Kipp Branch
SEC Rankings
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Week one is in the books in the SEC. Here are my power rankings after the first week of play:
1.LSU: The Tigers rolled Georgia Southern and looked fabulous doing so. Joe Burrow looked like a Heisman front-runner in the new spread offense. The Tigers looked the best of any SEC team in week one and start out at the top of the power rankings.
2.Georgia: The Dawgs rushed for 325 yards against Vanderbilt and looked pretty good doing it. The negative nellies will say they only beat Vanderbilt by 24 points. Georgia did not need the passing game in this contest. Since when is a 24 point road SEC win not considered a great accomplishment? This is a complete football team.
3.Alabama: The Tide struggled for a quarter against Duke then poured it on the Blue Devils. Alabama is a hunted team by everyone and will get their best shot every Saturday. Is this defense with the injuries up to Alabama standards?
4.Texas A&M: Kellen Mond lit up Texas State and many are saying this team might give the rock patters in Clemson trouble this weekend. Will this team play good enough defense to be elite?
5.Auburn: Bo Nix is the new hero on The Plains. Auburn came back from the dead against Oregon in typical Auburn fashion. Is there a luckier team in the history of SEC than Auburn? This defense is pretty good.
6.Florida: The Gators beat Miami who looked like hot garbage. That Gator defensive line is legit. Feleipe Franks needs to focus on being a quality QB and stop making Tim Tebow like speeches. Can this team run the ball against a quality SEC defense?
7.Mississippi State: MSU played a decent Louisiana team and hung on against the Ragin Cajuns. I wasn’t really impressed by MSU, but they got the W. This team will finish 5th at best in the SEC West.
8.Kentucky: The SEC East outside of Georgia and possibly Florida looks like a raging dumpster fire. UK struggled with Toledo most of the contest. The Cats have major work to do.
9.Missouri: How do you lose to Wyoming? Better yet how did they convince Mizzou to make that trip to Laramie? Missouri is a notorious slow starter and it showed again last Saturday.
10.Ole Miss: Memphis is not a bad team, but you expect an SEC team to go beat them. The offense needs work, but a good effort by the defense to only give up 15 points.
11.Vanderbilt: Vandy lost at home to UGA 30-6, but looked ok on defense in the second half. Vandy looks like the best team in Tennessee once again. That’s not saying a whole lot however.
12.South Carolina: The Gamecocks blew a 20-9 lead to a North Carolina team they should have beat. South Carolina had more talent than UNC, but could not get out of their own way down the stretch. I expected more out of this team last weekend. Will Muschamp is a good football coach that just seems to have the worst luck.
13.Arkansas: Yeah, the Hogs won against Portland State 20-13, but Arkansas 10 years ago beats PSU by 35 points. This team has a long way to go. Chad Morris will turn this thing around, IF he is given time.
14.Tennessee: You have got to be kidding me Tennessee. You lose at home to Georgia freaking State and get manhandled on the line of scrimmage in doing so. We heard all off-season about how things were changing in Knoxville. This team just flat out gave up in the fourth quarter of that contest. Kids are leaving the program in droves. Tennessee may be down for a good long time. BYU is coming to town this weekend. Rocky Top looks like Rocky Flop right now. Will 60K show up at Neyland Stadium this weekend?
LSU travels to Texas and Texas A&M travels to Clemson in huge games this weekend. Both SEC teams can make a huge statement, but will they? I think LSU does and A&M folds like a cheap camping chair.
College Football Trade Deadline
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
An all too frequent headline in college football today is player x from named institution has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal.
Listed Below are the rules according to the NCAA pulled from their website:
Transfer Process:
Academic year in residence: Under the basic transfer regulations, you must spend an academic year in residence at the school to which you are transferring.
If you transfer from a four-year college to an NCAA school, you must complete one academic year in residence at the new school before you can play for or receive travel expenses from the new school, unless you qualify for a transfer exception or waiver.
To satisfy an academic year in residence, you must be enrolled in and successfully complete a full-time program of studies for two-full semesters or three-full quarters. Summer school terms and part-time enrollment do not count toward fulfilling an academic year in residence.
Exception: If you meet a legislated exception, it means a specific regulation will not apply to you.
The school to which you are transferring determines whether you are eligible and has the authority to apply exceptions.
One-time transfer exception: If you transfer from a four-year school, you may be immediately eligible to compete at your new school if you meet ALL the following conditions:
You are academically and athletically eligible at your previous four-year school.
You receive a transfer-release agreement from your previous four-year school.
Waiver: An action that sets aside an NCAA rule because a specific, extraordinary circumstance prevents you from meeting the rule. An NCAA school may file a waiver on your behalf; you cannot file a waiver for yourself. The school does not administer the waiver, the conference office or NCAA does.
After you digest the rules it seems simple right? That’s where the lawyers come in and that’s where the NCAA has lost total control of the entire process.
Questions/Thoughts:
What extraordinary circumstance allowed Justin Fields to be ruled immediately eligible at Ohio State?
Did the NCAA deem Fields was mentally scarred because of his botched fake punt attempt at UGA last fall with the SEC Title game hanging in the balance?
Yes, we all know OSU’s quarterback from last year now plays for the Washington Redskins.
Why wasn’t Jacob Eason granted immediate eligibility at Washington after he left UGA last season?
Former UGA TE Luke Ford was denied immediate eligibility at Illinois because he wanted to be closer to a sick relative. Are you kidding me NCAA?
Former Auburn QB Malik Willis transferred to Liberty University. He was waiting for a ruling on his eligibility from the NCAA.
Liberty learned this week that Willis’s appeal had been denied. Really NCAA? Was Liberty a threat to make the College Football Playoff this fall, or are you still mad at Hugh Freeze for breaking the rules at Ole Miss?
GT head coach Geoff Collins blasted NCAA’s decision not to grant former Florida defensive end Antonneous Clayton immediate eligibility at Tech saying that the NCAA does not have the best interest of the student athlete in mind.
Well coach the NCAA seems to have Ohio State’s best interests in mind and apparently not the best interests of student athletes who want to attend GT, Washington, Illinois, or Liberty.
The NCAA created this mess, and now it is time for them to clean it up, or have they allowed free agency to settle in for college football?
Maybe it’s a coin flip by the NCAA to determine eligibility and Ohio State adopted the tails never fails policy to get Fields cleared to play. You just never know.
Maybe put Jake Fromm in charge of the portal after he is done at UGA. He created a lot of this mess by winning the UGA QB job, or mandate NCAA member institutions to not post depth charts until 24 hours before the first scheduled game each season.
Fix this mess NCAA, your exceptions are not consistent. Where you stand on a college football depth chart is not an extraordinary circumstance.
At this rate college football will have an October 15th trading deadline in the next 10-15 years.
Brunswick High Pirates Coach’s Show w Sean Pender August 28
Blazing Hot
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
VSU is coming off its fourth national championship this century and is under the direction of new head coach Gary Goff.
The Blazers are picked to finish first in the preseason Gulf South Conference Poll after going, a school-record, 14-0 last season to win the title.
Blazer junior quarterback Rogan Wells, along with sophomore running backs Seth McGill and Jamar Thompkins, junior wide receivers Kenny Benjamin and Lio’undre Gallimore and senior offensive lineman Adonis Sealey comprised a league-high six offensive selections for the Blazers on the preseason all-conference team.
On defense, senior defensive lineman Joe Mozone and sophomore linebacker Jameon Gaskin earned spots on the team, as did junior special teams utility player Pippin Davis.
Wells tossed 38 TD passes for VSU in 2018 and finished as the Gulf South Conference Offensive Player of the Year. Could Wells be the favorite Harlon Hill Trophy favorite in 2019, which is the Heisman Trophy in Division II football? He was the runner up in 2018.
Head Coach Gary Goff played for VSU under Hal Mumme and was a team captain in 1996 when VSU won its first Gulf South Conference Title.
Valdosta State Schedule and my predictions:
Sat, Sep 7 @ Albany State (GA): The Blazers travel to Albany for this one. VSU runs out to an early lead and runs away with this contest 44-16 to run the winning streak to 15.
Sat, Sep 14 vs Ohio Dominican: Ohio Dominican is not coming to Bazemore-Hyder and winning. Blazers win big 52-7. Winning streak is now 16 games.
Sat, Sep 21 vs West Alabama: West Alabama should be a good football team in 2019, but not good enough to beat VSU at home. Blazers stay undefeated 34-27
Sat, Sep 28 @ Shorter: Blazers will beat the brakes off of Shorter 49-10. The winning streak now stands at 18 games.
Sat, Oct 5 vs Mississippi College: MC comes to Valdosta and takes a long bus ride back home with a 38-19 loss. Blazer winning streak is now 19 games.
Sat, Oct 12 @ Delta State: With the meat of the schedule coming in the next month the Blazers struggle at Delta State, but kick a last second FG to win 34-31. The winning streak reaches 20 games.
Sat, Oct 19 vs Florida Tech: State of Florida has very good athletes, but the Blazers whip Florida Tech 42-27 in Valdosta. The winning streak is now 21 games.
Sat, Oct 26 @ North Greenville: Valdosta is on a roll now and handles NG 35-24. Valdosta State now has a 22-game winning streak.
Sat, Nov 9 vs West Florida: Senior Day at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium is a festive one as VSU extends the winning streak to 23 games with an impressive 44-28 win over West Florida and with the win the Blazers clinch their second straight Gulf South Conference title and a Division II playoff berth.
Sat, Nov 16 @ West Georgia: West Georgia will be a very solid football team, and lay the trap for the Blazers. The Blazers get caught looking ahead to the playoffs after clinching a conference championship and get upset by West Georgia 38-34.
The winning streak ends at 23 games, and the Blazers fall to 9-1 on the season as they head into the playoffs with the wakeup call needed to get their heads out of the clouds.
This team has what it takes to win another National Championship in 2019. Four national titles in 14 years makes Valdosta State on of the premier Division II programs in the country.
Interesting Fact: Brunswick High School head football coach Sean Pender holds the Gulf South Conference record for receptions in a season with 111. Pender set that record in 1995.
Brunswick High Pirates Coach’s Show w Sean Pender August 21
Gator Bait
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Dan Mullen has led the Florida football program back into the spotlight.
Mullen coached UF to a 10-3 record in 2018 and a drilling of Michigan in a bowl game. The Gators have 8 starters returning on defense led by C. J. Henderson, who is the best defensive back in college football. This defense can get after the QB.
The Gators are loaded at WR maybe only second to Alabama in the SEC. Depth is a huge concern on the offensive line where UF cannot afford any injuries.
QB Feleipe Franks is the straw that will stir the Gators drink on offense in 2019. Could Franks end up being the best dual threat QB in the SEC this fall, or will he struggle in the big games like he has against UGA over the past two seasons?
Florida schedule and my predictions:
Aug. 24 vs. Miami: The U isn’t ready for UF this season.
This game is being played in Orlando and Gator Nation will take the place over. When you see how many Gator fans arrive in Orlando, you’ll understand why UCF is hiding from the Gators.
Miami looks to be starting a freshman at QB and C. J. Henderson and company will be salivating at the thought of that.
Miami gets pretty much dominated in this one and the Gators roll to a 34-13 whipping of the Canes.
Sept. 7 vs. UT Martin: UT Martin wilts quickly in the Florida heat. UF rolls 55-10
Sept. 14 at Kentucky: An angry bunch of Gators take a business trip to Lexington and get revenge on a Kentucky team that ended the streak last year in Gainesville.
UF starts another long winning streak against Kentucky and wins this contest 34-17. Gators go to 3-0 on the season and move into the top 6 teams in the country.
Sept. 21 vs. Tennessee: Tennessee gets drilled in Gainesville. The Vols won’t be able to block that Gator defensive front and fall by three TD’s. Let’s say 34-10. The Swamp is never too kind to Tennessee. Gators go to 4-0.
Sept. 28 vs. Towson: Who the hell scheduled this game? Florida 62-3. Gators roll to 5-0.
Oct. 5 vs. Auburn: Are the Gators ready for the spotlight yet? LSU looming and with an Auburn team fighting to keep Gus employed.
The history books show that Auburn has had some success in the Swamp even during the Spurrier years. This one will be a tough contest and Florida wins with a late field goal. 27-24 to go to 6-0 on the season.
Oct. 12 at LSU: The entire nation will be tuned into this one as two top five teams meet in Death Valley. LSU will be a 10-12 win team in 2019. I think the Cajuns eat Gator tail before, during, and after this contest. Florida falls in a tough environment 28-21 to fall to 6-1 on the season.
Oct. 19 at South Carolina: Will there be an LSU hangover? There will be for a half and then some way the Gators rise from the ashes and make a fourth quarter comeback and beat Carolina in Columbia 28-24 t go to 7-1 and set up the game of their season.
Nov. 2 vs. Georgia: The Cocktail Party in Jacksonville is always a great setting for rivals that absolutely hate each other.
Florida has pointed to this game all talking season. Brenton Cox entered the transfer portal and landed at UF after leaving UGA about two weeks ago.
The Gators are raving about the things Cox is doing in practice elevating him to rock star status in Gainesville. In their excitement they are overlooking the fact that Cox fell to third string at his position on the depth chart in Athens before he jumped into the portal.
Florida falls to a UGA team that is more talented and has a better game manager at QB 38-24. Gators fall to 7-2 on the season.
Nov. 9 vs. Vanderbilt: Vandy gets drilled 41-17 in Gainesville. Gators go to 8-2.
Nov. 16 at Missouri: A month ago I picked Mizzou in this game. The closer the season gets I know Mizzou can’t out athlete Florida.
Florida finds a way to win this game the secure a spot in a NY6 Bowl. Florida goes to 9-2 with a 35-30 win.
Nov. 30 vs. Florida State: The Willie T era comes to an end for FSU in The Swamp. Florida gets to 10 wins with a statement 45-17 win over FSU to go to 10-2 on the season.
Florida is back to being Florida again.
The Big Dawgs
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
UGA is loaded in 2019. Kirby Smart is a recruiting machine.
Smart enters the 2019 season with an overall record of 32-10.
UGA won the SEC in 2017 but lost the National Championship game to Alabama and lost the SEC Title game to Alabama in 2018.
Jake Fromm leads the offense; JR Reed and Monty Rice will lead a faster more athletic defense in 2019. Andrew Thomas will lead the best offensive lineman in the country. The Swift/Herrien/White/Cook running back rotation will beat teams to a pulp.
Georgia’s talent across the board is well documented. This team should contend for a National Title this season and next season if Jake Fromm returns.
My game by game predictions:
Aug. 31: at Vanderbilt: Season and SEC opener at night in the Music City.
Vandy will be sky high and UGA has not always played so well in Nashville. Jake Fromm and a solid run game will spell doom for the Dores as UGA takes care of Vandy 38-13. George Pickens starts making a name for himself at Wide Receiver.
Sept. 7: MURRAY STATE: UGA drills Murray State 52-7.
Fromm and company will be discussing which band to go listen to downtown after the game midway through the second quarter.
Sept. 14: ARKANSAS STATE: Tougher than expected for a half then UGA pulls away in the third quarter and wins 45-14.
Sept. 21: NOTRE DAME: Athens, Georgia will be the center of the college football universe on 9/21. The Irish roll in and it will not be a cakewalk like most UGA fans expect.
This one will be a war. Zamir White has his coming out party as UGA eats up yards and clock to put ND away 27-17.
If UGA wears the black jerseys, then put the Dawgs on upset alert right now.
Oct. 5: at Tennessee: UT is still two recruiting classes away. Dawgs win in Knoxville 38-17, and UGA takes the lead in the series for the first time in 30 years.
Oct. 12: SOUTH CAROLINA: Carolina’s schedule is brutal, and Muschamp is trying to get them back in the mix in the SEC East. UGA has too much talent and wins at home 41-14 to stay undefeated.
Oct. 19: KENTUCKY: UGA blew out UK’s best team in 40 years in Lexington last year, and UGA is better in 2019. Kentucky is not as good as they were in 2018. Dawgs win 49-17.
Nov. 2: vs. Florida (Jacksonville): Dan Mullen has been popping off about UGA all “Talking Season”. Kirby isn’t much on talking but look for UGA’s best effort of the season in this one. Dawgs win the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party 35-20 over a good Gator squad.
Nov. 9: MISSOURI: Kelly Bryant didn’t get a national title ring from Clemson last year and he won’t get a victory in Athens either. Dawgs win 38-21.
UGA clinches the SEC East for the third straight year.
Nov. 16: at Auburn: Unbeaten UGA rolls to the Plains and I smell trouble brewing for the Dawgs. Auburn will be solid on defense, but will they be good on offense?
Will Gus still be employed by November? If he is then I smell upset. Auburn upsets UGA 24-21 in Jordan Hare.
Dawgs fall to 9-1. History tells us that UGA lays an egg against someone every season, right? Enjoy this November contest folks. Auburn lobbied the SEC and won and now the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry moves to October in 2020 and beyond.
Heck, maybe with that pansy move UGA rips Auburn a new one, 35-17 and stays unbeaten on the season.
Nov. 23: TEXAS A&M: Everyone is jumping on the Aggie bandwagon. Not me. The Aggies lost their leading rusher and leading tackler, nor am I sold on Kellen Mond at QB.
Senior Day in Athens as UGA rolls 38-24. UGA goes to 11-0 on the season.
Nov. 30: at Georgia Tech: Jackets go to a pro-style offense with option attack players. Georgia Tech will get better fast by focusing on the Atlanta area in recruiting. Dawgs go to 12-0 with a 42-17 blistering of the Jackets.
SEC Championship: UGA finally breaks the Alabama jinx and beats the Tide 31-24 in another title game classic between these two teams.
UGA goes into the College Football Playoff as the #1 team in the country.
Return To Rocky Top For Vols?
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Tennessee is a proud member of the SEC. The Vols are second, only to Alabama, in all-time wins and tied with UGA for second in SEC titles with 13 behind only Alabama.
2019 will mark the end of the worst decade in Tennessee football history. The 2019 Vols will try to avoid a third straight losing season under second year head coach Jeremy Pruitt, who inherited a huge mess to clean up in Knoxville after the Lane Kiffin, Derek Dooley, and Butch Jones experiments went terribly wrong.
Tennessee has not won an SEC title since 1998, and hasn’t played for one since 2007, which was the last time this program won 10 games in a season.
When Pruitt was hired, he told everyone to be patient because it was going to take a few recruiting cycles to get the Vols back into contention with the upper tier of the SEC.
Jeremy Pruitt is a tough hard-nosed football coach that knows the recipe for winning. Will Tennessee give him the time to get the job done? That is the real question.
For the first time in three years, Tennessee heads into the season with the same starting quarterback it had in the opener the previous year with Jarrett Guarantano. Guarantano should make big improvements in 2019. Tennessee has a really good set of wide receivers with Jauan Jennings and Marquez Callaway.
The running game must improve this fall with Ty Chandler, who is the best playmaker on the roster.
The offensive line play was horrible in 2018 and must get better but how with transfers, medical retirements, etc.?
Jim Chaney comes back from Georgia as offensive coordinator and is very well respected in the college football ranks.
Defensively, the Vols look good at safety and have some young talented corners.
Tennessee recruited the JUCO ranks hard for defensive line depth.
This team will be better in 2019 but the won/loss record may not reflect that.
Here are my game by game predictions for Tennessee in 2019.
Aug. 31 | Georgia State | Knoxville: The Vols take care of Georgia State at home 34-17 to go to 1-0 on the season.
Sept. 7 | BYU | Knoxville: The Cougars come to Knox Vegas and get beat by Tennessee 31-27. Vols go to 2-0 on the season.
Sept. 14 | Chattanooga | Knoxville: Vols win easy 41-13 to go to 3-0 on the season.
Sept. 21 | at Florida | Gainesville: The Swamp is not very kind to Tennessee and it won’t be again in 2019. Florida wins 31-20. Tennessee drops to 3-1 and 0-1 in the SEC.
Oct. 5 | Georgia | Knoxville: Dawgs won 41-0 in 2017 at Neyland Stadium. UGA is the most talented team in the SEC East and the team the Vols have to catch up with in recruiting. UGA wears UT down and pulls away for a 38-17 win. Tennessee goes to 3-2 and 0-2.
Oct. 12 | Mississippi State | Knoxville: This is a game UT must win. It will be tough as nails but the Vols get back on track with a 24-20 win. UT goes to 4-2 and 1-2.
Oct. 19 | at Alabama | Tuscaloosa: 12 straight losses to Alabama and have given up 40 points or more in 7 of them. This is another ugly one. Alabama 42-10. 4-3 and 1-3 in SEC.
Oct. 26 | South Carolina | Knoxville: Battle of two pretty much even teams. Give UT the edge at home 21-17. 5-3 and 2-3.
Nov. 2 | UAB | Knoxville: Vols get bowl eligible 38-13. 6-3 on the season.
Nov. 9 | at Kentucky | Lexington: Another tough one on the road. Give me the Cats 27-24. UT goes to 6-4 and 2-4 in SEC
Nov. 23 | at Missouri | Columbia: Tennessee is not winning in COMO. Mizzou wins 41-27. 6-5 and 2-5 in SEC.
Nov. 30 | Vanderbilt | Knoxville: Vandy hasn’t beat Tennessee in four straight games since 1923. Not happening in 2019. Vols get to seven wins with a 35-20 win over Vandy.
Tennessee finishes the regular season at 7-5 and 3-5 in the SEC and probably goes to the Music City Bowl in Nashville.
A winning season to close out the worst decade in Tennessee football history. Will the Vols ever be what they once were again? I hope they make it back. We miss you Big Orange.
Camden On The Hunt…Again
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Camden Head Football Coach Bob Sphire enters year three and should start seeing big results from the massive rebuild he started in 2017.
Camden made big strides in year two and have the makings for a fantastic 2019 football season. Look for the Cats to make some noise in Georgia’s highest classification this fall. This is a very good football team folks.
Regular season schedule and my predictions:
08/23 at West Forsyth: Long bus ride for the Cats against a playoff team from last year. Camden won at home last year and they get off to a great start with a 24-17 win over the Wolverines.
08/30 at Wren (Piedmont, SC): Camden plays Wren again in Macon at Mercer University. Camden fell to Wren 25-14 last year, but something tells me that scoreboard will read a little differently this year. The Cats get some redemption by beating Wren 28-17 to go to 2-0 on the season.
09/06 vs Locust Grove: In the home opener for Camden you have Locust Grove rolling in and rolling out with a 35-7 beating. The Cats go to 3-0 on the season.
09/13 vs Richmond Hill: Richmond Hill travels to Chris Gilman Stadium trying to find some offense after losing most of it to graduation. The problem is the offense that graduated only scored 6 on Camden in 2018.
Camden beats down a team that will probably be in their region once the State reclassifies next season. Camden 38-7 to go to 4-0 on the season.
09/20 vs Brunswick: Brunswick High Head Coach, Sean Pender tells me that Camden County is the best team on the Brunswick schedule and that spells trouble for the Pirates. The Cats roll the Pirates 38-20 to go 5-0 on the season.
10/04 at Glynn Academy: The undefeated Cats play the undefeated Terrors at Glynn County Stadium in what should be a great game. Camden will pull out a 24-21 win to go to 6-0 on the season.
10/11 at Colleton County (Walterboro, SC): This one could get ugly in a hurry. Cats win 49-7 to go to 7-0 on the season.
10/18 vs Colquitt County: This will be the biggest home football game in Kingsland in years. The region opener and Colquitt coming in with a new staff, but with top talent.
Could the Cats make a statement here? I think they do and pull out a 24-20 win to go to 8-0 and send a message around the state.
10/25 vs Lowndes: The Vikings roll in for another huge home game for Camden. The Cats go to 2-0 in the region with a hard fought 21-17 win over Lowndes to go to 9-0 and 2-0 in the region.
11/08 at Tift County: The Cats are sky high coming off back to back huge wins at home, and run into a Blue Devil team that has beaten Lowndes and lost to Colquitt in region play.
The Cats fall in a classic 38-34 to go 9-1 and 2-1 in the region. Tift gets great news from Martin Stadium as Lowndes beats Colquitt and Tift wins region championship.
Region 1-AAAAAAA Standings:
Tift: 2-1
Camden: 2-1
Lowndes: 1-2
Colquitt: 1-2
Camden goes 9-1 and finishes with a number #2 playoff seed from region 1.
Opposing Coach View on Camden: “They were down when Bob took that job. Really down. You saw the signs last year that they were starting to get back to being Camden County again.
They have some talent on that football team. Will they get back to what they used to be just a few years ago? I believe they will and are on the right track.
Who will their QB be? They are pretty set everywhere else. I think they have as good of a shot as anyone in their region. They had Lowndes on the ropes at their place last year.
Colquitt has a new coaching staff, and Tift as an at large made it to the third-round last year. They have Colquitt and Lowndes at home. The game at Tift could be for the region championship don’t shake your head because that region is really good and right now with the Colquitt scenario pretty much up for grabs.
Bob is a very good coach and he is in a place where he can win big with the talent pool and resources available.”
Back To Back?
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Let me go on record and say I have always respected Frederica Academy Head Football coach Brandon Derrick for his coaching abilities, but I have a new found respect for the man because he is an educator of young people to prepare them for life.
The man teaches 5 classes a day and I’m not talking PE classes, I’m talking college prep World History and Government courses on top of his role as head football coach.
The man’s plate is full and he has a passion for developing young people which is evident when you talk to him.
As for the 2019 football season the defending state champs have some big shoes to fill with departures.
But the coach says “I feel pretty good about the experience we have returning this fall. We played a lot of kids last year and we’ll be solid on the lines of scrimmage, running back and linebacker. We have Denver Anthony, Deke Jernigan, who are really good players coming back and we just need to stay consistent because we know what it takes to win and that is an intangible that mentally we have over other programs”.
Schedule/My Predictions:
08/23 at Charlton County: The Knights let the Indians off the hook on St. Simons last fall. Charlton has a new head coach. I have said all off season that I didn’t think Frederica would go down to Folkston and win. I have changed my mind Frederica beats Charlton 21-20 to go 1-0 on the season.
08/30 at Valwood: Frederica continues the brutal road slate with a trip to Valdosta to play a loaded Valwood team that has stocked the roster with Valdosta and Lowndes players that entered the transfer portal.
I think you get my drift here. This will be a tall task for the Knights and they fall early in the season 34-22 to Valwood to go 1-1 on the season. These teams will probably meet up again in the GISA State Playoffs.
09/06 vs Tiftarea Academy: The Panthers, a final four team in 2018, roll into St. Simons probably ranked in the top 5 in State.
The opening three games are brutal for the Knights. Frederica wins their home opener 28-24 to end this brutal opening stretch 2-1.
09/13 at Bethlehem Christian Academy: The Knights hung 62 on Bethlehem last season and will hang 50 on them in 2019. Knights 52-12 to go to 3-1 on the season.
09/20 vs Augusta Prep Day: Frederica dominates Augusta Prep 49-7 to go to 4-1 on the season.
10/04 vs Pinewood Christian: Will Pinewood be much improved in 2019? Maybe, but not that much improved. Frederica rolls 35-20 to go to 5-1 on the season.
10/11 at Westfield: This trip to Perry worries me for the Knights. Westfield is said to be improved in 2019. Westfield was a playoff team last season. Knights pull out a win late 24-21 to go to 6-1 on the season and 2-0 in the region.
10/18 at Trinity Christian: Trap game in Dublin for the Knights. The Crusaders went 7-5 in 2018. Frederica can’t get caught looking ahead to JMA and Bulloch. Frederica struggles, but wins an ugly 14-7 to go to 7-1 and set up a region title showdown with Bulloch Academy in two weeks.
11/01 at John Milledge Academy: Knights travel for the third straight week to Milledgeville to play the team many are picking to win the State Title in 2019.
The Knights blew out John Milledge for the title in 2018. JMA handles the Knights 28-21. Frederica drops to 7-2 on the season.
11/08 vs Bulloch Academy: Rivalry game. An angry set of Knights coming off a tough loss rebound and handle Bulloch Academy easy 31-10.
Not much love between Frederica and Bulloch Academy. Frederica wins another region championship and finishes 8-2 on the season.
Opposing Team view on Frederica: “I thought the Anthony kid was the best player on the field when we played them last year. They flat out put one on us, and we have them circled this year.
Brandon has done a fantastic job there, but I wonder about their feeder system and how long they can keep that thing going over there.
They won a State Championship last year and you have to think they will take a step back this year. That road schedule is brutal.
They will be battle tested and will be a tough out in the playoffs because of the winning culture they have there. This is one of the better GISA programs in the state. They have tremendous financial support there.”
Barring key injuries this team can make another deep playoff run.
