JEFFERSON, Ga. — Jefferson coach Travis Noland said he’ll never be mistaken for a rocket scientist.
Which in this case, is a good thing because it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what will be the ultimate key when the Dragons entertain LaGrange on Friday night at Memorial Stadium in the Class 3A state semifinals.
“We gotta run to the ball and tackle: it's not scientific at all. It’s pretty simple,” he said.
Of course, he’s talking about his vaunted Jefferson defense trying to do something no one has been able to do so far in the 2024 playoffs: stop the Grangers’ Malachi Fannin-Render (2,135 yards, 10 TDs, 10 100-yard games).
The senior running back has piled up over 700 yards and three touchdowns in the postseason. He pounded North Hall for 261 yards last week in a 49-17 quarterfinal win at The Brickyard.
“He is very, very good,” Noland said. “He's got unbelievable speed; he's got great balance; he's very strong and very hard to tackle. He's probably the most complete (running) back (our staff) has faced in many, many years in my coaching time.
“We've just got to get a lot of hats running to the ball. That will be the key to the entire game.”
But Noland also said don’t sleep on LaGrange quarterback Dyal Barber. He threw just 4 passes last week but 2 went for touchdowns so they know how to mix in the pass effectively.
“He's very fast, too. He can beat you with his feet very quickly,” Noland said. “They have balance. They have great receivers. They can score in a lot of different ways. It’s just, you know, every time Fannin-Render touches it, he's a threat to score. It’s a hard group to slow down right now.”
But something will have to give at Memorial Stadium.
LaGrange is averaging 36 points/game for the season but has jumped that to 45 ppg in the playoffs. The Dragons are yielding just 14.0 ppg in the playoffs behind one of the state’s most talented linebacking groups. As a team, the Dragons have 75 TFL, including 18 sacks, and have forced 20 turnovers (13 INT, 7 fumbles). Linebackers Max Brown (115 tkl), Rett Hemphill (110 tkl), and JD Lang (73 tkl) along with interior lineman Kelan Butler (74 tkl) have combined for 34 TFL, including 11 sacks. Hemphill also has picked off 5 passes on the season.
Noland knows his defense is more than capable but of course couldn’t help but invoke a little Vince Dooley reverse-psychology philosophy.
“I love our (defensive) group. They are playing very, very well right now. They can be a nasty bunch,” Noland said. “They definitely have the ability, as long as they play as a unit, to slow them down. But we're going to have to play the best game we've played all year or we won't have a chance to win.”
But the Dragons may have a secret weapon of their own. Senior quarterback Gavin Markey is proving to be one of the more versatile and dangerous offensive players in Class 3A.
Markey had a huge game last week, rushing for a season-high 228 yards and 2 scores. He was just 3-of-7 passing for 43 yards but threw a pair of TD passes.
Both of his TD runs last week came in the final 8 minutes to break open a 28-28 tie with Cherokee Bluff (an eventual 42-28 victory). He now has 1,445 yards rushing and 1,283 yards passing on the season.
“Gavin's been great,” Noland said. “Week in and week out, he has done everything we have asked. He has played very consistent all season and really makes things run out there.
“But we need some guys to come along and help him out. It’s important to try to sustain drives, even if we don't get points, get two or three first downs. Keeping the ball away from (LaGrange) is critical. But we've had so many dropped passes the last three weeks that that could have really made a huge difference on some things. We can’t have any of that on Friday.”
Their other secret weapon may be Memorial Stadium and the Jefferson crowd. The Dragons have won 13 straight at home going back to a 27-17 loss to Cass in the first round of the 2022 Class 5A playoffs. They are 18-1 at Memorial Stadium under Noland.
“Memorial Stadium and our home fans have been really good for us,” he said. “It's a tough place to come play for a visiting team. I've been here as an opposing coach and assistant coach. I've been here as an opposing head coach, and it's always hard to come here and play. Hopefully, we'll have a great crowd.”
The Dragons were at this same point a season ago but had to play on the road at Creekside in the Class 5A playoffs. He is hoping that having the home-field advantage this time will help them get to The Benz. The winner Friday night will move to the Class 3A title game on Dec. 18 at 4 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
As a staff, Noland and his crew have been to the semifinals four times in the past six years. Twice they advanced to the title game at Oconee County. But he knows how tough it is to take the final step from the Final 4 to the title game.
“It's difficult to do. If it wasn't, everybody would do it every year,” he said. “We've been fortunate to be here now four of the last six years. The difference between going home in the fourth round and moving on to the championship game usually comes down to one or two plays that revolve around extra effort, taking care of the ball, or making a great catch, or whatever it might be. It's not a huge difference. It just comes down to making a few plays at critical moments.
“The little things, like not missing tackles in the open field, not dropping passes on third down or what have you. Those things will decide both teams’ fate.”
CLASS 4A SEMIFINALS
LAGRANGE at JEFFERSON
Records: Grangers (10-3, No. 20 seed); Dragons (10-3, No. 1 seed)
Last week: LaGrange beat North Hall, 49-17; Jefferson beat Cherokee Bluff, 42-28
Where: Memorial Stadium, Jefferson
Radio: WDUN 102.9 FM
Time: 7:30 p.m.
The Statisticals: First-ever meeting. The Grangers are beyond dangerous despite being a supremely low 20th seed. They have knocked off back-to-back region champs (Sandy Creek, No. 4 seed, North Hall, No. 5 seed), and the Dragons won a three-way tiebreaker for the Region 8-3A title. LaGrange is into the Final 4 for the first time since 2008 and has not made a championship game since winning the 2004 Class 3A title, its third title in four years at that time. The Dragons are trying to get back to the title game after falling to Marist in the 2020 4A title game under coach Gene Cathcart. They are looking for their first state title since winning the 2012 Class 2A crown.
What to watch for: The Jefferson defense vs. Malachi Fannin-Render. Everyone in Memorial Stadium will know what is coming when the Grangers are on offense. Can the Dragons be the team that finally slows down the Sr. running back sensation? Fannin-Render has been impossible to stop in the playoffs with over 700 yards and ran his season total to 2,135 yards last week. He had 261 yards and 3 TDs against the Trojans and ran for over 200 against Sandy Creek, the 3A state champs in 2022.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2024/12/1275193/football-dragons-defense-faces-toughest-task-yet-in-grangers-fannin-render-in-3a-semis