There are just 31 days remaining until the kickoff of the 2023 high school football season. But make no mistake, preparations for the upcoming campaign got underway months ago. And teams throughout northeast Georgia already are in full countdown mode.
With that in mind, we spent the last couple of weeks catching up with programs around our area to get a feel for how spring practice went, how the summer is going, and what coaches believe the fall will look like. Our "Two-a-Days" series honors those old-school grinding sessions that lead us out of summer and into fall, asking each area coach two key questions about the state of their respective programs.
Over the next two weeks, AccessWDUN's Friday Game Night will get you prepped for the start of gridiron action with responses from coaches throughout northeast Georgia.
(Teams run in alphabetical order)...
DAWSON COUNTY
The Tigers flipped their usual script in 2022, using a punishing defense to win another region title while a usually-potent offense struggled through its toughest season under head coach Sid Maxwell.
In 2023, the offense, despite losing its entire backfield, looks to be the early unit to carry the team as the Tigers try to rebuild the defense after graduating a slew of starters. We caught up with Maxwell to discuss who is emerging on the defensive side and to see who in the backfield may be ready to take the main role.
QUESTION: The defense is rebuilding after a tremendous 2022 season. The secondary in particular will be young. Who is starting to emerge as starters and how important in your region is getting that group up to varsity speed as quickly as possible?
A: Last year we were senior heavy on defense graduating nine starters. So we definitely have a challenge to get that much-needed experience before region play. The secondary has numerous players -- Sawyer Bearden, Jack McCarthy, Preston Bannister, Declan Rhodes, Julian Pressley, Walker Massey, Christian Byers, Paxton Phillips, Saul Ruiz, Chatham Burnett, and Colin Rexroat -- all competing for time
Q: You are replacing your entire backfield from last season. Who looks ready to take control as the main running back at this stage of the summer?
A: As of today several young guys will be getting the opportunity. Luke Smith, Jonah Brock, Alex Stewart, Saul Ruiz, and Paxton Phillips all could see action early on.
- Up Next in Two-a-Days: EAST FORSYTH
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