulloch Academy were also instrumental in getting Shaver to Bulloch Academy.
“I saw Don Aaron, Fisher Oglesby and Tyler Willoughby at a quarterback and receiver camp a few weeks ago,” Shaver said. “When I got home I told my wife how much I enjoyed working with those Bulloch Academy kids and how talented they were as well. Soon after that I made up my mind to come.”
Shaver will not be teaching at Bulloch Academy, giving him time to spend with father and his sister Linda, whose family lives in town.
“I got to go with dad to a Kiwanis Club meeting the other day, and out to eat,” Shaver said. “I also get to see Linda and will spend time with her. I will still be commuting a lot back to Thomasville to see my son and his family, and my grandchild as well. My wife is retired too, so she has the opportunity to come here as well from time to time.”
As for the football side of things, the change will actually be greater for coach Collins who has been running a power offense for years, as he will be turning over the offensive reigns to coach Shaver and his veer option attack.
“When you have the chance to bring on Bill Shaver I feel you have to trust him and give him latitude with our offense,” Collins said. “I think he will make us more diverse and dynamic than any team I have had in the past.”
Shaver feels optimistic about what he has to work with and doesn’t think the learning curve will be too difficult for the players.
“We have three talented quarterbacks who all have plenty of ability to do the things we will need,” Shaver said. “If we can blend the option attack I have used the past 24 years with the power game coach Collins has used and throw in a little play action passing, I think we can be successful.”
The Gators open the season August 18 at 9:00 am as they kick off the annual Erk Russell Classic in Paulson Stadium against Pinewood.
Don’t I Know You?
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Have you ever sat down and tried to come up with top 5 lists? I got the thinking as I write for the Georgia Sports Edition as of July 1st (changed from Southern Sports Edition) who are the top 5 current sports figures in the State of Georgia. Here goes my totally subjective list:
- Jake Fromm QB UGA: The starting QB for the flagship university always makes an updated list of top sports figures in the State.
Fromm goes into his sophomore season at the University of Georgia as the starting QB after leading UGA to a 13-2 record, Rose Bowl win, and national title game appearance as a freshman in 2017.
Fromm is loved throughout the State and the Dawgs are loaded going into 2018 on offense. Fromm looked a little rusty during the spring game, but this kid has something you can’t coach and it is called the WOW factor.
Nothing seems to bother him and that is a good thing because Justin Fields is nipping at his heels now in Athens. UGA is set at the QB position for the next few years, and Jake is the golden boy around the State right now.
- Ozzie Albies 2B Atlanta Braves: Albies is taking not just the State of Georgia by storm, but the nation by storm as he is the front runner for the National League Rookie of the year.
The kid is around 20 homeruns and his enthusiasm for the game has helped ignite the Braves nation in 2018.
Albies will likely be the starting second baseman for the National League All Stars in this year’s game in Washington DC. At 5’8 and 155 lbs. the power numbers are off the charts and the excitement is back in the State for Braves baseball.
- Matt Ryan QB Atlanta Falcons: Matty Ice is the highest paid player in the NFL. Ryan just became the NFL’s first 30 million per year player and his current deal guarantees him $100 million.
Football is king in the State of Georgia and Ryan will lead the Falcons to the playoffs in 2018. Possibly, back to the Super Bowl and redemption from blowing the 25-point third quarter SB lead two years ago. Ryan is putting together a potential Hall of Fame career in Atlanta that could be cemented with a Super Bowl ring.
- Freddie Freeman 1B Atlanta Braves: Freeman is currently batting .311 with 16 HR and 56 RBI for the division leading Atlanta Braves and is the face of the franchise.
The Freeman led Braves are in first place in July for the first time since 2014 and Freeman is having an MVP season in 2018. If the season ended today Freeman would probably be named National League MVP.
Freeman has been a regular in Atlanta now since 2010 and is one of the most recognizable sports figures in the state. If Freddie leads the Braves back to the World Series he might have a future in Georgia politics one day.
And the most recognizable sport figure in the state of Georgia currently is: Kirby Smart Head Football Coach University of Georgia: Smart is the face of UGA Football.
Born and raised in Georgia, played and earned All-SEC honors at UGA, and now has UGA competing for national championships in a State that is football crazy and championship deprived.
The 2017 UGA football season was magical and Smart had the Dawgs a blown coverage away from its first National Championship since 1980.
Smart is the best recruiter in the business and now has UGA reloading every year. Georgia season football tickets are the most treasured possession in the Peach State currently all because of the monster Kirby is building in Athens.
Kirby Smart is the most popular and most recognizable sports figure in the State of Georgia and if he wins a national title in the near future your future Governor when he retires from coaching football.
