Kenneth Harrison
Corky Kell Kickoff
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The high school football season kicked off last week. I’m going to recap the Corky Kell Classic, which features some of the best teams around the state.
Greater Atlanta Christian 20, Denmark 0: Greater Atlanta Christian is ranked sixth in class 3A.
The defense had six interceptions, including a streak of five consecutive on five Denmark possessions. Senior cornerback, Saiku White had three of the interceptions, and Josh Williamson, Luke Field and Joseph Rose each had one.
The Spartans had a solid performance from quarterback Deymon Flemming, who was 15-of-28 for 132 yards and two touchdowns.
This was the final game of the Corky Kell Classic.
Lowndes 51, Archer 21: Lowndes is ranked second in class 7A and No. 9 nationally.
The Vikings are led by 4-star quarterback Jacurri Brown.
He went down with an apparent leg injury midway through the second quarter. The game was tied at 7.
He had a short breather and got his ankle taped before returning. He threw for 164 yards and two touchdowns, completing 50% of his passes. He also had a rushing touchdown.
Archer is ranked No. 7 in class 7A so this is a very impressive win.
Collins Hill 46, Carrolton 24: This was a matchup between 7A and 6A teams.
Carrolton is No. 4 in the state in 6A but they were no match for the Eagles.
Collins Hill forced three interceptions.
They have a junior four-star quarterback, Sam Horn. He’s the No. 4 pro-style quarterback in the country for the junior class.
He was 27-of-40 passing for 364 yards, 3 touchdowns and lead an offense that gained 509 total yards of on 66 plays.
St. Pius X 38, Flower Branch 28: The Golden Lions ran 62 offensive plays and gained 430 yards. 398 yards of that offensive production came on the ground as Pius averaged seven yards per carry on 57 rushes.
Mason Benefield finished with seven carries for 46 yards and two touchdowns.
Shug Bentley had seven carries for 59 yards and a touchdown.
Paul Quigley had four carries for 38 yards and a touchdown.
Dennis O’Shea was 1-of-5 passing for 32 yards and a touchdown.
Walton 35, Kell 28: This was a battle between Cobb County schools.
The Raiders trailed 28-16 in the third quarter before making a comeback.
Zak Rozsman was 9-of-21 passing for 130 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed nine times for 49 yards and a touchdown.
Freshman quarterback Jeremy Hecklinski was 3-for-3 for 58 yards. Braylen Stokes had 15 carries for 159 yards and two touchdowns.
Kenny Djaha had nine carries for 76 yards and three receptions for 76 yards and a touchdown.
North Gwinnett 35. McEachern 7: The Bulldogs are led by four-star Clemson-commit Barrett Carter. The linebacker finished with a 7-yard touchdown run from the wildcat formation, a 79-yard interception return for a touchdown and a team-leading 10 tackles, 2.5 for a loss.
Brookwood 40, Dacula 34: This game went to four overtimes before the Broncos scored on a 1-yard touchdown run by Alexander Diggs.
Brookwood quarterback Dylan Lonergan was 28-of-43 passing for 433 yards and four touchdowns.
Denylon Morrissette had 12 receptions for 215 yards and three touchdowns.
West Forsyth 42, Mays 6: Coach Dave Svehla got the win in his first game.
He coached at Etowah from 2012-19 and had a 49-41 record there.
The Wolverines led 35-0 at halftime.
Daba Fofana carried the ball 16 times for 110 yards and two touchdowns with one touchdown reception.
Cherokee 38, Carver-Atlanta 12: The Warriors dominated and Keith Adams Jr. ran for 180 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Throw Me The Ball
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The NFC South has some of the most talented players in the NFL. I think most people would agree the strength of the division is on offense.
Let’s take a look at the top five wide receivers in the division.
# 1 Michael Thomas (New Orleans): I have to admit I’m surprised at this ranking. I know he’s a very good player but he doesn’t wow you with athleticism.
In 2019 he led the league in receptions (149) and receiving yards (1,725). He was tied for second in receiving touchdowns with nine.
He’s so far ahead of the guys in second place.
Christian McCaffrey is second in receptions with 116. That’s extremely impressive considering he’s a running back but you get the point.
Thomas has been in the NFL since 2016 and his stats have gotten better every year. His worst season was his rookie year and he had 1,137 yards and 9 TD’s.
# 2 Julio Jones (Atlanta): Julio was sixth in the league in receptions (99) and second in yards (1,394).
Jones has the rare combination of size and speed. I think he’s a more talented player than Thomas but I’m basing this on numbers. He had 21 plays of 20+ yards.
Jones has been the model of consistency since entering the league in 2011. He’s been to the Pro Bowl seven times in his nine seasons.
He has two seasons with under a thousand yards and his season was cut short due to injury both times. Julio is an outstanding player but the Falcons normally have other weapons on offense so he’s not always the focal point.
# 3 Chris Godwin (Tampa Bay): Godwin had a breakout year in his third season in 2019.
In his first two years he had 93 catches, 1,367 yards and 8 touchdowns.
Last season he was third in receiving yards (1,333) and tied for second with Michael Thomas for receiving touchdowns with 9.
What makes it more impressive is he missed two games and he did this with only 86 catches. Godwin had 25 plays that were 20+ yards so he’s a big play threat.
# 4 Mike Evans (Tampa Bay): If this list were based on total career Evans would have been one spot higher.
What’s impressive is Evans has been performing well for the Buccaneers with Jameis Winston primarily at quarterback. He’s also had Ryan Fitzpatrick throwing him passes. Having very inconsistent quarterbacks is why he’s never had 100 receptions in a season. The closest he came was 96 catches in 2016.
In 2019 he only had 67 receptions but he had 1,157 yards and 8 touchdowns.
Evans is a big, 6’5 receiver so we don’t think of him as a big play threat, but he is. He averaged 17.3 yards per catch and he had 17 plays of 20 or more yards.
# 5 D.J. Moore (Carolina): He drastically improved in his second season.
As a rookie in 2018 he had 55 receptions, 788 yards and two TD’s.
In 2019 he had 87 catches, 1,175 yards and 4 touchdowns. The addition of Teddy Bridgewater should help him improve in 2020.
Be-Deviled
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Last year was great for Marietta. The Blue Devils (14-2) won the 7A state championship. It was their first state title since 1967. They were loaded with talent. The team had 9 seniors ranked in the top 100 prospects in Georgia.
This program is an anomaly because we normally see the same top programs winning championships repeatedly. Marietta is not known as a football powerhouse.
Also, when a school has a talented class, they typically turn that into multiple championships. The Blue Devils were just as talented in 2018 and they were the top team in Georgia in the preseason. They finished the year 5-6 and unranked.
Their 2020 class was led by five-star tight end Arik Gilbert. He was the Gatorade National Player of the Year, first-team All-American and named Player of the Year for class AAAAAAA. Gilbert committed to LSU. He posted the second-greatest single-season mark for receiving yards in state history with 101 catches for 1,760 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Quarterback Harrison Bailey, defensive lineman B.J. Ojulari, tackle Jake Wray and defensive back Rashad Torrence were four-star prospects.
They don’t have any players ranked in the top 100 state prospects in 2021. After losing so much talent the Blue Devils will come crashing back to earth in 2020.
The season opener is home versus Colquitt County. The Packers were 9-3 last season and they will be a top 10 team this year. Wide receiver Lemeke Brockington is rated as the No. 39 prospect in the state and he’s a three-star recruit. Colquitt will win big.
The second game of the year is against Armwood (FL). They were a semifinalist last season in Florida’s highest classification. This game is probably cancelled because the GHSA announced the season will be pushed back and start September 4th. This game was going to be played August 28th.
Week 3 is at archrival McEachern. The Indians won last year’s meeting and they were the region champs. Star quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson transferred to Grayson but they still have other good players on the team.
Their best player is inside linebacker Ese Dubre, the 68th ranked player in Georgia and a three-star recruit. I expect mighty McEachern to win.
The first road game is a long drive to Camden County. The Wildcats were 8-3 last season and lost in the playoffs to Marietta, 41 – 13.
Tackle Micah Morris is the No. 6 prospect in state and a four-star recruit. He committed to Georgia. Camden also has three-star wide receiver and Nebraska commit Shawn Hardy. The Wildcats will get revenge in a blowout win.
Week 5 is a second consecutive road game at Parkview. The Panthers were 12-2 in 2019 and lost to Marietta 42 – 31 in the semifinals.
Their led by four-star running back Cody Brown. Brown is rated as the No. 14 Georgia prospect and he’s committed to Tennessee. The Panthers will roll.
After a bye week the second half of the season begins with North Paulding at home. This will be the first win of the season.
Hillgrove is the next game. The Hawkss (yes, double s) should win this game.
Harrison has moved up to 7A and they’re in the same region. They were undefeated and won the 6A state championship last year. The Hoyas will win this game.
The final two games are against North Cobb and Walton. They should win one of those games, probably the North Cobb game.
I think Marietta will win two, potentially three games this season. Not very good for defending state champs.
Ramming Down the Door
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Grayson is one of the elite programs in Georgia’s largest classification, AAAAAAA.
The Rams won state championships in 2011 and 2016. They hope to return to the top of the GHSA mountain in 2020.
Last season Grayson was expected to compete for the state championship. They beat Marietta by two touchdowns during the regular season. The Blue Devils were the most talented team in Georgia and they went on to win the 7A championship.
The Rams finished 2019 with a 10 – 2 record. They lost in the quarterfinals to Lowndes, 28 – 20. Lowndes advanced to the state championship game.
Grayson has produced a lot of talent. Most notably, Robert Nkemdiche was a five-star recruit and the top player in the class of 2012.
This season is no different. Wide receiver Daejon Reynolds is the 19th ranked player in the state and a four-star recruit. He’s committed to Florida. He’s 6’2 and 190 pounds so he has good size. Reynolds played at Central Gwinnett last season and he had 88 catches for 1,534 yards and 14 touchdowns. He was the Touchdown Club of Gwinnett’s wide receiver of the year for the 2019 season.
Quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson is also a four-star recruit and the 20th ranked player in Georgia. He will join Reynolds in Gainesville. He transferred from McEachern and this is his first season at Grayson. Del Rio-Wilson is 6’3, 205 pounds and he’s a dual threat. He’s in the 2020 Elite 11.
Running back Phil Mafah is the 27th ranked player in the state and another four-star recruit. The 6’1, 220-pound back is committed to Clemson. He missed several games at the beginning of the season due to a broken collarbone. He ran for 676 yards and 9 TD’s.
Defensive end Victoine Brown is a three-star recruit and the 34th ranked player in state. He’s committed to Louisville.
The season begins August 21st versus Creekside. The Seminoles are a 5A team and they were 7 – 5 in 2019. This will be an easy win.
Week 2 is at McEachern. The Indians were 12 – 1 last year and they are a very good team. This will be a close win.
Stephenson comes to town next. The Jaguars were 10 – 2 last season and they were one of the best 4A teams. They can’t compete with 7A talent though and Grayson wins big.
The Rams travel to Archer in Week 4. Last year’s game was very close, a 34 – 31 Grayson win. The Tigers are looking to build off of their momentum from 2019 after finishing 9 – 4. This will be another close game but I give the edge to Grayson.
Paul Bryant high school from Alabama comes to town. I don’t know much about the Stampede but I know they can’t compete with Grayson.
Mill Creek is next on the schedule. The Hawks are a very good team and were 10 – 3 in 2019. This will be a battle, but the Rams will win.
Grayson travels to South Gwinnett for the sixth game. The Comets are a bad team and they’ll lose by 30.
After a bye week Parkview is the next game. The Panthers were 12 – 2 last season and they are led by four-star running back Cody Brown. I think Parkview will win.
The final two games are at Brookwood and Newton. They’ll win both games. I think Grayson will make it to the state championship game in 2020. They are the most talented team in Georgia.
Ground Gainers
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
I’m excited about sports returning in 2020.
We all are ready, especially considering how many were cancelled thus far. Let’s take a look at the best running backs in college football heading into the season.
- Javian Hawkins, Louisville: He was a redshirt freshman and established himself as one of the best ball carriers in the ACC.
He carried the ball 266 times for 1,525 yards, 9 touchdowns and averaged 5.7 yards per carry. His 40-yard dash time is reportedly in the high 4.3s, which would make him one of the fastest players in the nation.
Hawkins is the focal point of Scott Satterfield’s spread offense so he will have a chance for an even better 2020 season.
- Kenny Gainwell, Memphis: As a redshirt freshman in 2019 Gainwell had 2,069 yards of total offense and 16 touchdowns, averaging 7.3 yards per touch.
He is the new generation at the position that can catch passes and run the ball.
He ran for 1,459 yards on 235 carries with 13 rushing TDs. He caught 51 passes for 610 yards and 3 scores. He had 37 plays of 15 or more yards, so he makes explosive plays.
- Rakeem Boyd, Arkansas: The Last Chance U star is the only bright spot for the Razorbacks.
Last season he rushed for 1,133 yards, 8 scores on 184 attempts (6.2 YPC). It was his second consecutive year as the team’s leading rusher. He managed five 100-yard games and averaged 94.4 rushing yards per game.
First-year head coach Sam Pittman should help strengthen the offensive line. If that happens Boyd should have the best numbers of his career.
- Najee Harris, Alabama: He was the Crimson Tide’s best playmaker last season.
The former 5-star recruit ran for 1,224 yards, 13 TDs on 209 carries (5.9 YPC). He also had 27 receptions for 304 yards and 7 scores. Harris’ 13 rushing touchdowns in 13 games tied for second in the conference.
He ranked third in carries (209), fourth in rushing yards (1,224), and sixth in yards per game (94.15). He is only 1,214 yards behind former Heisman winner Derrick Henry as Alabama’s all-time leading rusher with 2,377 yards for his career.
1.Travis Etienne, Clemson: He doesn’t have anything left to prove at the college
level, so I was surprised he did not declare for the 2020 draft.
Etienne rushed for over 1,600 yards the past two seasons. He’s the Tigers all-time leading rusher and two time All-ACC.
He ran for 1,614 yards and 19 scores last year. In 2018 he led FBS with 24 touchdowns and he rushed for 1,659 yards. He should be a Heisman contender this season.
Honorable mention Kylin Hill, Mississippi State: He’s currently making headlines for threatening to sit out the 2020 season unless the state flag is changed.
Hill is the most talented player the Bulldogs have. He rushed 242 times for 1,350 yards (5.8 YPC) and 10 touchdowns in 2019. He’s currently tied for sixth all-time in 100-yard performances at Mississippi State.
Mike Leach is now the head coach in Starkville and he’s known for the Air Raid. Hill won’t get as many opportunities to carry the ball in 2020.
The Golden Arms
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Clemson has been the dominant program in the ACC for the last six years.
The rest of the conference is a distant second place to the Tigers. There are still some very talented players in the conference. Let’s take a look at the 5 best quarterbacks going into the 2020 season.
- Kenny Pickett, Pitt: He’s started the last two years for the Panthers. He’s listed on the preseason watchlist for the Davey O’Brien Award and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm.
In his 12 starts last season, Pickett completed 62% of his passes for 3,098 yards, 13 touchdowns and 9 interceptions.
He led the conference in completions per game (24) and he had five 300-yard passing games.
He’s one of only four QB’s in the ACC entering his third season as the starter. I expect to see major improvement in his touchdown to interception ratio.
- Sam Hartman, Wake Forest: This might shock the Georgia fans that have fully bought in to the Jamie Newman hype.
You remember him from season 2 of QB 1Beyond the Lights, which got popular when it was picked up by Netflix.
He set a Wake Forest program freshman record with 16 TD’s during the 2018 season. He was injured in early November and that allowed Newman to emerge as the starter.
Hartman has put on 20 pounds of muscle in his time at Wake. He will lead the Demon Deacons as the starter again this Fall.
- D’Eriq King, Miami: The transfer from Houston is a major addition for the Hurricanes.
He’s a true dual threat so if the offensive line continues to struggle, he can still make plays.
He tore his meniscus and underwent successful surgery in November 2018. At the time of his injury, King was leading college football with 50 total touchdowns (36 pass, 14 rush).
He decided to redshirt last season after Houston started 1-3. In his four starts he threw for 663 yards, 6 TD’s, 2 picks while rushing for 312 yards and 6 scores.
- Sam Howell, North Carolina: As a true freshman Howell passed for 3,641 yards and 38 touchdowns.
He led multiple game winning drives. His touchdown-pass total was third-most in league single-season history.
He ranked behind future first round picks Deshaun Watson and Jameis Winston. Players typically make the biggest improvement going in to their second year so he should be better in 2020.
Mack Brown is also entering his second season as head coach, in his second term in Chapel Hill. I believe the Tar Heels are one of the best teams in the ACC.
- Trevor Lawrence, Clemson: This was an obvious choice. He should be the top pick in
the 2021 draft. Lawrence has only lost one game in his two seasons as a starter. At this point he just needs to add a Heisman to his list of accomplishments. He’s passed for 5,778 yards, 58 TD’s and 12 interceptions.
The Tigers are better than every team they will play during the regular season so that will allow Lawrence to have impressive stats.
The Chiefs
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Florida State has fallen on hard times recently, but they used to be one of the best football programs in the nation.
The Seminoles have produced several talented players that have had success in the NFL. I’m going to look at the best players in program history.
Chris Weinke (1997-2000): This is a name that may be forgotten, and I don’t know why. Weinke played minor league baseball right after high school so it took him a few years to arrive in Tallahassee. He was 25 when he enrolled at FSU and he did not become a starter until the following year.
As a Sophomore in 1998 he led the Seminoles to a 9-1 record before suffering a season ending neck injury against Virginia.
In 1999 FSU went undefeated and beat Virginia Tech in the national championship game.
As a senior, in 2000, Weinke led the nation in passing yards with 4,167 and 33 touchdowns. He won the Heisman Trophy, Davey O’Brien Award and Johnny Unitas Award. FSU played in their third consecutive national championship game. He finished his career with a 32-3 record.
Peter Warrick (1995-99): He’s one of the best wide receivers in program history.
Warrick was First-team All-ACC three times and a consensus All-American twice.
Statistically his junior year was the best. He had 1,232 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. He had another rushing TD.
He was suspended two games his senior year, but he still had 934 yards, 8 receiving touchdowns and 3 rushing touchdowns. In the national championship game, he had over 160 receiving yards and 3 TD’s.
Warrick Dunn (1993-96): He was First-team All-ACC three times and a Second-team All-American in 1996.
He rushed for over 1,000 yards in three consecutive seasons. He rushed for 1,026 in 1994, 1,242 in 1995 and 1,180 in 1996. He holds the receiving TD record with 31.
Dalvin Cook (2014-16): I knew he was a good player, but I was surprised to find out he’s the leading rusher in school history. He ran for 4,464 yards in his three seasons.
He also has the best rushing season in program history with 1,765 yards in 2016. He was a two time First-team All-American. Cook is also the rushing touchdown leader with 46.
Charlie Ward (1989-93): He started his final two years and he drastically improved.
As a junior he passed for 2,647 yards, 22 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. As a senior he had 3,032 yards, 27 touchdowns and 4 interceptions.
In 1993 he won the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award and Davey O’Brien Award. He led Florida State to their first national championship. They beat Nebraska in the Orange Bowl, 18-16.
Terrell Buckley (1989-91): He’s the school interception leader with 21. He has the most picks in a season with 12 in 1991.
He won the Jim Thorpe Award and Jack Tatum Trophy in 1991.
Deion Sanders (1985-89): Prime Time is tied with Lee Corso for third in interceptions with 14. He also played baseball and ran track.
He was a two-time unanimous All-American and won the Jim Thorpe Award (1988). He also had his jersey retired.
Peter Boulware (1994-96): He’s second in career sacks with 34. He had 19 sacks in 1996.
He was a consensus All-American and ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 96.
Jameis Winston: He was 26-1 as a starter.
He won the Heisman Trophy as a redshirt freshman and led the team to an undefeated season and national championship.
In his career he completed 66% of his passes for 7,964 yards and 65 touchdowns.
Chomping For 2020
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Florida Gators are coming off of a very good 2019 season.
They were 11-2, won the Orange Bowl and finished the season ranked No. 6 in the AP Poll. Dan Mullen is entering his third year as the head coach in Gainesville.
It looks like the Gators have finally found their first good quarterback since Tim Tebow. They started the 2019 season with Feleipe Franks under center. He was known for making poor decisions and turning the football over. He got injured in the Kentucky game and Kyle Trask stepped in to come from behind and win the game.
I think he’s a significant upgrade over Franks and playing the entire season will make a big difference.
UF is ranked No. 6 in the preseason poll. They have not won the SEC East since 2016. That doesn’t seem like a long time, but it is for this program that’s used to competing for national championships.
Some of the key departures are defensive end Jon Greenard, corner back C.J. Henderson and running back La’mical Perine. Greenard had 52 tackles, 15.5 for loss and 9.5 sacks in his final season.
Henderson had 11 pass breakups, entered the draft a year early and was the ninth overall pick by Jacksonville.
Perine was the leading rusher in 2019 with 676 yards and 6 touchdowns.
The Gators have some good players returning. Tight end Kyle Pitts is 6’6, 239-pounds and one of the best in the nation. He had 54 catches for 649 yards and five touchdowns.
Wide receiver Trevon Grimes is entering his senior year and he’s going to be the No. 1 receiver. The Ohio State transfer had 33 receptions for 491 yards and 3 TD’s last year.
CB Marco Wilson had three interceptions and 36 tackles in 2019.
The schedule is very manageable.
Eastern Washington: They start the season with the college version of a preseason game against an FCS opponent. They’ll demolish the Eagles.
Kentucky: The Wildcats have lost talented players from last years team. This will be an easy win for Florida.
South Alabama: The Jaguars were 2-10 last year. We don’t expect e team from the Sun Belt to put up much of a fight under normal circumstances and this is a bad team. UF trounces them.
@ Tennessee: The first road game of the season. The Vols started poorly in 2019 but they won their final 6 games to finish 8-5. This is a rivalry game, so I expect it to be close, but I give the edge to the Gators.
South Carolina: Former Florida coach Will Muschamp has been the head coach at South Carolina since 2016. Last season they were 4-8 but they did have a huge upset at Georgia. They won’t be that lucky on this day.
LSU: We all know the Tigers were undefeated and won the national championship in 2019. Heisman Trophy winning QB Joe Burrow is gone and LSU will fall back to earth. Gators get the W.
@ Ole Miss: The Rebels are one of the worst teams in the conference, so this is a cakewalk.
Georgia: This is a Halloween day rivalry game. The Bulldogs have won the last three meetings. That streak will finally get snapped.
@ Vanderbilt: We know Vandy doesn’t stand a chance.
Mizzou: The Tigers are one of the worst teams in the division. Another lopsided win.
New Mexico State: The Aggies are traveling to Gainesville for a beat down.
@ Florida State: The Seminoles are struggling, and this is the final W of the season.
I expect Florida to finish the regular season undefeated.
Down Here
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Free agency and the NFL Draft have already taken place so we have an idea of what each roster will look like.
The NFC South has received a lot of attention with the arrival of Tom Brady to Tampa. Let’s take a look around the division and make some predictions.
Tampa Bay: The Buccaneers made the biggest splash in free agency by signing Tom Brady. They also traded for his former retired tight end Rob Gronkowski.
They drafted Iowa tackle Tristan Wirfs in the first round. Wirfs played 10 games at right tackle and three at left tackle last season. He was named an All-American and he should be able to help protect Brady.
Tampa Bay ranked 25th in total defense and they probably will struggle again in 2020.
The Bucs have received a lot of hype this off season. I don’t think they can live up to it. Brady will turn 43 in August and he’s going in to his 20th season.
Think back to Peyton Manning’s final season when his play drastically deteriorated. I think age and attrition will hamper Brady. The Bucs will win 8-9 games, but they will not be legitimate contenders.
Carolina: The Panthers got rid of their franchise quarterback Cam Newton and signed Teddy Bridgewater.
They are led by All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey. He’s really the only weapon on offense and they lack a talented wide receiver.
Carolina used all seven draft picks on defensive players. They did struggle defensively in 2019, ranking 31st in total defense. They gave up 28.8 points per game.
The best-case scenario would be for three or four of the players they drafted to step in and contribute immediately. That would mean they have young players making mistakes but gaining experience. The Panthers will win 4-5 games.
Atlanta: They were a tough team to figure out last season. The Falcons were bad, but they beat New Orleans and San Francisco, two of the best teams in the NFC.
They drafted two offensive linemen in the first round of the 2019 draft but they both dealt with injuries. Protecting Matt Ryan has been a recurring issue. If that can get solved, they might have one of the most potent offenses in the NFL. They still were fifth in total offense.
The running game struggled last year, and it was addressed by signing running back Todd Gurley. Gurley has dealt with a knee injury that has decreased his play significantly.
They ranked 20th in total defense. Dan Quinn’s job is on the line and I think he will be fired. Atlanta should win 7-8 games.
New Orleans: The Saints were 13-3 in 2019. They were one of the best teams in the league and they return many players from that team.
Future Hall of Fame QB Drew Brees sustained a torn ligament to his right thumb that caused him to miss five weeks. He’s also 41 years old so his window to win another Super Bowl is closing.
The offense has playmakers like Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas that defenses have to plan for. They ranked ninth in total offense and 15th in total defense.
They will win 10-11 games. New Orleans has to hope they don’t play the Vikings in the playoffs and they will have a chance to get to the Super Bowl.
King Bees
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
When we think of the best ACC basketball programs North Carolina and Duke come to mind. The conference has some other very good programs and once upon a time Georgia Tech was in that category. Let’s look at the best players in program history.
Mark Price (1982-86): He was a two-time All-American and four-time All ACC player.
Price lead the Yellow Jackets to an ACC Championship his junior year by beating North Carolina in the ACC Tournament championship game. He was the ACC Player of the Year in the 1984-85 season.
He was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 1991 and his jersey was retired. He holds several records and he’s the All-time leader in steals (240), consecutive games started (126), minutes played (4,604) and 3-point field goal percentage (.440). He was the first pick in the second round of the 1986 draft (25th overall) by the Dallas Mavericks.
Kenny Anderson (1989-91): He won ACC Rookie of the Year in 1990. Anderson was All ACC and All-American both years at Tech.
He averaged 23 points per game and 7 assists per game. He was a key member of the 1990 team that got to the Final Four. That team also won the ACC title. He was the second pick in the 1991 NBA draft by the New Jersey Nets.
Stephon Marbury (1995-96): You may have noticed a theme here since we have another point guard on the list.
Marbury was a 1995 McDonald’s All-American along with Kevin Garnett, Antawn Jamison, Paul Pierce and Shareef Abdur-Rahim.
He averaged 18.9 ppg and 4.5 apg and was named a Third Team All-American. Tech was 13-3 in conference play which made them the regular season ACC champs.
They advanced to the ACC Tournament championship game but lost by one point to Wake Forest, led by Tim Duncan.
The Yellow Jackets got to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Tournament. He was selected fourth overall by Milwaukee in the legendary 1996 draft.
Chris Bosh (2002-03): Bosh was the ACC Rookie of the Year in 2003.
He averaged 15.6 points, 9 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in 31 games. Georgia Tech had a disappointing season and finished 16-15. They got to the third round of the NIT. He was the No. 4 pick by Toronto in 2003, which is another legendary draft class.
Dennis Scott (1987-90): He led the Yellow Jackets to the NCAA Tournament each year he played.
Scott was ACC Rookie of the Year in 1988, ACC Player of the Year in 1990 and Sporting News Player of the Year (1990). He was also a consensus second-team All-American in 1990. In his career he averaged 21.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg and 3 apg. He was the No. 4 pick by Orlando in the 1990 draft.
Matt Harpring (1994-98): Harpring was a four-year starter and was named First Team All-ACC three times.
He set career highs in his senior season with 21.6 points and 9.4 rebounds per game, ranking second in the ACC in both categories.
He finished his collegiate career as Georgia Tech’s second all-time leader in points (2,225) and rebounds (997).
Harpring is the institute’s all-time leader in free throws attempted (675) and made (508).
His jersey was retired in his final regular season home game. He was the 15th pick by Orlando in the 1998 draft.
Travis Best (1991-95): The McDonald’s All-American led Tech to the 1993 ACC Tournament Championship.
He averaged 16.6 ppg and 5.6 apg. He was one of only three ACC players to score 2,000 points with 600 assists. He was the 23rd pick in 1995 by Indiana.
