Jason Bishop
Bucs Voyage Ended
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The 2024 season has come to an end for McIntosh County Academy Buccaneers.
Once again the Bucs made the playoffs under head coach Bradley Warren.
Unfortunately for Bucs fans MCA made a first-round exit from the playoffs for the second season in a row, this year falling to Wilcox County 9-0 on the road.
Last season, the Bucs went down to rival Clinch County 38-14 in the first round of the GHSA playoffs.
Despite the early exit this season huge strides were made from last season.
In 2023, MCA finished the season w a 4-7 record. 2024 saw the Bucs improve to a 7-4 mark and earn a three seed in region 3-A Division II with a 6-2 region record.
The 2024 schedule was a tough one with tough region play. The Bucs had the Metter Tigers, the Jenkins County War Eagles, the ECI Bulldogs, the Bryan County Redskins, the Portal Panthers, the Screven County Gamecocks, the Claxton Tigers and the Savannah Blue Jackets all in region.
MCA started the season on the road against the Islands Sharks and showed right away a dominant defense, beating the Sharks 22-0 to start the season on the right foot.
Week two was the home opener at ‘The Ship’ in Darien against the Charlton County Indians and while the defense played well, the offense stumbled and the Bucs took a 19-0 loss to Charlton.
The Bucs would open region play against the ECI Bulldogs after a week three bye in week four. The Bucs defense would once again show up, limiting ECI to only 6 points. This led to a 7-6 MCA win to get back over .500 at 2-1.
The Bucs hosted Claxton in week 5 in a ‘get right’ game for the offense, throttling the Tigers 48-6. MCA improved to 3-1.
In week 6 the Bucs traveled to Sylvania to take on Screven County. They would continue to roll, beating the Gamecocks 32-14.
The 4-1 Bucs hosted Jenkins County with first place in the region on the line. Bradley Warren’s team would fall short against the War Eagles 37-19. MCA would fall to 4-2 taking their first region loss of the season. Jenkins County went on to claim the 2 seed in the region.
MCA would rebound the following week on the road beating Bryan County 36-14 and improving to 5-2 on the season and 4-1 in the region.
The Metter Tigers visited Darien the next week taking down the Bucs 12-6 in a defensive struggle. Metter went on to win the region.
MCA trekked up to Savannah the next week and beat the struggling Savannah Blue Jackets 46-6 to get things back on the right track, improving to 6-3 on the season and 5-2 in region.
The season finale was a home game against the Portal Panthers where the Bucs played a complete game beating the Panthers 40-0.
With the win over Portal, MCA earned a 3 seed in the region with a 7-3 regular season and 6-2 in region.
Unfortunately, Gus Bradley’s team got a tough first round draw and had to head to Rochelle, GA to play the Wilcox County Patriots. After a hard fought 9-0 loss the season had ended with a 7-4 record for MCA.
Coach Warren continues to be successful in Darien and will look to once again be a playoff team next season.
Frederica Academy Knights Coach’s Show w Brandon Derrick October 23 2024
Buc-ing The Trend
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
There was a point, not too long ago, where the McIntosh Academy Buccaneers’ football program was as unstable as it came. The Bucs football program suffered through 5 head football coaches in 7 years.
Then entered Bradley Warren. Warren has now been the head man in Darien entering his sixth season. During that stretch the Bucs have made the playoffs every year that Warren has been the coach for MCA.
This season’s expectations are no different. Every year for the past several MCA has been talked about as being capable of making a deep run in the playoffs and even a dark horse for a state title.
Last season, it was a bit of an underwhelming season, at least by the standards that now exist with the Bucs program. MCA went 4-6 in the regular season, including a 14-6 loss to 6A Glynn Academy and a loss to 5A Bradwell Institute. McIntosh Couty Academy also suffered a loss to rival Emanuel County Institute and took shut-out losses from Lanier, Jenkins County, and Portal.
Despite the tough losses, MCA still made the playoffs as a lower seed. However, just to add insult to a far less than stellar year, the Bucs were eliminated in the first round by Clinch County. It was the third time in four years that Clinch had eliminated the Bucs from the playoffs. Rough.
MCA was young in 2023 and 2024 promises to field a much more mature and older group. I actually think this team will be contending for a region title in 2024.
New regions were announced for the next seasons and MCA’s region (Region 3A DII) will consist of Bryan County, Claxton, ECI, Jenkins County, Metter, Portal and Savannah
Here is the schedule.
August 16-@ Islands
August 23-Charlton @ The Ship
August 30-Bye
September 6-@ ECI
September 13-Claxton @ The Ship
September 20-@ Screven
September 27-Bye
October 4-Jenkins County @ The Ship
October 11-@Bryan County
October 18-Metter @ The Ship
October 25-Savannah @ The Ship
November 1-@ Portal
Again, I think MCA will be very good and contend for a region title. It will be tough though. That region is stacked.
I think MCA will go 8-2 in the regular season.
Maybe the Bucs will see Clinch in the playoffs and shake that albatross on the way to a state title.
Swamp Birds
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
In three years I want you to remember that you read what I am about to say here. The Brantley County Herons are going to be competing for region titles by 2026.
In this last cycle of coaching hires the Brantley County school system made the biggest hire in the state, they hired David Shores as their head football coach.
Who is David Shores you ask? Glad you asked. Shores is the best coach that has flown under the radar over the last five years.
Shores has former head coaching experience in Alabama and has coached at nothing but elite programs since. These stops include Hoover, DC at Lowndes, DC at Camden and Special Teams Coordinator at Brunswick High.
As a matter of fact, when Camden hired Jeff Herron a few years ago they almost hired David Shores instead. That is how good of a coach he is.
Most importantly, Shores has gotten a commitment from the Brantley County school system to commit resources to the football program, something that has not been common in Nahunta, GA.
Brantley is a huge county filled with that talent. That talent often finds its way onto other rosters that are not in Brantley County…..Ware, Pierce, Brunswick, Charlton, etc.
If Shores can keep his talent inside county lines you will see overnight success and improvement for the Heron program.
The Herons will play in a brand new region this season that will consist of Berrien, Bacon County, Fitzgerald, Jeff Davis, Thomasville and Worth County. This is Region 1-A Division 1.
While I don’t expect Brantley to be able to unseat Fitzgerald as the favorite in that region, I do think the playoffs are a reality for the ‘Swamp Birds’.
Last season the Herons went 5-5 overall and 2-4 in region play. A record of 5-5 isnt terrible but the losses are very telling. Against the better teams (Pierce, Toombs, Appling) on their schedule the Herons were outscored 148-20.
The Herons travel to Folkston to take on Charlton to open the season on August 16.
Brantley will also travel to Pierce, Worth, Thomasville, and Bacon County.
The Herons will host Windsor Forest, Vidalia, Jeff Davis, Fitzgerald and Berrien.
Probably the most crucial game on the schedule is going to be the Jeff Davis game. I think the winner of that game will finish with the #4 seed and a playoff berth, where the loser will have to look to 2025 for a playoff appearance.
In 2024 I will predict the Herons go 5-5 in 2024 and begin to build some special things in Nahunta.
By the way, former UGA QB Stetson Bennett is from Brantley but did not play for the Herons. Remember what I was saying about keeping talent inside county lines?
A New Era
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
A new era of football has arrived for the Camden County Wildcats.
On February 28th the Camden County school system announced the hire of Travis Roland to become the next head football coach.
Legendary coach, Jeff Herron retired after three seasons with Camden. Herron took the Wildcats to the GHSA 7A Final Four this past season.
Travis Roland will come in with success of his own. Roland spent three seasons as the Mainland Buccaneers Head Coach and went 30-10 in that span. Mainland High School is in Daytona, FL.
Roland’s Buccaneers made a state title game appearance in 2022 but came up a little short. However, the Buccaneers returned to the title game in 2023 and this time walked away State Champions under Travis Roland’s leadership, beating powerhouse St. Augustine 21-19.
It was reported that over 30 applicants applied for the opening. The Camden County School System announced a meeting on Friday February 16th where they intended to announce a new football coach on that date.
However, Tracolya Green, Camden County Superintendent, announced at that meeting that no hire would be made as not enough time was given to properly vet references for the final 2 candidates for the position.
Coach Roland played high school football at Mainland High School and then went on to play at Bethune-Cookman. He played Arena Football after his college playing days ended.
Roland began coaching in 2009 at Mainland High School as an assistant. He spent three seasons with the Buccaneers before transitioning to Seabreeze High School, also in Daytona, as an assistant.
In 2012 Roland returned to Mainland High School’s coaching staff and remained until 2016. In 2017 Roland was named Head Coach at Flagler Palm Coast. He remained head coach there until 2020, when he once again returned to Mainland High School, this time as the Head Coach.
Coach Roland is the reigning Florida Coach of the Year.
He will take the reins of the Camden program, which is saturated with rich and proud history. Camden County Wildcat Football has been synonymous with tough, hard-nosed football and the Wing-T offense.
The Wildcats ran that Wing-T offense from 2000-2016 under former coaches Jeff Herron and Welton Coffey. The Wildcats won 3 state titles under Jeff Herron in 2003, 2008 and 2009.
Camden ran a spread from 2017-2020 under former coach Bob Sphire. The Wildcat offense went back to the Wing-T when Jeff Herron re-assumed the position as head coach.
It is expected Coach Roland will bring in a brand new system.
A new era has dawned in Kingsland.
Farewell
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Legendary Camden County Wildcats Coach Jeff Herron recently announced his retirement.
Throughout the early 2000’s the Camden County Wildcats Football Program was a juggernaut under Jeff Herron. During his first tenure with the Wildcats, he won 12 straight region titles and 3 state championships.
Herron left the Camden County Wildcat football program after the 2012 season to pursue other coaching opportunities.
In 2021, it was announced that Camden was going to welcome Jeff Herron back home and offered him a second stint as Wildcats’ Head Coach, which Herron accepted.
In Herron’s second year he took the Wildcats to the second round of the GHSA playoffs, a feat that had not been accomplished since 2015.
This past season, Herron led the Wildcats to the Final Four of the GHSA playoffs, eventually losing to powerhouse Walton. The Wildcats were the only team from their region to advance that far in the playoffs.
The legendary coach retires with a career record of 335-69.
Before the second go around with Camden, Herron’s last head coaching job was at T.L. Hanna High School in South Carolina and in 2 years there he amassed a 25-2 record. A year before that he won his 5th state championship with Grayson in Atlanta going 14-1.
Herron was the Head Coach at Oconee High School from 1997 to 1999 and won his first state title there. He went 33-6 at Oconee. When Herron took over the Oconee program the school had won a total of 8 games in 4 years.
During Herron’s first stay in Kingsland, he had a record 154-18. At one point the Wildcats won 58 straight regular season games under Herron, which is a Georgia record.
Herron had the Wildcats ranked inside the top 25 nationally six different seasons and the Camden program was named the program of the decade in the state of Georgia in the 2000’s.
The Wildcat program is looking to become a consistent state power once again and have returned to their roots to do so.
When the Camden administration hired Jeff Herron they asked him to get the football program moving in the right direction again. As always, Jeff Herron over-delivered. He amassed a 23-15 record in his second stint as Wildcats coach.
In his illustrious coaching career Herron only suffered one losing season ever, that was 2021, his first season back as head coach. The Wildcats still made the playoffs that season, finishing 4-7.
Herron leaves the program in far better shape than he found it.
Is The Tide Coming In Or Going Out?
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The year was 1895 and none of us were here yet. That is the first year that Alabama and Georgia played for the very first time. That game was played in Columbus, GA and the Bulldogs came out on top 30-6 over the Crimson Tide.
Georgia has not fared very well against Bama since that inaugural meeting. The two teams have met a total of 72 times with Alabama winning 42 of those. That is a 58% winning percentage. There are 4 ties to be mentioned.
In fact, Alabama owns the biggest point differential in a win, 36-0 and they did it twice; 1905 and 1923.
Alabama also owns the longest winning streak between the two of seven games. That streak is pretty recent, it ranges from 2008 through 2021.
It hasn’t been all Bama dominance; Georgia did win five straight games against the Tide from 1910 through 1916. And then three in a row from 2002 through 2007. The 2007 loss for Alabama was the last time Bama lost to Georgia until Stetson Bennett went Stetson Bennett in the 4th quarter of the 2021/2022 National Championship game leading UGA to a 33-18 win and their first National Title since 1980.
That win ended most of the Hershel Walker jokes administered to UGA fans. The Dawgs went on to win another national title the very next year, granted Alabama was not in the equation for that run for UGA. The Crimson Tide lost 2 games and just missed making the College Football Playoff.
The sobering truth is even the great Kirby Smart has not had a ton of success beating Nick Saban and Alabama. Kirby showed up in 2016 and had the Dawgs in a National Title game just a short two years later. That was the first of four straight losses Kirby had to Saban.
Kirby is 1-4 against Nick Saban with that one coming in the 2022 National Title Game.
Over the course of the last two seasons, you have heard a national media narrative that Georgia has replaced Alabama as the premier program in College Football despite only beating the Tide once since the Bulldogs program rose to National Title Contenders annually.
To be fair, this version of the Alabama Crimson Tide football may be as powerful as some of its’ predecessors. Bama’s defense is above average but not dominant. There are still some questions about QB Jalen Milroe’s ability to throw the ball, especially down field. Not to mention, Alabama does not have a dynamic receiver who can consistently stretch defenses vertically.
Georgia’s defense has struggled this season with dual threat quarterbacks this season. Milroe is a dual threat QB. However, UGA’s secondary is elite and Alabama doesn’t have a receiver on the roster that can consistently challenge that group. With that being said it will Georgia to ‘spy’ and bring blitzes from the front to neutralize Milroe’s ability to make big plays with his legs.
Alabama has dominated this rivalry, but the SEC Title game will continue yield the same results as every other game has yielded for Georgia. Georgia wins and vaults itself into the College Football Playoff.
28-17 Georgia.
Captain Of The Bucs
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The McIntosh County Academy Buccaneers are a trendy pick to win the Single A Division II GHSA State Title. That is in no small part due to Bucs standout, Neo West.
West starts on defense at safety and also starts at QB for Bradley Warren’s Bucs.
Neo West is a local homegrown talent, born and raised in McIntosh County…living in Townsend.
The season started with plans to move West out of the QB role and into the running back position. Coach Bradley Warren instead elected to keep West as their biggest threat on offense at QB.
Neo West is a weapon, a dual threat QB that has a high football IQ. West is just plain smarter than most he plays against. “When I play QB I try to make the smartest play possible and control the offense.”
West went on to say, “I am most comfortable in a Wing-T offense. I like sharing the ball and making big plays happen.” He has made his fair share of big plays, playing both ways since he was a freshman and was a starter at safety and QB as a sophomore.
When asked about what he has learned from his head coach, Bradley Warren, I got this profound answer; “Coach Warren has taught me a lot but one of the biggest things is that I need to be the one to step up. On the football field I need to be the one to step and make a big play when my team needs it. And in life I need to be the one step up and do what needs to be done.”
Neo West has high aspirations on the football field as his goal for this season is to make All-State at safety. Eventually Neo wants to move onto college and major in business. West hopes that college football will be part of that equation.
To this point West has received some interest from Florida A&M, Florida Atlantic, and Middle Tennessee State. Most likely as the season wears on more interest will follow.
West also is only a Junior, so he has a whole other year to play for the Bucs after this season.
Neo started playing football at 7 years old. He played both RB and QB on offense and played safety on defense.
I asked Neo what drives him…”My mom is the biggest influence in my life. She has had such a huge positive impact on who I am. She always told me that just because I might be smaller than some other people playing football that none of them could match the size of my heart and to play with heart.” West’s measurables are 5’11 150 pounds. He is tough, hard nosed kid that plays bigger than he is.
Neo is also close with his sister, Judea West. “She is 22 and in college at Middle Macon. We actually call each other twins because we are so much alike. We are always there for each other.”
Neo West is a phenomenal young man that has big things ahead of him.
Camden County Wildcats Coach’s Show w Jeff Herron August 29
Rolling Tide
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Many have argued that Alabama has been replaced by the University of Georgia at the top of the College Football World. Facts are facts, and Georgia has been the National Champion the last two seasons. As a matter of fact, the Bulldogs knocked off the Crimson Tide on their way to winning their first national title.
That still does not diminish what Alabama is; the Crimson Tide are still among the teams to beat and in most years you must beat Alabama to win a National Title.
The Crimson Tide are coming off of a sub-par 2022 season by Alabama standards. That includes a 2-loss season, which had them ranked 5th in the country. Most teams would love to have that season. However, in Tuscaloosa, that doesn’t cut it.
The Crimson Tide’s biggest concern for 2023 is the QB position. Head Coach Nick Saban and his staff have not had a QB issue in over a decade. Bryce Young, Tua, Hurts, Mac Jones, McElroy, John Parker-Wilson, etc…..all names that have given Bama stability at the QB spot in the past.
For now, it looks like Coach Saban will go with Jalen Milroe as his signal caller. It is pretty apparent that Saban does not have a lot of faith in an of the QBs in the roster so you will likely see Ty Simpson and transfer Ty Buchner at some point this season too.
Unlike Georgia’s 2023 schedule, Alabama’s schedule is not a cake walk.
Sept 2 Middle Tennessee: The Blue Raiders take a trip to Tuscaloosa to serve as tune up for the Crimson Tide and it will be just that. Alabama wins 56-7.
September 9 Texas: The Longhorns will return the trip to Tuscaloosa. This soon is a matchup we will see on a more frequent basis with Texas joining the SEC. This will be a great game. Bama has a better roster. Both teams have questions at QB. Texas will start Ohio State transfer Quinn Ewers. Ewers has yet to throw a pass at the collegiate level. Give me Alabama 17-16.
September 16 @ South Florida: The Crimson Tide will be riding high off their tough win over Texas and will struggle on the road against the Bulls. In the end, USF doesn’t have enough playmakers to beat Bama and the Crimson Tide survive an upset scare early. 24-21
September 23 Ole Miss: I don’t ever see a circumstance where Nick Saban will allow himself to lose to a Lane Kiffin coached team, much less at home. Bama is ready for the Rebels and make an example of them. 30-17
September 30 @ Mississippi State: This will be your typical Alabama/Mississippi State game. Alabama big. 42-14
October 7 @ Texas A&M: Jimbo Fisher is sitting squarely on the hot seat and needs to win some big games in the conference to maintain his job with the Aggies. This will be close and the Aggies give the Tide a scare. Alabama survives. 27-21.
October 14 Arkansas: Nick Saban pushed his players through a tough week of practice following the upset scare to Texas A&M and Alabama comes out and plays their best game of the year against Arkansas. 56-17.
October 21 Tennessee: Alabama has had this game circled since last season and will be looking for revenge against Volunteers….not just for the loss Tennessee handed Alabama, but for Bama having to hear ‘Rocky Top’ played 250 times. Hendon Hooker is gone for the Vols, but Tennessee’s roster pretty good. Even with a step back at QB for UT, their QB situation is still better than Bama’s. The Vols beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa, 31-23.
November 4 LSU: After the loss to UT, this game becomes a must get for the Tide in order to win the SEC West. Unfortunately, for the Alabama faithful they will be handed their second straight loss at home. This loss gives LSU the inside track to Atlanta.
November 11 @Kentucky: The Wildcats are a pretty decent football team and Commonwealth Stadium will be rocking. Kentucky and their fans will see Alabama limping in and smell blood in the water. Too bad for the Wildcats, that Alabama will be looking to make a statement against them. Bama 35-10.
November 18 Chattanooga: The Mocs will come into Bryant-Denney Stadium to serve as a warm up for the Iron Bowl the following week. Alabama 62-21.
November 25 @ Auburn: Alabama will come into the Iron Bowl with an outside shot of making the College Football Playoff. The Tide will need an impressive win over Auburn to have a shot. They will get just that over first year coach Hugh Freeze and a rebuilding Tiger team that will be no match for their rival. Bama 48-10.
The Tide will once again finish 10-2 and be on the outside of the College Football Playoff looking in. Once again the Tide will fall to UT and LSU. And once again we will see Nick Saban go on National TV and beg the playoff committee to let them in.
