If you want to see the state of Georgia, you can just hop into your car and drive. You could consult with AAA to outline a tour of the Peach State, or you could play football for the Rabun County Wildcats. Just ask Rabun County Head Coach Michael Davis.

"This year we have traveled so much," says Davis. "The trip to Elbert County (last week) was an hour and a half and that was the shortest away game we have had this year. We have traveled for at least three-plus hours for practically every away game this year. We have eaten at every Cracker Barrel. I’m very superstitious, so we are going to find a Cracker Barrel and order the hamburger steak, green beans, baked potato and a lot of biscuits. That’s what we did last week. I’m going to try and keep everything the same."

You could call Davis a creature of habit but that would be a bit of an understatement. After spending his entire career as an assistant, Davis is in his first season as a head coach and his team is unbeaten.

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Keegan Stover has stepped in to replace all-state QB Gunner Stockton.

"For me, it has been unbelievable," says Davis. "After being an assistant coach for 29 years, this being my first head job and it’s just been unbelievable. For 21 of those years I was in Calhoun, now this is my second year here."

The lifelong assistant coach came to Rabun County in 2021 as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. When Jaybo Shaw left for Wayne County at the end of last season, Davis was promoted to head coach. Alas, the creature of habit would have to deal with some changes. All of the defensive coaches had more than 30 years of service. They were eligible to retire, and they all did. Suddenly Davis had to reshape the coaching staff and the players had to get to know them.

"I’ve hired some really good coaches," remarks Davis. "The kids have bought in to what we are doing and worked extremely hard. Don’t know if I could have written it any better."

Well, I think a talented Hollywood script writer could have found a way to create a scenario where Gunner Stockton gets to be a Wildcat for one more year. Last season, Stockton set a new Georgia high school record for career touchdown passes while leading the Wildcats to an 11-2 mark. This fall Stockton is at the University of Georgia, but Davis's team hasn't missed a beat.

Rabun

"There’s only one Gunner Stockton," says Davis. "I’ve been real fortunate over the years to coach some real good high school quarterbacks. You have to take whoever the next man up is and we were fortunate to have Keegan Stover move in from West Forsyth. Having a receiver like Jaden Gibson and a couple others have made it easy for him. The thing we have to do is put Keegan in situations where he can be successful. Gunner was a really good runner also. Keegan is not as much of a dual threat as Gunner was. We can’t expect him to do the same things because he is not the same type of quarterback."

Stover may not be the same type quarterback as Stockton but he has found a fantastic playmaker in Jaden Gibson. Once a favorite target of Stockton's, Gibson and Keegan Stover are making magic of their own.

Credit: Access WDUN

"Jaden is fun to be around and a great personality," says Davis. "He’s always got a smile on his face. He comes into work every day and he is consistent. He’s going to work hard. He’s going to have a great attitude and he’s going to be up tempo. I’ve been around some pretty good athletes over the years, he is as dynamic and explosive as any athlete that I have coached. He has unbelievable ball skills. He can catch them over his shoulder and with one hand."

Last week Rabun County and Elbert County squared off in a showdown between unbeaten teams. For both teams it was their Region 8 Class A Division I game.

"Shannon Jarvis is a great coach and an even better man," says Davis. "We played against Elbert County some years ago when they had Mecole Hardman, but they came up to Calhoun to play. In all my years of coaching, I have never played in the Granite Bowl. It was really a great high school atmosphere. The place was packed. We struggled a little bit early , defense kept us in it . We really exploded in the second half, and we were able to get Jaden going. I had no idea where he was at as far as the record goes. I really felt like he might break it this week or next week at home. But he had 285 yards and four touchdowns against some really good players. He managed to do it and it was awesome."

Rabun

At the end of the night the scoreboard read Rabun County 41 Elbert County 21. Gibson had eclipsed the state record for career receiving yards with a total of 4,535 yards, topping a 49-year old record set by Valdosta's Stan Rome. This weekend Rome will be among the first inductees into the Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame. Gibson has likely locked in his spot in the new Hall of Fame, but he is going to have to wait a while. The numbers that mean most to Michael Davis are 8-0, who took a simple approach to his first season as head coach.

"We broke things up into three seasons," recalls Davis. "Our regular season, our three region games and then the playoffs are our third season. Of course, we want to play in the state championship game, we want to win the region championship, but we are looking ahead to the most important game and that’s the next one. We’ve got Athens Christian and they have some really good players. The last week, we will have Commerce who is just traditionally really good. The stadium there is named after my father-in-law. We’re not out of the woods yet. We have to take these next two weeks and try to get better."

The Elbert County game was the last away game on the schedule. The final two games will be played at home. Davis, the creature of habit, hopes that one habit will remain.

"This week we may have Cracker Barrel catered to us," says Davis. "After all, we are at home."