Football Friday In Georgia: What's the savory secret to Lowndes' success?

Caption

The Lowndes football team breaks through a team banner before a game vs Lee County on September 11, 2021

Credit: Lowndes Football Team Facebook page

 

TRANSCRIPT

Jon Nelson: Welcome to another round of the Football Fridays in Georgia podcast here at Georgia Public Broadcasting. Thanks for accessing us however you are doing so large device or small, GPB, gpb.org, the GPB Sports App, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, on our YouTube channel, where you get to see how we get to just roll in here and do this show every single week. Alongside Hannah Goodin, I am Jon Nelson. Last week we were at Tommy Baker Field for Cherokee and Roswell. A place we'd never been before. Great atmosphere, great crowd. It was great to see everybody up there in Cherokee county, big region matchup, and a big win for Roswell.

Hannah Goodin: The Hornets prevailed 41 to 13 over the Warriors, in for senior running back Ryan Hill. This was the story of the night with sophomore Nykahi Davenport, who was the Cotton Commission player of the game.

Jon Nelson: Excellent.

Hannah Goodin: Rushed for 172 yards, two touchdowns on 28 caries. And Jon, the post-game interview with him was a little rough but bless his heart. But bless his heart, he is a Sophomore.

Jon Nelson: Yeah, you're talking about someone who's probably never done one of those before, and you're a sophomore.

Hannah Goodin: You are thrown into the spotlight.

Jon Nelson: And you have the game of your, you know, the game of your career in that game. He'd rushed for just as many yards or more than he had his entire season. And so, when you're given the football and you're getting those big numbers and you know, I give him a lot of credit for sticking out and sticking with it that whole time. It was fun. It was good to see everybody,

Hannah Goodin: What was your first question to him? And his answer was,

Jon Nelson: Yeah?

Hannah Goodin: Yeah.

Jon Nelson: Yeah. It's a great win tonight or something like that. Yeah. But like, that's all, that's a part of the fun of all of this. When you, when you have these, these sophomores who have these kinds of games and things like that, but now it was fun to be up there. Great win for Roswell and a game that they really needed if they were going to keep pace with Milton in that region. And so right now, the Milton Roswell game that one's going to be the one that will decide region championship right now, not quite in the blender all the way across the board in this one. But Milton and Roswell is going to go a long way to decide who the region champ is.

Hannah Goodin: Another storyline in the game, was quarterback Robbie Roper. He was outstanding after returning from a two-week shoulder injury, which happened on our airwaves. Unfortunately, he was seven to 14 passing for 136 yards. He had a great night.

Jon Nelson: Yep. And it was a good bounce back for him as well. And I think that it took a little while for Cherokee to get into the game. And obviously, you know, you can't have a lot of turnovers in a game that, of this import and Roswell took advantage of those turnovers and got a big margin ahead. They were up 13, nothing. Then Cherokee comes back to score to make it a one score game. And then just turnovers really were the early difference in this. And what we saw from Roswell in the third and fourth quarter, was the idea of them just seeing a game out, doing what they needed to do, you know, run the ball, get your first downs, make sure that you are getting the yardage that you needed. You were staying ahead of the sticks, those kinds of things that we all talk about that are going to be important in the post season. We saw that in the third and fourth quarter for Roswell. Caught up with Coach Prewett to ask him about that after the game too. And it was something that's important that they'll learn from heading into the post season.

Hannah Goodin: Did you ask Coach Prewett about facing Milton?

Jon Nelson: Not down the line.

Hannah Goodin: It is a biweek. Yeah.

Jon Nelson: So, it's down the road a little bit. Just let them enjoy this one for 30 seconds before.

Hannah Goodin:  You can’t, it will be here before you know it.

Jon Nelson Exactly. But you got to catch up with Coach Adam Clack of Milton in the post-game show and Football Fridays After Dark.

Hannah Goodin: I did. Hey, let's take a look at some of those big games from last week.

Jon Nelson: Ok.

Hannah Goodin: Before we get to Clack, there were some major milestones that were met on Friday, and I want to start with Fellowship Christian, Coach Tim McFarlin, congratulations to Coach. He got his 200-career win with a 37 to nothing went over Clarkston. They go to 6-1 on the year, 2-0, and region play. And I also got to talk to him right after the game. And he said, their team is in a building phase. Only seven seniors. Started two freshmen. So, it was a really big win for them.

Jon Nelson: And they are coming off of the, that early season lost to Trinity Christian. Everybody's losing to Trinity Christian, so far this year in single A private, but they've rebounded well after that loss. And you're seeing once again, these freshmen who, by the time you get to the end of the regular season, you know, they're not going to be freshmen anymore on the field. They'll still be freshmen in the classroom, but they'll have that experience. And I think it'll serve Fellowship Christian well. And you know, was there chasing after a post-season bid as well, next time, next one. Up for them as King's Ridge Christian, I believe so. You're going to have Coach Terry Crowder and Coach Tim McFarlin going at it next time out. And it's going to be another big region game.

Hannah Goodin: Yeah, they're trying to go 3-0 region play its region six, single A private King's Ridge Christian. I asked him how he was going to celebrate his 200th win. And he said his wife and his daughter were waiting on him to get a dinner.

Jon Nelson: They're waiting on me across the street. And so, you're sitting there going, okay. So, all right. So, what questions can I ask to get the answers?

Hannah Goodin: How long can I keep you?

Jon Nelson: Yes. How long can I keep you? And then, okay, then you can go and celebrate.

Hannah Goodin: He wouldn't tell me where they were going to dinner though.

Jon Nelson: Well, because if folks are, but the thing is that folks are watching Football Fridays After Dark. Then if Coach McFarlin says, yeah, I'm going to go here. Then you're going to have all those folks in the Roswell area who are watching the post-game show. They're going to, they're going to go there and go hang out with him.

Hannah Goodin: And go party.

Jon Nelson: Yeah.

Hannah Goodin: Oh my gosh. Yeah. Hey, that's a good idea though. It's the red light, like meeting at the red light, but "Hey", he could have been like: "Meet me at the Shake Shack."

Jon Nelson: Nothing wrong with that.

Hannah Goodin: Okay. Another record shattered.

Jon Nelson: Yes.

Hannah Goodin: Rabun quarterback Gunner Stockton. If you haven't heard the news, everyone.

Jon Nelson: I've heard of him.

Hannah Goodin: Broke Deshaun Watson's Georgia state record for total touchdowns when he hit 219. Watson set the record in 2013, when he had 218. So that came after the Wild Cats, 45-14 went over Grovetown. Awesome news for Gunner Stockton!

Jon Nelson: And last week on the show, and we had head Coach Jaybo Shaw, of Rabun County, and that game that they had in region play had been wiped off the board. And he was said, okay, I've got an opponent and we can all, you know, you'll know soon enough. And we found out it was Grovetown that was going to make a big road trip for this one, but a big win for Rabun county. Once again, up there in the mountain region and, you know, anticipating a lot of big things from them in that region itself. But seeing Gunner Stockton continue to just knock off record after record, after record, after record, it's going to be fun to see where this ends by the end of this season. And one of the toughest regions in the state, across the board and AA.

Hannah Goodin: Yeah. They are 6-1. They have not started region play. So that begins Friday against Banks County. So, we'll have to see how they do. And I just can't wait to watch Gunner at Georgia. He's going to be great!

Jon Nelson: Says the Ole Miss grad.

Hannah Goodin: I know, but I'm just invested. I'm not a Georgia fan at all.

Jon Nelson: You're regionally invested because for you, it just means more.

Hannah Goodin: It just means more.

Jon Nelson: Just checking.

Hannah Goodin: All right, let's bring Coach Clack into it. Bigger matchups around the state region play was in full swing in 7A, Collins Hill, Mill Creek were both off. So, I was keeping up with that Milton, Etowah game. They came out with the 54-14 win to go 2-0 in region play, which is region 5/ 7A. Talked to Coach Clark from the bus dark quiet bus. I was like, coach, where is your team? I don't hear a single pin drop?

Jon Nelson: They are being respectful.

Hannah Goodin: So, I asked him, you know, what was the key to the game? And he said to get quarterback, Devin Farrell going early, which they did.

Jon Nelson: And that's big, you know, once again, you're 6-1. And you're in, you know, you're in the crosshairs of a lot of folks in 7A, because you're at the top of the ladder. It's Collins Hill, it's Mill Creek, it's North Cobb, it's Milton. There are a lot of teams chasing a title in 7A. And right now, Milton is trying to keep pace with all those folks ahead of them. And when you put 54 on the board against Etowah, sets another marker in region play, and you know, we keep talking about the eventual Milton Roswell game to decide the one and the two.

Hannah Goodin: They go into a biweek. So, they wanted to get the win going into the biweek. They want to get healthy and reset, but you hear a lot of these coaches, you know, they give you the coach talk. They want to take it one game at a time. They rarely mentioned championships. Coach Clack was like, we're going for the ring baby!

Jon Nelson: I mean, Well, cause he's gotten the ring before.

Hannah Goodin: He wants it again. I mean, there was no week-to-week talk. He goes, "we're making it to the end. We're going to reset. We're going to get healthy. And, and we're, we're making it". And I was like, yes, coach.

Jon Nelson: Yes, sir.

Hannah Goodin: Yes, sir.

Jon Nelson: You salute and ask the next question. So, no, that's, I mean, that's the mentality that coaches have. It's like, yes, we know that there are coaches who will sit there and say, we're just going to get ready for next week and then get into the playoffs. But Head Coach Clack has a vision. I mean, they went on the road to Pennsylvania to play a game this year to get ready for these kinds of things. So, it's all about, you know, travel and getting ready and making sure that you're prepared for the playoffs. Those kinds of moments will do it too. And having that extra week to prepare when you have to go to Ray Manus Stadium on the 22nd to take on 6-1 Roswell, that's going to be a big one there in region.

Hannah Goodin: Yes, it is. In region two, AAA Peach County's 35- game winning streak and region games has come to an end. Womp. Womp. With the 14-27 loss to Crisp County on Friday. That was a wild one

Jon Nelson: That was tied at 14, at one point. And for Crisp and Miguel Patrick, remember Miguel Patrick left Cedar Grove in the off season to go down to Cordele, to be the head coach down there at Crisp. We've always known them as a program that will play anybody, any place, any time twice on Tuesday and out of I, 75 at exit 101, if they have to and to have this kind of a game, I think that, you know, you look at Peach County and they'll be a part of the discussion. But right now, with that win by Crisp, you're looking at the one and thee two. Expect both of them to make a lot of noise in the playoffs. But that one pretty much gives you the inside track to Crisp and your region champ.

Hannah Goodin: Yeah, that was my surprise for the week, for sure, just with Peach County's history,

Jon Nelson: Give you another one. Haralson County knocking off Callaway. That's another surprise for me in region 5 AA. 5 AA is definitely one of those regions where you have to know the math and you have to know your tie breakers. Haralson County was up 28, nothing at the half, as you know, against Callaway, they're up 35 35-7, 35 -14. Then they go on to win 42-14, big win for everybody for Scott Peavy and everybody out there in Haralson County, obviously a heavy heart slowly losing one of their coaching legends and Frank Vohun at the age of 74, but great win for them as well to put 42 on the board against Callaway. But you know that the Cavaliers and Head Coach Wiggins will sit there and take this and learn from it as they're going to be chasing, once again, the one in the two with this region being in the blender, it will be interesting to see how this one shakes out, but right now, Haralson County, the inside track to be region champ,

Hannah Goodin: I've got one more game for you.

Jon Nelson: Yep.

Hannah Goodin: An exciting non-region matchup in 3A Perry moves to 5-1 after beating Washington County 37-24, somehow the Panthers overcame five turnovers, including two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns. Unbelievable. How do you win with five turnovers? Talk about math. The odds are against you.

Jon Nelson: But Perry is one of those teams that we've looked at in addition to Washington County, that were going to be making deep runs and it's taking games like this, where Perry has some adversity. How do you handle you’re in an adverse situation rebound from it? They absolutely did that. A lot of folks had Perry in their final fours. You know, last year they lost a Marist in one of the wildest scoring games that was around in the playoffs. And they're looking to repeat if not get further into the playoffs, this season. So big challenge for both of those schools. Once again, I know a lot of us are looking at both Perry and Waco, making deep runs in the playoffs come post season.

Hannah Goodin: They will begin region play on Friday against West Laurens. So, by this Friday, Jon, everyone will be in region play.

Jon Nelson: Close, except for the Eagle's Landing Christian region, which only has three teams because Our Lady of Mercy went to go play seven-man football. So, they'll have only two region games. So, when you get through game seven for Eagle's Landing or game eight for Eagle's Landing Christian, then they'll have nine and 10 and go into region play.

Hannah Goodin: Wow! What a schedule for them.

Jon Nelson: Yeah, I know. And that's one of the questions that we always like to ask coaches when they come on the Football Fridays in Georgia podcast. It's like how, if you're in a mini region, how difficult is it to find opponents? And I mean, to give you the example this week Eagle's Landing Christian is playing as I look at my notes here, they are at Pacelli this week, but they lost Brentwood Academy of Tennessee, 17-14, to go 1-5, but you have to schedule up if you're in single A and it's trying to find opponents and it's traditionally tougher, Eagle's Landing Christian. But by the time they get into the post season, they will be 18.

Hannah Goodin: 1-5 means nothing.

Jon Nelson: Absolutely not. And it's how you are in your region and winning games there. And it's one of those, you know, tested questions that we always have to look at here when it comes to getting ready for the post-season, it comes in different forms and for Jonathan Gess and the Chargers, it comes with 97 non-religion games, a two-game region sprint, and then getting into the playoffs. I mean, they've been in the playoffs with a 500 record before, and then they make the run that we're always accustomed to seeing them make. So there, yeah.

Hannah Goodin: Always.

Jon Nelson: Yeah, so I mean, it's par for the course, really, when you're looking at a team like Eagle's Landing Christian, who will be in the class A private top 10 at GPB with a record of 1-5, but it's because of things like this and you sit there and it's like, well, why are they with a record of 1-5? And they're still in a top 10 poll because in class, because of class a private, they're one of the top 10 teams in class, a private bar, none.

Hannah Goodin: So, we're finishing up fall break around the state. I think this is the last week. How does that affect things?

Jon Nelson: It means that everybody's going to be playing.

Hannah Goodin: Yay!

Jon Nelson: That's the key. It's like, you know, let's say Cobb had their biweek a couple of weeks ago. Gwinnett had theirs last week. I don't want to say two weeks ago, it was Cobb last week as we're talking, it was Gwinnett. And so now it's like, okay, is everybody done? Can we, then it's just integrating everything and getting back to how things are. But you know, the biweek you know, your fall break for all of your classes. That's the interesting part of all of this, because you develop all of this momentum and then you'd get a break and then you're having to reset everything. And I think that's another challenge too, for a lot of folks where you're trying to sit there and go, okay what do we do for a reset here? And then you've got it figured out. And that's another challenge for the coaches these days. Yeah.

Hannah Goodin: Yeah, well, speaking of small regions and teams that are beginning region play Lowndes will do that on Friday and Head Coach Jamey DuBose is our guest this week, Jon.

Jon Nelson: Yes, he is. So, let's find out what's going on at the Concrete Palace.

Hannah Goodin: All right, coach, you go five-two on the season after beating Cedar Grove 45-38 on Friday, it was a wild one. You guys battled back from a deficit, then scored on a one-yard run in the final minute to break the 38-38 tie. That was an exciting one. What was your, what was your reaction from the sidelines on that?

Head Coach Jamey DuBose: Well kind of relief. And I think there was 45 seconds left and it was going straight to the defensive coordinator and the defensive coaches saying, hey, we got to hold on. I did tell the offense don’t sit down for very long, because you never know. It seemed like you had to keep score and to stay in front. Cedar Grove got a very talented football team. I was very impressed with their players and of course their quarterback was out. So, I think he's coming back this next week, I heard. I know he's a great player and he'll make them even better.

Jon Nelson: One of the questions that I like to ask coaches across the board and specifically coaches like you that are in these mini regions. MINI, for lack of a better phrase, because region play is a sprint for you, how difficult is it to schedule 97 non-religion games before you can even get into region play?

Head Coach Jamey DuBose: Well, it's very difficult. You know, we found Cedar Grove really at the last second, this summer, we were open and you know, we couldn't find anyone. And, just by luck, I think Cedar Grove had somebody pull out on them and enabled us to pick another game up. But you’re right. I mean, and the games we pick up, man, they're tough games where our schedule this year, you know, you look at it, we've had Lake Gibson on ESPN, which was a top ranked Florida team.

Jon Nelson: Yeah, both of you scored in that game again.

Head Coach Jamey DuBose: Oh yeah. That was about a 100-99, it seemed like, but I'll tell you what last Friday and the Lake Gibson game I called plays and mentally, I was just exhausted at the end. I told somebody, I didn't know how many more plays I had to call, but it was rough. We've had Lee County on the schedule though. We've had, you know, Walton on the schedule, which was a very tough team. You know, Valdosta of course, on the schedule. I mean, it just seems like we have had one game after another and it's been a playoff run even before we get to the region games.

Hannah Goodin: All right. You've got Jaccuri and you've got Jaccare on your team. Two outstanding players.

Jon Nelson: How do you tell them apart? Besides height?

Head Coach Jamey DuBose: Well, I would say height would be the best way right now.

Hannah Goodin: Seriously. Let's see how tall Jaccuri is 5'8'' So then yes. So yes, yes, he's, he's gotten by, by quite a bit. Jaccare is 6'4''. So, your senior quarterback, Jaccuri brown, he was 7-4 passing for 99 yards, also rushed for 117 more yards in a score. What would, how would you assess his performance on Friday?

Head Coach Jamey DuBose: Well, he did what we needed him to do, you know, the week before we played a team that loaded the box down and took the run away. So, we had to throw it. And I think he threw for over 200 yards, but this week it was a run game which are three our headed monster, we like to call it. With him and Jaccare, which we actually called Jaccare Smoke. That's his nickname. So, we call him Smoke, more than we do Jaccare, but him and the, Chase Belcher, all three of them handle the load of running the football and we had good mixture and they gave us a lot of runs inside and we were able to do the things we needed to do. So, you know, but I'll say this about Jaccuri. Jaccuri has been the guy here now going on four years, if you've been in anywhere around Georgia high school football, you know, about him and what he's done as a freshman and a sophomore junior, and now as a senior. And you know, he's all he's done is carry these teams to the semi's twice, the finals once. And now you go into a senior year. So, you know, if you got to have a guy in charge of your football team at quarterback, he's a well experienced guy to have there in that situation.

Jon Nelson: What does he need to work on in his senior year to get ready for the next level?

Head Coach Jamey DuBose: Well, I think he's been working on that with the seven on sevens. We went to several this summer and I think he really grew up there. He's got better at you know, more or less the intermediate and the underneath ball. I think he throws a wonderful deep ball since I've gotten here. What two years ago COVID makes, it seems like it's 10 years, two years ago. You know, I think he threw a good ball. Then the post, the go route, the seam routes, they were all well-drawn balls. He's got a very strong arm. I think just the understanding that mix up of coverages, that when they get complicated, you know, when it gets to a Tampa two when it gets down to these things where they're rolling and doing different things. The zone blitzes those were things we had to get better at. And I think he is I still think he's got a way to go there, but I think he'll continue to grow because he studies the game. He studies film so well. And I, you know, the funny thing is we had to work the most on, I felt like it was bubble screens, the quick screens out, the short throws, the underneath intermediate, those were the ones we had to work a little bit more because he's got so much arm strength, sometimes he just puts the touch is what we had to use sometimes.

Hannah Goodin: The long balls he is fine with. He’s fine throwing 40 yards.

Head Coach Jamey DuBose: But the understanding of how to get the ball when it's underneath and the touch that you have to use, those are some things I think he had to grow a little bit on and I think he's gotten better, but there's still room for growth, always in that area.

Hannah Goodin: Nice. Well, he's committed to Miami from your perspective, what's his recruiting process like, and, and how has that storm been there in Valdosta?

Head Coach Jamey DuBose: Well, you know, he's a very mature young man. Let me say that before we go any further, he is a man he's like a junior already or a sophomore in college. When you just talk to him or you get around him, he's got the attitude and the smile and the electricity that just, it draws people into him. You know, that's why I think he's been a leader on this team, even as a freshman when he took over, he's very confident in what he does and not a cocky, confident, but a confident in belief that he can get things done. And he makes people just really follow him well. So, I, you know, he, as far as recruitment goes, he's handled it, he's handled it all the way. He's handled it like a professional you know, and I think he got it down to three or four that he was looking at, I think Auburn, Florida, Miami, and I think there was one more. I'm not really sure who it was wild back. But you know, I think when he went on his trip to Miami, he kind of shocked me too, because I, you know, I don't, I don't get involved much. I just listen and look back and try to watch. But Miami kind of got him out away from everybody. I think he was kind of, you know, liked the offensive coordinator and Rhett Lashlee. I think he liked some of the things that they were saying down there. And you know, Hey, I'll say this, I think he likes the warm climate he's been in South Georgia his whole life. That's why Florida, I think was high on his list too, which I'll be honest, you know, if you would have asked me way back when the process was going on, I would've probably said Florida, but for some reason Miami kind of jumped out of nowhere. And I think that was a lot of Rhett Lashlee and the things that he said or did. And I think just the relationship that they built.

Jon Nelson: All right, time to talk about the rest of the squad here a little bit on our Recruiting 2021 show, we have a segment at the end called Make That Kid an Offer. And what we like to do there is talk about the underappreciated, the undervalued, under stared, if you believe in the star system, those, the kids that are falling below or an in-between, the cracks and things like that, that are the complete and total package, GPA, community, classroom, field, all of that kind of stuff. Is there, are, are there a couple of names that are on your roster this year that you would sit there and wave your hands in the air at a high rate of speed and sit there and go, Hey, look at these guys for whatever reason, these are folks where you should make this kid an offer or make this kid a better offer.

Head Coach Jamey DuBose: Well, I, there's two on our team that come to mind right now, every time I talked to somebody on this one, I'm going to first talk about he, right now, he's sitting there with, I think a couple of division II offers and maybe a couple NIAA offers, but at one point was leading the state in receiving and it's his first year starting here. And I think he's an outstanding player. I think a lot of people, you know, I love it. I joke with the kids all the time, posting things about you sleeping on me and all, but I honestly think people are sleeping on this guy, but it’s Khris Thomas, our wide receiver he was in the state, he was doing really well through about four games. I know the last couple of games they kind of loaded the box and took some things away from us on some throws, but he's still having a very good season. I think Khris Thomas is a, he's a 6'2'' wide out with good speed, great hands, hard work and ability. Makes a lot of catches and you know, really doing a great job for us. And I think he's deserving of bigger offers. And my next guy, Chase Belcher, Chase Belcher has no Power 5 offers. He's got a Western Kentucky and I think some, 1-AA offers, but you know, we moved him to running back and you know, man, this guy he's just unbelievable. And every coach we play they're like, coach, where did you find him? And he was playing wide receiver for us. And we put him at running back and he's a hard guy to tackle and he's got just tremendous highlights. He makes a lot of plays on his own. He's a guy with tremendous hands out of the backfield. He caught a touchdown pass last week on a wheel route down the sideline and outran everybody for a touchdown. And to do that against Cedar Grove, you're not just doing it against a regular team. They got guys that can go, especially on defense. And you know, with that being said, I think he's a power five back. And I, agree that they give a lot of these Power 5 offers out when they're in sophomores and juniors. And then when these guys just come out of nowhere as a senior, they don't have any offers available, but hopefully something's going to come around. But those two names come to mind right off the bat.

Hannah Goodin: We look forward to seeing what they can do in region play, which finally gets started this Friday against TIFF county on the road coach preview that one for us.

Head Coach Jamey DuBose: Yeah, well, you know, Tift County is a team that's interesting for us offensively because Noel Dean is the new head coach there. He came from Michigan and you know, Coach Dean, he's won like 900 games, I think in Michigan or something.

Jon Nelson: Some wild number like that.

Head Coach Jamey DuBose: Yeah. I mean, he's like a legendary, I think he's already in the hall of fame.

Jon Nelson: Yep.

Head Coach Jamey DuBose: There probably that's hard to do, but you know, he's an outstanding guy and he's done a lot of good things in the community already. I hear about a lot of things going on and he's got a lot of young kids out and you know, they're doing good, but you know, he's got an interesting offense and he runs the veer out of the gun and you know, it's a Georgia tech type offense, but he's running it out of the gun. And you know, if you got to stop things like that, you know, you've got to be really disciplined. You got to have somebody on the dive back, somebody on the quarterback, somebody on the pitch, man, if not one of them is going for a long run somewhere. So, we've got our work cut out for us defensively in that area, you know, defensively for us this year, we've been giving up some points over a few of the games because, you know, we're just young. I told people coming into the year, we had three guys that actually had varsity experience that was going to play for us on defense. Only two returners coming back. And right now, now going into next year, we'll return as many as 15 guys that played and nine starters.

Hannah Goodin: Wow.

Head Coach Jamey DuBose: So, we're going to be more experienced next year, but now going into region play, I feel like our guys have seen everything. They've been in the battle. So, you know, I think we can handle that. And then of course, defensively, they run a very sound defensive scheme. The guy that's been there has been doing it for years. And you know, they've got a Georgia commit up front as an outstanding D lineman. I think he's a four-star guy on the block.

Jon Nelson: Yeah, Tyre West.

Head Coach Jamey DuBose: Yeah. They run to the ball well and you know, they don't give up a lot of points. So, we're going to have to be really sound and not turn the ball over and try to stay in front of the sticks and try to try to get on the board and get ahead and hopefully stay in front of them. Hopefully not getting into scoring battle again, those games tire me out.

Jon Nelson: Yeah. Jamey DuBose, the Head Coach of Lowndes Vikings hanging out with us for another couple of minutes on the Football Fridays in Georgia podcast. It's Hannah and Jon catching up with region one 7A. And for those that don't know and might only just see things in a box score and align, or just as a part of the grid for scores, how crazy is 1-7A, considering that it is with the heavyweights that it is. And it's the sprint that it is. How crazy is it?

Head Coach Jamey DuBose: Well, it's tough because you know, you play all these games and I'm going to be straight up with you. I came in this weekend and the first guy I met with was the trainer because of where he is after a grueling season is who's banged up. Who's injured, who's out, who's good. Who's not, you know? And, you know, luckily, we're fairly healthy going into this. You know, but when you play it at the end of the year like you said, all that you've done before means nothing at this point and the south. And I learned after one year of being here, you have got to win the 7A region because in 7A, all the teams are in Atlanta. So more than likely if you were to get second place, you could be at home first round, like we were last year, but then you're going to be on the road, the rest of the way. More than likely. That's what happened last year, we go to the semi's and we traveled three weeks in a row to Atlanta. And coming from down here to Atlanta is it’s a haul. And you kind of get wore down with that three up over three weeks. So, the winner of this region has a really better shot of getting some things done in the playoffs because you guaranteed two rounds at home. And then if you can get lucky on those coin tosses like they did here at Lowndes, I think two years ago, when coach Max went to the state championship game, they hosted four rounds here. You can get really lucky and you can do some good things because let me tell you the one thing I've learned. If we can get that guys from Atlanta to come down to the Concrete Palace. It is a special place here, man. It is just it's an unbelievable environment. Our community is just incredible. We have our band locks up in there and we get people in the Concrete Palace. We feel really good and our kids play really well inside that building.

Hannah Goodin: My last question for you coach, we have finally figured out the secret to your success.

Jon Nelson: Yes.

Hannah Goodin: And that is a chef made breakfast every morning.

Jon Nelson: This is amazing.

Hannah Goodin: So, A what, what all goes into this breakfast and B when can I come down and have some?

Head Coach Jamey DuBose: Well, I tell you, Monday through Thursday, our kids are treated to a we have a chef or a guy that comes in every morning about 5: 00 AM. And he will have somewhere around the neighborhood of 200 plus cups cooked and our kid’s kind of get to design their cup. It could be eggs, bacon, sausage, grits, cheese you can leave one out. You can do a combination of something else, but he'll make different cups all the way across the board. We will have Mom's coming in. And they'll get things ready to and serve them. And they'll come down to our building and we have a kitchen down here and we do all the cooking right here in the house. So, our kids get fed really, really well. We think the nutrition part of it is the most important thing in our touchdown down club. I got to thank them for this. Our touchdown club does a tremendous job putting all that together and our community really backs it with support and it's a part of what we do, you know, and every kid is going to eat really good here. We have a kitchen for them to sit in. Not a kitchen, but a place to eat. So, we're not up in the school, were in our building and our field house at the stadium. And we get everything taken care of, but then we feed them every day. And you know, we, we just, we try to take care of them and get the right kind of food at them every morning. Make sure they got a great meal to the start today,

Jon Nelson: And every adult that is within earshot will probably be trying to find a way to get them some of those Lowndes Viking scramblers too, first thing in the morning.

Head Coach Jamey DuBose: Well, I will tell y'all this. When I first got here a year ago in January, I was learning about a lot of this stuff. So, I knew the kids were going to eat, but I really didn't know about it. So down the road, we have a business here that makes what they call a breakfast cup. And you don't know what that is. It's just eggs and bacon, sausage, whatever all mixed together. Well, I was buying it every morning. I was here for about a month and one of the coaches walked up and says, coach, what do you got? And I said, well, I get a breakfast cup every morning when I come in. He said coach, you know, we make about 200 of them right outside, right out there. I was buying them for about a month or two, before I figured out, I could just walk out there and get one myself as a head coach. So, I guess that's an advantage for me too. Now I don't have to buy breakfast or anything at all in the morning.

Jon Nelson: Well, we'll definitely be keeping an eye on.

Hannah Goodin: One of the few coaches that actually eats breakfast.

Jon Nelson: Really no kidding.

Hannah Goodin: We talk to a lot that just have coffee.

Head Coach Jamey DuBose: Well, why not? Well, I'm not a coffee, man. I got to get some caffeine of a drink, probably in me in the morning, but I couldn't go without that breakfast. I'm getting spoiled down here. I retired in Alabama and I tell them all the time moving to Georgia and retiring maybe the best thing ever did just to get fed down here.

Jon Nelson: Yeah, we do. It's the morning scrambler. Coach as always great to catch up with you. Thanks for letting us know about everything that is now going to make us hungry for the remainder of the day. As you get into region play there and region 1-7A. Thanks for hanging out with us here on the Football Fridays in Georgia podcast, we'll be keeping an eye on and we'll be catching up soon.

Head Coach Jamey DuBose: Yeah. Thank you for having me today and go Vikings!

Jon Nelson: It's always great to catch up with the folks down in South Georgia and then Head Coach Dubose, who has a great history in the state of Alabama, came over here to the state of Georgia Head Coach at Lowndes. Great to catch up with him as well in one of the toughest regions. And I'm not, not just in the state of Georgia regardless of class, but I think it's one of the toughest regions in the country because of the talent that's there with Lowndes with Colquitt, with Tift and with Camden. And you've got great coaches and great towns here, but it's always great to catch up with him and see where things stand as he's heading finally into region play.

Hannah Goodin: I mean, not only are you in a small region, but a region with those four teams. I mean...

Jon Nelson: How is that for a heavy weight battle?

Hannah Goodin: Drawing the small straw?

Jon Nelson: Yes. Well, but I mean, that's what happens when you're in South Georgia, you don't have a lot of the 7A schools. A lot of the 7A schools are here above the gnat line, you know, I 16 in north? And so that, you're just trying to sit there and go, all right. So, who would, that's the same in one 6A? It's the same in one 5A and these regions are, you're a prisoner of geography at points just because of who's there and how things go. But then you have to make the best of the situation. And that's why I like to ask coaches, you know, how difficult is it to schedule? And when you get answers like we get every week, it kind of gives folks the idea as to what they're looking at and the challenge for an athletic director and a head coach to put together these schedules on a yearly basis,

Hannah Goodin: As part of your Southern Swing, you in down to Valdosta, got to watch the Vikings in action. Saw Jacurri Brown in action?

Jon Nelson: He is not a small person.

Hannah Goodin: No. He stands out literally two heads above everybody else.

Jon Nelson: I know, and to see his game continued to grow and evolve the way that it has, knowing that he knows he has work to do. And coach Dubose, knowing that he has worked to do a quarterback and just, you see the talent that's on display there and how effortless it looks sometimes. But obviously, you know, you're in your senior season, there's a lot to work on as you're heading to the next level.

Hannah Goodin: Yeah. Committed to Miami.

Jon Nelson: Yeah. You know, I can't do that. I can't do the thing. You know, when you try to lock your thumbs, for some reason, being the Florida state alumni on the show, you get, no, it doesn't, it doesn't work. It's like you know, when we were in science class and you had like two positive magnets and you try to sit there and have the two magnets touch and they just kind of repel and go in different directions. That's me, that's my thumbs. When I'm trying to do that particular logo and distribution of support for that school, which I can't support.

Hannah Goodin: Well, I don't blame you.

Jon Nelson: Yes.

Hannah Goodin: At least they got a win.

Head Coach Jamey DuBose: Yes.

Jon Nelson: Yeah. If we get a 17-and-a-half-point underdog and we beat North Carolina. So, now we're two and four. Yay!

Hannah Goodin: Yeah. And in a quick Hotty Toddy too. That was a great one.

Jon Nelson: Oh, wait, that reminds me aren't we supposed to see how an alma maters did? That's right. You won; you beat Sprayberry.

Hannah Goodin: Yeah. Okay. So, the last time I was keeping up with the score right after the game, they were, they were ahead.

Jon Nelson: So, 38-35 for the final. You beat Sprayberry.

Hannah Goodin: You beat me to the score. Nice.

Jon Nelson: Yeah. And I'm trying to think, I'm trying to scan the scores quickly to figure out if we played last week, meaning Lakeside Dekalb. I don't know what the score was there. Scanning, scanning, scanning. I know this makes for great radio. As we're trying to wrap up the show here.

Hannah Goodin: You played Atlanta Collegiate. You won 21-0.

 

Jon Nelson: Cool. Okay.

Hannah Goodin: Both wins for our alma maters.

Jon Nelson: There you go. We like that.

Hannah Goodin: What about Decatur? What did Decatur do?

Jon Nelson: Yeah. They had break.

Hannah Goodin: So technically, it's a wash there. So, wins all around!

Jon Nelson: But the thing is, is that Commander Sandy's squad, is 6-0.

Hannah Goodin: That must be nice.

Jon Nelson: So, they could afford the off week being number 10 in the rankings and see if the Decatur bulldogs are in the rankings for the GPB top 10, go to gpb.org when that gets released this upcoming week. And we'll actually discuss some of the rankings on Countdown to Kickoff on Thursday, see at 6-0, and they are at 1-5 MLK this week. So, it might be another interesting test for you. You might go 7-0.

Sandy Malcolm: Yeah, yeah. Not getting a lot of respect, but if you look at the top 10 and even defense and scoring offense, they're up there. I mean, granted, they're beating up on some teams that maybe aren't the greatest, but so last game of the year is St. Pius.

Hannah Goodin: A win is a win; a win is a win is a win. St. Pius will be tough.

Jon Nelson: Yeah, it will be. And what other games were on your mind coming into this weekend?

Hannah Goodin: Well, our game, we've got a big one. It's the battle for first place in region seven 6A, as Cambridge hits the road to take on Johns Creek. These two teams are tied for first place with 3-0 league records. Cambridge is 5-0 on the season. And coming off a 28 to nothing went over Sequoyah, which was the third shutout for the bears. This season not easy to do. Johns Creek is 5-1 overall did not play last week. The gladiators have won four straight games, and most recently trounced Chattahoochee 57-0. Their only loss was in the second week against Carrollton. So, Cambridge won this one last year, 21-14, they lead the series 3-2. Kickoff as always is set for 7: 30 p.m. And the exciting thing is Jon, we have not covered either of these teams on our airwaves before

Jon Nelson: First time it would be at the Coliseum. It will be a fun one here on GPB. Going to be a great week across the state. Great to catch up with Head Coach DuBose and find out what's going on in region one 7A. One of the regions of doom around. And you know, I'm going to cut this show short because I'm hungry.

Hannah Goodin: Me too. I need an egg scrambler bowl.

Jon Nelson: Yeah. Really?

Hannah Goodin: Cup, excuse me.

Jon Nelson: Yes. And so, you know, it's great to catch up with everybody and we'll be keeping an eye on things. It is a Countdown to Kickoff Thursday at noon on the GPB Sports Facebook page. It is Recruiting 2021, that will be on at seven o'clock on Friday, every Friday during football season, getting you ready for the game at 7: 30 with Football Fridays. This week, we go to the Coliseum. It is Cambridge and Johns Creek, big region rivalry there. And the inside track to region title should be with these two teams that are unbeaten in region play as they're heading into the home stretch of their season. Once as always, thanks again to Commander Sandy, to King James, and to Alex The Great for hanging out with us this week. Happy Thanksgiving…  in Canada, as we're taping.

Hannah Goodin: Jon, you threw me for a loop.

Jon Nelson: Yeah. It's Thanksgiving in Canada as we're talking.

Hannah Goodin: Hey, so you learn something new.

Jon Nelson: And happy Columbus Day as we're talking as well. Send us home. What, you don't have anything to say? You can always just say, bye?

Hannah Goodin: I'm out of things to say, Jon.

Jon Nelson: Well then fine. Bye.

Hannah Goodin: Bye everybody. See you Friday!