Kenny Dallas, Hebron Christian head coach
Today’s interviewee is Hebron Chrisitan coach Kenny Dallas, whose team is the reigning Class 3A-A Private champion. Hebron Christian will open its season against North Atlanta on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. in the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic at West Forsyth High. Dallas is the successor to Jonathan Gess as Hebron’s coach this season. The two won state titles together from 2014 to 2016 at Eagle’s Landing Christian. Dallas most recently was Trinity Christian’s head coach and won a state title there in 2021.
1. What's the scouting report on this team? What are the strengths/areas of concern? Starters returning? “The offense has five returning starters, three on the offensive line in Fletcher Turk, Morgan Jordan and Elijah Morrison. These guys are big, mobile, athletic and love to compete. We also have two returning skill players that are both very special players, an outstanding tailback in Devon Caldwell [committed to Mercer] and dynamic slot receiver in Jarvis Mathurin [Georgia Southern]. The defense also has five returning starters that all love to play the game – defensive lineman Fred Moses, linebacker Albert Wilham, linebacker Jack Mostiler, outside linebacker Stroud Morris and safety Max Steve. The strength of the defense is that linebacker corps. I would say the area of concern for this team is there are just so many first-year starters who need game experience. Of course, if you look at our non-region schedule, you will see that gaining experience will not be a problem.” [Pre-region opponents also include Fellowship Christian, Blessed Trinity, McCallie of Tennessee and Christ School of North Carolina.]
2. How do you approach a job where you're inheriting a team that just won a state title? What's the strategy as the new coach here? “Obviously, you have and express tremendous respect for the work that was done by both players and coaches. It would be foolish to come in and say lots of things need to change. That said, I have been fortunate enough to coach in four state championship games as a head coach and three as an assistant, which means I have been blessed with great players and great coaches around me, so there certainly are also things that I do believe in. It was important for me to try to communicate to the players that I was not there to do away with what Coach Gess had established but to work to build off of it. I also wanted them to understand that I have had a clear mission for every single team I have ever coached: One, we unashamedly will prepare, practice, play to win. And two, we unashamedly will challenge our boys to become Godly men. I want them to know that I am there to serve and challenge them to become all that God created them to be both on and off the field.”
3. What will be most different this season from last season, whether it be what we see in games – offensive/defensive scheme, focus of the offense, etc. – or in practice/preparation? “Well, one thing that will stay the same from last year is that we were excited to be able to keep our defensive coordinator, Danny Mejia. Danny is an outstanding young coach that loves the Lord, loves his players and absolutely demands their best effort on every snap. One thing that will be a change this year is our offensive coordinator. We were excited to hire Mike Davis. Mike has an incredible background, having won 18 region championships and coached in eight state championships [mostly as Calhoun’s offensive coordinator under Hal Lamb]. Mike's experience and leadership have been invaluable additions to the staff.”
4. The GHSA will settle on reclassification this fall, and it appears the momentum is going toward retaining the 3A-A Private playoff division. How do you feel about that? “I have been in private schools since coming to the state in 2001. We have used multiple different systems and ways over the years. I know there are really great men on both the public and private school side trying to find the best, or most fair, setup. I don't know if I can answer what the absolute best way is, but I do believe having public and private schools playing together in some form all these years has made Georgia the absolute best high school football in the country.”
