Today’s interviewee is Gilmer coach Paul Standard, whose team is 5-1 after a 45-3 victory over West Hall last week. The Bobcats’ five victories are the most in a season since 2014. Standard is in his second season as Gilmer’s coach. He’s best known for his 20-year run at alma mater St. Pius, where his teams won eight region titles.

1. What did you see in this year's team that made you feel you had a chance to take a big step forward? “When we came here two years ago, the program was in a bad shape, but we had six seniors who stayed after many had quit who led us through the transition. With them were 13 juniors who are now our seniors who have been outstanding leaders. I knew we had a chance to continue the turnaround here at Gilmer with their leadership.”

2. What's been the reaction of the school, the fans and the community to the season you're having? “The reaction of our entire community has been great. The stands are full each home game, the school is buzzing with excitement, the alumni are excited. We have started an alumni group who join us on the sideline each home game. The players love it. Some [of those alumni] are their fathers, brothers, uncles, etc. Our local businesses have been so supportive. Our touchdown club has provided the support and resources to make this possible, and none of this could have happened without the total support of our administration, who have been behind our plan ‘to Restore the Bobcat Tradition.’ We have had alumni players tell us on more than one occasion how proud they are to see our boys perform and the success they have had.”

3. What do you feel that you and your staff have done at Gilmer that's made the most difference in getting things turned around? Anything about Gilmer's situation that was unique? “I think what we the staff have done was bring a total-program approach. That's been a strong middle school program, which has been very strong the past two years, having a strong parent support group, TD Club, Huddle Moms etc., a year-round strength program which sets the culture of your team, and an atmosphere of coaching our boys hard, but in a way where we genuinely care about our players. Our coaches love our players. Now some days they may not like the way we ‘care’ about them, but I believe they know we genuinely care about them. Is this unique to Gilmer? I don’t think so. I think in any program that is struggling [Gilmer was 7-43 in the five years prior] there are issues in one or more of these areas. Our administration has allowed me to hire men who are great role models, great family men, as well as great coaches.”

4. Your high school coach, George Maloof, is being inducted into the Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame this month as a player. What was Coach Maloof like, and what impact did he have on you and your career choice? “Coach Maloof had the greatest influence on me as a young person second only to my father. Coach Maloof is the reason I am in this business. I think of him often. He was a man’s man, did not sugarcoat anything, coached us hard, real hard, but we knew he loved us, and that is why we played so hard for him. Still today I use the same sayings that Coach used with us.”

Today’s interviewee is Blitz Sports producer Brian Carter. His news channel covers football and other sports for Banks County, Commerce, Dawson County, Habersham Central, Jefferson, Lumpkin County, Rabun County, Stephens County, Towns County, Union County and White County. The interview was done before Thursday night’s games, which involved some of the teams discussed.

1. The two most successful football programs in your coverage area have new coaches and are playing now without blue-chip prospects who were the faces of their teams the past few years. How are things different now at Rabun County and Jefferson this season? “Despite the mass exodus of an elite senior class headlined by Gunner Stockton and nearly every coach retiring or moving on, the DNA is still very much in place at Rabun. That's truly a testament to the guys who came before and laid this expectation for the program out and the coaches who poured their life into it. The expectation has not changed at all, and the Wildcats still believe they can win a state title. It helps having returning stars like wide receiver Jaden Gibson, who, barring injury, will finish his prep career as the state's all-time top receiver in yardage and touchdowns, a speedy back like Lang Windham, and a Swiss Army Knife like Cory Keller, to name a few. Coach Michael Davis has a different style than we saw with both Jaybo Shaw and Lee Shaw, but he clearly has his own recipe in place to still achieve the same big goals as those two greats did before him. As for quarterback, Keegan Stover was already a standout at West Forsyth, and he is putting up some crazy numbers – 1,500-plus passing yards and 20-plus touchdowns already – but the best number is the zero interceptions. He can sling it and makes good decisions.

“It's been different at Jefferson for sure with a new head coach and life without Malaki Starks. Coach Travis Noland is a winning coach, just as Coach Gene Cathcart was. Different style of coaching, but it's clear that Jefferson is serious about winning at a high level with coaches like these coming in. With Starks, the Dragons rarely aired it out, as they didn't really need to. The problem with that is when they had to have it like last year against Hapeville in the closing minutes of the round-one upset, they weren't able to. Max Aldridge has shown he's more than capable of running an offense that has a passing game to it, and Elijah Dewitt has been fantastic at WR. That probably takes a lot of pressure off the shoulders of Sammy Brown, who can still do as much damage as he wants on offense, but perhaps the passing attack opens it up a bit more for Brown.”

2. What's been the most interesting development in your coverage area at the midpoint in the regular season? “The most interesting development that I actually predicted was the rise of Lumpkin County. You could see the talent on the roster the last couple of years, but bringing in a coach like Heath Webb was the perfect fit. He retooled the staff and, with the same roster, is now 5-0 with a top-five ranked offense and defense. The schedule will get a lot tougher, but the Indians not only are confident they can win each game, they also know how to finish those games off. For a program that sat in the dark with five head coaches in an eight-year span at one point, this is a breath of fresh air in North Georgia. From winning three total games in the past three seasons to already five this year, it's a big deal in Dahlonega.”

3. Another team that’s made big strides this season is Stephens County. What can you tell us about the Indians? “Stephens County was on the verge last year of winning a region title. They lost a good deal on defense, but offensively had all the skill guys back, like quarterback Ben Stowe, three-star recruit Cam Lacy at wide receiver and the dual backs of Javin Gordon and T.J. Everett, along with wide receiver Corey Richie. Coming in, everyone thought the offense would explode from the opening game. However, it has actually been the defense that has been more dominant to date with a 10.4 points per game allowed average. That includes holding Rabun County to just 14 points (one TD and two FG) in a 14-7 loss for the Indians in Week 2. The offense took a while to heat up, scoring just 21 points in total across Weeks 1-2, but has increased each game with 27, 38, and 53 in the last three outings. That's a great sign for Stephens at 4-1 heading into the huge matchup with Monroe Area in Week 7. This team has been clear about duplicating (and surpassing) the efforts of the 2005 Indians, who won 11 games and a region title and made it to the quarterfinals.”

4. What is an interesting player, team or coach in your area that most don't know about, and what is their story? “There are lots of hidden gems up in this area, but one that most people don't know about outside of the area is Andrew Shockley, a senior for Banks County, and I'll add sophomore Zeke Whittington at Habersham Central. Shockley to date has 827 rushing yards, 107 receiving yards, 200-plus kick/punt return yards and 14 total touchdowns. He is all over the field. He's starting to get a couple of colleges rolling out offers, and that's sure to increase. Whittington at Habersham is only 5-8, but his numbers don't lie. He has 507 receiving yards and already 1,138 career yards on 105 catches just five games into his sophomore year. He runs a great route, knows how to get open and has sticky hands. These two players are not household names outside of the corner of northeast Georgia, but recruiters should take note.”

Today’s interviewee is Matt Skinner, the director of Gradick Sports and the football play-by-play announcer for the University of West Georgia. Gradick Sports is a group of six radio stations in Carrollton and Tallapoosa that covers Carrollton, Bremen, Bowdon, Haralson County, Heard County, Mount Zion, Temple and Villa Rica.

1. What’s your assessment of Carrollton so far? Is this a legit top-10 Class 7A team? “Carrollton has been extremely impressive thus far this season. They have a great mixture of experienced leadership and very talented freshmen and sophomores spread throughout the team. They are outscoring opponents 183-35 in the first half. They’ve scored five defensive touchdowns and forced 17 turnovers through six games. I think they are legit a top-10 team, and it should not surprise anyone to see them playing after Thanksgiving. Everyone wants to talk about the quarterback play and rightfully so, but Bryce Hicks at running back and the offensive line have been very impressive. They run the ball at over six yards a carry and 166 yards a game. The defense is only allowing 10 points a game and gets off the field, only allowing 26% of third-down conversions The only question marks they have presented would be penalties. They’ve averaged nine penalties a game for almost 82 yards, but to be honest that hasn’t really stopped them either.”

2. Speaking of Carrollton’s quarterback, what’s your impression of Julian “Ju Ju” Lewis? “He is definitely as great as advertised. His composure is impeccable. Nothing seems to faze him. Being a freshman, playing at the highest class in Georgia with the spotlight on you at all times is an extremely tough thing to do. He took some big hits against South Paulding and Rome and got right back up and delivered big passes in each game. Coach Joey King has a very big playbook and numerous calls that he puts on Ju Ju, and he has been really good about getting them in the right play. His footwork and awareness in the pocket are just crazy. The zip he has on the football is just ‘different’ than about anything I have seen. More importantly, he is a team guy who knows how to lead and be a follower when he needs to be.”

3. Outside of Carrollton, what's the best story line around Carroll County football? “We are blessed here in our community to cover nine different high schools. There are some very exciting things happening here. The Bowdon Red Devils are ranked No. 2 in Class A Division II, led by Robert McNeal and their experienced offensive line and their stingy defense led by defensive coordinator Jarret Thomas and senior defensive end Asher Christopher. They have a tough non-region test this week against St. Francis. The Red Devils are a team that should be playing after Thanksgiving in our area. Another team on the rise is the Central Lions. They are 4-1 including a win over Bowdon. They have their biggest game to date against the Cedartown Bulldogs Friday night. This could possibly be for the championship in Class 4A Region 7. They have a lot of talent and with a week off, the hope is they can give Cedartown everything they’ve got.”

4. Is there another player or team that you haven't discussed that people need to know about? “The talent in this area is extremely deep. Everyone knows about Julian Lewis at Carrollton, but people really need to be paying attention to Bryce Hicks. He is a very underrated player in the class of 2024 with offers from Liberty, Coastal Carolina, Bowling Green and Eastern Michigan. The Trojans also have WR Takare Lipscomb (Arkansas State), WR Caleb Odom (15-plus offers) and LB Montreze Smith (multiple offers). The Central Lions have some big-time players, as well – WR/DB Vicari Swain (South Carolina commit), DB/WR Kameron Edge (Georgia State and Georgia Tech offers), and a really fun player to keep up with for the next couple of years, freshman RB Jonaz Walton. He has had a phenomenal first season, and the offers have started to roll in, including an offer from Georgia. Villa Rica has OL Jatavius Shivers, who is committed to South Carolina. Bowdon senior QB Robert McNeal’s recruitment has really begun to take off. Bowdon also has Sr. RB/LB TJ Harvison, who also has many offers. Temple senior QB Cam Vaughn has an opportunity to be special at the next level. College coaches, if you happen to read this, watch this kid throw the football.”

Today’s interviewee is Social Circle coach Rob Patton, whose team is 4-1 after a 39-7 victory over then-No. 8 Lamar County in a Class A Division I game last week. Patton is in his third season with the Redskins. He was the defensive coordinator on Grayson’s 2011 and 2016 championship teams and was on Collins Hill’s staff when hired at Social Circle.

1. What happened in Friday's game that allowed you to win so comfortably against a tough opponent? “Our kids played their most physical football game since we have all been together the last three years. Our offensive line, backs and receivers all blocked with great effort all night, and defensively we pursued the ball and gang tackled their talented backs. I think as the game wore on, our kids grew in confidence because of how physically dominant we were playing.” [As an aside question, Patton was asked about Lamar County RB/LB C.J. Allen, who is committed to Georgia. He said, ‘’I think he is an incredible player, definitely didn't help my sleep having to watch him on film all week. The things he has done this season and previous seasons speak for itself. He made some really good plays this past week as well. We were just able to limit the long TD runs because of how hard our defense was pursuing the ball. All the accolades he has are well-deserved because he is a special player.”]

2. What made you decide that Social Circle was a good place to begin your head-coaching career? “One of the things that made this such an attractive job was the fact that Social Circle was having success in a lot of sports outside of football. The school has great leadership that is very supportive of our players and coaches, and we have unbelievable facilities for a school our size. We have a great atmosphere for home games, and the entire town is supportive and wants to see our kids and program succeed.” [Social Circle has won recent state titles in wrestling, girls soccer and fastpitch softball, and its boys basketball team was 30-1 last season.]

3. What have you and your staff done at Social Circle that's made the biggest difference? “Without a doubt the biggest thing our staff has done has been to change the mindset in the weight room. Our administration made a commitment to improve our weight room, and we have an incredible strength coach in Nate Ethridge who pushes our kids in there every single day, for all the student-athletes not just football, and their work has led to a lot of success throughout our entire athletic department.”

4. What's the identify of your team? “The identity of our team is to do what it takes to improve every single day. Every day before practice or workouts we ask our kids what is our goal today? Their answer is to just get better. We ask them to focus on whatever the task at hand is whether it’s blocking and tackling fundamentals, running routes or lifting weights, and we ask that they commit their mind fully to improving at whatever it is they are currently working on. We have had the same talk before and after practice every day for the past three years, and we don't plan on changing that moving forward. Improve ourselves as individuals and as a team, and the rest will take care of itself.”

Today’s interviewee is Troup coach Tanner Glisson, whose team defeated No. 5 Starr’s Mill 44-17 in Region 4-4A last week. Troup defeated then-No. 3 Whitewater 44-33 the week before. Troup is chasing its first region title since 1987. The Tigers have come close in Glisson’s first seven seasons, finishing with a single region loss three times.

1. You've also scored 40+ points the past two weeks against teams that pride themselves on good defense. What do you feel that you're doing offensively that is allowing you to have this kind of success? “Well, we went out in the offseason and hired Kyle Wilson from Brooks County as our new offensive coordinator. We knew that we had a great talent in quarterback Taeo Todd and some really talented guys around him, but we needed someone to bring it all together and Coach Wilson has done that for us.”

2. What does Todd do that makes him so hard to contain? “He is a fantastic runner who can also throw, so he is the definition of a dual threat. Having weapons like Qua Moss, Qua Birdsong, Noah Dixon, Logan Sinkfield and others also helps teams not be able to just sell out on Taeo.”

3. Is this the best Troup team that you've had? “It's a really good team. We have a ton of juniors, and we thought their senior year could be a good one, and right now, we are probably a little ahead of schedule. Our 2018 semifinal team that went 12-2 and lost to Cartersville and Blessed Trinity was pretty talented as well.”

4. Football in Troup County has great tradition, and all three teams have been ranked this season. What are the dynamics that allow all three teams to be pretty good? “The county as a whole is a good football place. Administrators, parents, fans, etc., really understand what it takes. They have made a commitment with building the indoor practice facilities, etc.”

Today’s interviewee is Lambert coach Marc Beach, whose team defeated East Coweta 31-24 last week and is 5-0 for the first time since 2011 and ranked for the first time since 2012. Beach had been Lambert’s offense coordinator since 2020 when promoted this offseason. He was head coach at Seabreeze in Florida from 2001 to 2014.

1. What was the significance of the East Coweta victory? “It gives us a lot of confidence going into region play. We made it like a playoff road game. We left in the middle of the day and did a walk-through at McIntosh High School and ate at a restaurant, which we don’t normally do. Our goal is to be in the playoffs, and if we get a chance to travel, we know we can handle that.” [At 78 miles, the road trip from Forsyth County to Coweta County was Lambert’s longest since 2010, when it went 84 miles to Rome.]

2. What was the difference in the game? “Our defense kept us in the game and made plays when they had to. They had a great quarterback and some good wideouts. Jack Racki made a heck of a play on a screen pass after they’d tied it up 17-17 [and returned it for a touchdown] to make it 24-17, and then our nose guard [Steven Aguilar] ended up picking a batted ball out of the air, and we scored quick to make it 31-17. We got another pick [by Harrison Richards] and had the ball down inside their 3 but turned it over. If we’d punched that in, we would’ve been up three scores, but we have to give East Coweta credit. They didn’t quit and went 96 yards in basically a minute and a half and we had to recover an onside kick.”

3. What stands out to you about this year’s Lambert team? “We have great leadership. We have a leadership council, and we talk every Wednesday about things that need to go on at practice. We have a lot of younger players. Our sophomore class is very talented. We’ve got eight or nine sophomores that get reps and play a bunch. We’re playing two sophomore corners, Cam Bland and Harrison Richard, and they got challenged the week before, and they stepped up. Our senior class just has good leaders. They do a great job.”

4. How do you see Region 6 playing out? “We’re 5-0, but there’s a lot of ahead of us. I believe our region is even and tough. Denmark is on a roll [four-game winning streak after an opening loss], West Forsyth has a heck of a defense and running back. South Forsyth has had our number for the last five years. Milton is playing one of the toughest schedules in the state, so their record [2-3] doesn’t mean anything. Forsyth Central is playing everybody tough. For our team, I ask for three things – to play as hard as you can, play with class and expect to win every play. That’s our motto. We’ve got our work cut out.”

Today’s interviewee is new Hebron Christian coach Jonathan Gess, whose Class 3A team is 4-0, matching the Lions’ victory total of 2021. Gess was head coach at Eagle’s Landing Christian from 2007 to 2021 and won 160 games and six Class A championships. He took the job at Hebron, a Gwinnett County private school, in March.

1. The question you've practiced answering many times this year: Why did you decide to leave ELCA for Hebron Christian? Did you discover the job opening and pursue it, or did Hebron approach you? “The athletic director at Hebron called me. The Lord places us in different places for different seasons of our life. I had been at ELCA a long time, 15 years, and we had a great run. I am only 43 years old and saw a great opportunity at Hebron to go and build something great. I loved the head of school, James Taylor, and the AD, Taylor Davis, and the vision they have for the school and athletic programs.”

2. Is there some things about building a winner at a small private school that would be different than at other schools? “I think what it takes to win at any place and at any level is getting people to buy in and getting them to work. That was my main focus when I got here, to get the kids who were coming back to get to work and believe they can become something great. Obviously to win, you need great players, but you have to get those great players to believe in hard work and that they can actually be great.”

3. Your quarterback, Gavin Hall, is near the top of the leaderboard in rushing yards statewide and having a fantastic year. What would you want people to know about him and his skill set? How is his recruiting going? “After I accepted the job from the head of school and told him I was taking the job, my first meeting was with Gavin. He and I have built a great relationship. Gavin was already amazingly talented. I am able to help him by letting him use his gifts and talents in an offense that is built around him. Gavin is an extremely hard worker and has a will to be great. He can run and throw. He is the hardest-working kid on the team. He has bought in to growing as a leader. He makes other people around him better. I knew he was here, but I didn't actually know he was this good. Recruiting-wise, it is picking up for him. He doesn't have any offers yet, but Boston College, Coastal Carolina, App State and a few more are real interested. Gavin can play QB or any skill position on the field. He can play at the Power 5 level.”

4. What's been the reception of the school and parents and student body to how the team has performed so far? “Of course, everyone loves you when you're winning. The parents bought in before we started to win. It started back in March and this summer. The people here want to win and be great. The students that don’t play football want us to be great. I think the sky is the limit for what we can do here.”

Today’s interviewee is Lumpkin County coach Heath Webb, whose team is 4-0 entering a bye week. Lumpkin County is the state’s most improved team from last season so far, according to the Maxwell Ratings and the GHSA Daily Improvement Tracker. Lumpkin County was 2-8 in 2021 and hasn’t won more than four games in a season since 2014. Webb previously has been a head coach at Gainesville, Winder-Barrow and North Paulding.

1. What do you feel that you and your staff have done to put the program in a better place to this point? “Our recipe, which has been a group effort between administration and coaches, has been to hire experienced coaches that are a good fit within the community. I've often described it as hiring a bunch of small-town guys to coach a bunch of small-town guys. That personality fit along with quality, experienced coaches has had a big impact on the program. Our motto has been ‘Hard Work Pays Off.’ The players bought into it right away and have done a tremendous job of being coachable on a daily basis. In short, hire the right people and get the players to buy in.”

2. What's been the response/reception from the team, the school and the parents to being off to a good start? “This community has been hungry for a successful football team. I was lucky enough to be here last semester and watch our girls basketball team win a state championship. The entire town of Dahlonega was in Macon that day. I knew then that if we could give this community something to be proud of that they would support it 100%, and that's exactly what has happened. This town is on fire for Indians football, and our team appreciates their support.”

3. Your old team, Gainesville, is also off to a great start. How do you look back on your time at Gainesville? “I'm happy to see what's going on at Gainesville. I knew it would happen in a matter of time. At the end of my first year there [2018], I made a presentation to the community entitled ‘Why not us?’ where I showed pictures of our facilities compared to others around the state with the theory that better facilities would create a better program. We were in desperate need of upgrades. Of course, the powers that be made it happen along with the Hall County ESPLOST voters, but I would like to think that maybe I got the ball rolling with that presentation back in 2018.”

4. What attracted you to the Lumpkin County job? “Dahlonega is my wife's hometown and has become my adopted hometown. We were here before, and I worked under Tommy Jones. We loved it. The only reason we left was because I was presented an opportunity to become a head coach at North Paulding. We always said we'd end up back here at some point in time. We now have three kids in school and knew this would be a great place for our children to be in school as well as a great place for Jesi and I to work. I also felt we could make it a winner, and with the support of our administration, I feel we're doing just that.”

Today's interviewee is Matthew Brown, sports editor of The Union Recorder of Milledgeville. Thirty years ago this week, Brown got his first newspaper job as a sports reporter at The Press-Sentinel in Jesup. He has since worked for newspapers in Americus, Moultrie, Houston County and Eatonton. He joined The Union Recorder in 2022.

1. You've covered high school sports most of your time in the profession. What do you like about high school sports that's kept you covering them so long? “It's the relationships I cherish most, when you see people again and they remember you and are glad to see you. That's happened so many times just recently here in Milledgeville. Then you learn things like somebody's passing, like a former Wayne County High baseball coach/administrator very recently whose age was close to mine. I've had the honor of working with Conrad Nix and Rush Propst plus Erik Soliday and Ronnie Jones. Chip Malone, Warner Robins basketball coach, was an inspirational tale, surviving a heart transplant and living long enough to make a difference in heart disease awareness. Got to tell Henry Aaron in Americus how he hit 715 on my fourth birthday. Heard Jimmy Carter say he was going to a concession stand line to get a hamburger. Got to send a picture of me and Kirby Smart to my dad on the day he had a major back operation more than four years ago saying, 'Somebody sends get well wishes.’”

2. Who are some of the most memorable players or games that you've covered? “Last year I was telling Jeff Dantzler [host of Georgia football pregame and postgame shows] about who all I've covered, highlighting Jake Fromm and Daijun Edwards. Those are just future Bulldogs. Also covered Casey Hayward at Perry. He led the NFL in interceptions one year with the Chargers. Seeing Fromm in Little League baseball, he threw the most impressive off-speed curve at the Southeast Regional Stadium, impressive in that I saw it from the side angle. My first interview with him was after winning Gatorade Player of the Year at Houston County. Never met a more humble, faith-driven youngster. Even in subsequent interviews, it's ‘God let me hit a home run.’ As for most memorable games, can't beat the buzzer-beaters, and the best wasn't so much a game as a Monday region tiebreaker the first year GHSA did those in 1996. Wayne County beat Appling County on a Hail Mary heave, fourth down from midfield after the quarterback took two big sacks in a row. They had to make the PAT, something Appling didn't do previously due to excessive celebration foul.”

3. You've worked at several newspapers and towns where football is important. What's the most vibrant high school sports or high school football community that you've covered? “When your school's the only game in town, and everywhere in the fall it’s ‘Go Packers’ or ‘Go Jackets,’ that's special to see. But even if it's a multi-school community, the 'mass of humanity' with colors blue, red, gold, green everywhere on Friday tells you all you need to know. And they support everything well. You don't want to turn your back, having to leave early to get back to office work, or you are likely to hear a sound as if Elvis and The Beatles just took the stage. Yes, they make some noise.”

4. How has the coverage of high school football changed in three decades because of newspaper industry challenges and where it might be headed? “Coverage of high school football, yes it has changed and grown. If it's a good program, everybody wants to be there, on the sideline, in the press box. Everybody's got a recruiting website, it seems. Don't think anyone in my graduating class expected something like the internet; that kind of crept in during the 1990s, and now it seems people, famous or not, base their existence by what's on a computer screen. All I've asked for is a spot to do my job, an opponent and officials to show up, and good attitudes. Oh, and people still like game stories about what the players did. The audiences I've had aren't interested in my 'takeaways.' In fact, to me that's interceptions and lost fumbles. And I don't fill the story with the same old quotes, 'We have to get better. That's what we're trying to build.' Bottom line is I still believe in newspapers, they haven't gone anywhere, and even if it all goes digital, somebody still has to write the content.”

Today’s interviewee is Starr’s Mill coach Chad Phillips, whose team defeated LaGrange 25-24 in overtime Friday in a game between top-10 teams in Class 4A. It was also the Region 4 opener for both. Starr’s Mill, ranked No. 5, will play No. 4 Troup at home Friday. Phillips is in his 13th season as head coach at Starr’s Mill. He began working at the Fayette County school in 1997.

1. How did the LaGrange game unfold, and what was the key to winning it? “We played a very tough team at Callaway Stadium. We played well in the first half, jumping out to a 10-3 lead at the break. The third quarter was a character check. We created quite a mess. LaGrange started with a big pass play, and two consecutive 15-yard penalties gave them great field position. They threw a pretty fade route for a score to tie the game. We inadvertently touched our knee to the ground while punting it away on our next series. They turned the mistake into points. The subsequent kickoff, we fair caught the kick on our own 1-yard line. We finally got things settled down and put a drive together after a disastrous quarter. A late goal-line stand put us in position to tie the game. Logan Inagawa hit Bo Walker on a 56-yard TD pass to send the game to OT. LaGrange scored first, but we answered and decided to go for two. Andersen Cardoza scored on the buck sweep to end the game. It was a tremendous high school football game. The key was relentless effort. Our kids were knocked down, but they never gave in and found a way to win it in the end.”

2. What do you make of the region you're in, with five teams [Starr’s Mill, LaGrange, Troup, Whitewater, Trinity Christian] that have been ranked at some point this season? “We feel like we are in the SEC West. The players are extremely talented, and all the teams are very well-coached. Seven of the eight were playoff teams from a year ago. Each and every week will be a massive challenge for us. We hope to battle ourselves into one of the four playoff spots. Our region will be well represented in the state playoffs.”

3. What's the biggest challenge you'll face with Troup this week? “Troup has some special players. Taeo Todd, Tray Blackmon, Qua Moss, Qua Birdsong and Noah Dixon are all big recruits. Their team speed will give us some problems. They spread the field and get the ball to all of their playmakers. We will have to play great defense to keep it close.”

4. You've been at Starr's Mill for a quarter of a century now. What explains your longevity at one school? “I have been here 26 years now. Starr's Mill is unique in that we were able to build the program from scratch. Coach Mike Earwood hired a great staff and quickly established a high standard and developed a great culture. We have been very fortunate to have strong school administrative and booster support. Our players are still willing to invest the necessary time, and we have an incredible coaching staff that is passionate about the game and the values it teaches. This place has to be one of the better jobs in the state. We are happy here.” [Phillips was on Earwood’s Cartersville staff from 1990 to 1996, which includes the 1991 state-championship team. Earwood hired Phillips on his first Starr’s Mill staff in 1997.]

Today’s interviewee is Dutchtown coach Niketa Battle, whose team is 5-0 in Battle’s first season with the Bulldogs. Dutchtown defeated Warner Robins 14-7 last week in the first Region 2-5A game for both teams. Battle coached the previous six seasons at Mays, where he won three region titles. Dutchtown is a Henry County school that has reached the football playoffs the past five seasons and reached the quarterfinals in 2018 and 2019 with current Alabama star Will Anderson.

1. What was the significance of the victory over Warner Robins for your team? “We knew if we competed with Warner Robins midseason, it would be the clear indication that we’re heading in the right direction for the reminder of the season.”

2. Are you surprised that your team is 5-0? “Not surprised at all. The challenge for our coaches and players was to work extremely hard during the spring and summer months. Players had to learn the new systems that we implemented for the season. Everyone took the challenge, and this is the fruits of our labor.”

3. What attracted you to the Dutchtown job? “The Dutchtown job was always under the radar for me. I live in Henry County, not too far from the Dutchtown community. The program has been highly competitive over the last five seasons. So the thought was always lingering in my head, what an honor it would be to be able to coach in the area you live in. And principal Nicole Shaw has built an excellent culture of academic success at Dutchtown. Also, Coach Fedd [former coach Clifford Fedd, now at Sumter County] did a remarkable job laying the foundation of a blue-collared work mentality. The players love the grind of getting better. This has made the transition of building on the foundation fairly easy.”

4. What was the main thing that you felt you and your staff needed to do at Dutchtown? “The program has been striving and on the brink of becoming a contender of later-round playoff games. There were minor changes that we made as a staff. A new offensive coordinator [Terrone Owens] and defensive coordinator [Michael Bell] had to make their philosophies mend with what has previously led to the success of program. Some verbiage changed, and new packages were implemented. This was done after self-scouting to improve our overall success on both sides of the football. We are harping on finishing. As cliché as it may sound, that’s what the program needed more of. Our coaches and players have now continued to build on the abilities of focusing, attacking and finishing.”

Today’s interviewee is Colquitt County coach Sean Calhoun, whose team is 4-0 and ranked No. 3 in Class 7A entering an off week. Colquitt defeated Lee County 48-27 last week. Calhoun was the offensive coordinator for the Packers’ 2014 and 2015 state championship teams and returned to Moultrie this season.

1. What was the best thing that you did in the Lee County game? “The No. 1 thing was fight. Up to that point, we hadn’t faced much adversity outside of the weather. We hadn’t been down. We led in the first three games. We got down early to Lee County, and we knew it was a team that wasn’t going to quit. We needed a test. We were punching, and they were punching. And it was our first true road game. So it was a win, there was some adversity, and we won on the road. It checked a lot of boxes.”

2. Colquitt County has a pair of juniors committed to Georgia. What are the skill sets of wide receiver Ny Carr and tight end Landen Thomas? “Ny has elite speed and elite hands. He’s a good route runner. He possesses a giant wingspan, and for quarterbacks, that’s very friendly. You may not have to put the ball perfectly where he is. But Ny has that home run ability with his speed. We used the Catapult system [which monitors players’ in-game speed] against Lee County last week, and he got above 22 mph, so he’s elite. Landen, goodness, his skill set overall is good when you talk about an in-the-box player. Whether it’s pass blocking or run blocking, he’s really good at that. Then when we flex him out, he can be a matchup problem because he’s so big and strong. The other night he caught for 148 yards. There were a couple of plays where he got into the open field, and he’s so hard to tackle because he’s so much bigger than the defensive backs. He brings an element that I’ve never had as a tight end.”

3. You’re a former Colquitt County assistant, spending two years on the staff in 2014 and 2015. What did you learn from that stint and from head coach Rush Propst that helped you the most? “That was the No. 1 reason that I took the job, to learn, because we were at a place at Collins Hill where me and my wife were happy with a great house and neighborhood and awesome school, and we had done really good there. I started going on some head coaching interviews and came up short on a handful. Professionally, I thought I needed something on the resume, and I thought Coach Propst was one of the best at knowing how to run a program. I learned X’s and O’s too, but my main goal was to learn from him on everything from dealing with parents to weight training to his nutrition program. I’d go talk with him a lot and ask questions and see how he set up a yearly plan for the team, just the day in and day out of how to run a big-time Class 7A program. If I don’t come down here and learn that, there’s no way that we’re successful up there at Carrollton.” [Carrollton was Calhoun’s first head-coaching job. He led the Trojans to five straight quarterfinal appearances.]

4. What have you and your staff set out to do that’s tailored to what you felt was needed at Colquitt County based on your prior experience here? “To me, it wasn’t what I did after I got the staff. It was getting the correct staff, one that would fit this community and these kids because I’ve coached in Gwinnett County where I’m from, I’ve coached in Birmingham, I’ve coached in South Georgia. They’re all different. You’ve got to know where you are, and that was my No. 1 most important thing. I think I’ve got a great blend of young coaches and more experienced ones. We’ve got five guys that used to play here. I felt we needed great role models and male figures to be in the players’ lives. We’ve got some kids that don’t have that. And they need to be really good football coaches because we need to be competing for state and region titles. That’s the monster we’ve built here.” [The former Colquitt County players on staff are offensive line coach Bryce Giddens, inside linebackers coach Bull Barge, tight ends coach Kiel Pollard, receivers coach Quin Roberson and ninth-grade coach Ian Brinson. Offensive coordinator John Cooper and defensive coordinator Jeremy Rowell were on the staff with Calhoun in 2014 and 2015.]

Today’s interviewee is Carver of Atlanta coach Darren Myles, whose team is 3-0 and ranked No. 2 in Class 3A entering its game Friday at No. 1 Buford of Class 7A. Carver is coming off its best season in more than 50 years with a runner-up 3A finish to Cedar Grove in 2021. Myles is in his 18th season as Carver’s head coach.

1. What are the circumstances behind your decision to take on Buford? “We needed to find seven non-region games, and we were having trouble getting people to play us, even with the number of players we lost off last year’s team. We were looking at playing only seven or eight total games. It just so happened that Buford posted that they had an opening for the 16th. I talked it over with the staff. We were looking at playing Buford, or not playing Buford and having only eight games. We need the work. We can’t afford to have all these bye weeks. I know it’s playing the No. 1 team in the state and one of the top teams in the nation, but we’ve got one of the top teams in the nation in our region, Cedar Grove. What better way to get prepared for Cedar Grove, and Sandy Creek as well.”

2. How do you frame expectations with your team? “What do we have to lose besides the game? We have everything to gain. If we play well, our confidence is high. If we don’t play well, people are going to expect that anyway. It’s Buford. Our guys understand it’s a non-region game and that we find very competitive opponents, not just teams that give us a victory. You can become overconfident beating up on people and thinking you’re better than you are and then sitting home after the first round of the playoffs. The environment at Buford is going to be electric. They’ve got highly recruited players with all the stars by their name. That’s as close as we’re going to get to playing a team in the playoffs.”

3. For those who haven't seen your team, how would you describe it? “Our strength on offense is clearly the passing game because we have an outstanding quarterback, Bryce Bowens, and two outstanding wide receivers, Zyeek Mender and Deandre Buchannon, who had outstanding championship games last year. We’re able to run the ball to keep teams honest. On defense, we are fast, athletic and physical. We still have one of the best defensive guys, Aquantis Clemmons. He’s a valedictorian, as well. Our perimeter guys feel like they can match up with anybody in the state.”

4. Two Atlanta city schools are highly ranked right now, Carver and South Atlanta, both in the top five of their classifications. What's the secret to building and sustaining good football in Atlanta? “It starts with development. We’re not fortunate to have the feeder system that larger schools and some smaller ones have. We don’t have junior Panthers. So it’s up to the coaches to develop them from the JV up. Then it’s retention. We try to keep the players that come into our program. The next thing is to have a positive culture where they trust each other and the coaches. It’s easy to trust the coaches because I’ve been here 18 years, and it’s the same with the assistants. They know we can go somewhere else, but we’re staying here. We’re going to give them our heart. Then the biggest thing is administrative support. That starts on campus with the principal, and you can’t have two teams in the top 10 and not give Jasper Jewell [district athletic director] credit, too. They provide us with the things we need to have to be successful.”

Today’s interviewee is Early County coach Joel Harvin, whose team is ranked No. 1 in the new Class A Division II after a 4-0 start. Early County had played in Class 2A since 1984, and in recent years, the Bobcats competed in a region with 2021 state finalists Fitzgerald and Thomasville and sometimes with Brooks County. This season, the southwest Georgia school was assigned to the class for the GHSA’s smallest schools.

1. What does the creation of Division II mean for your school and those your size? What were your thoughts when it came about in reclass and why you support it? “I think the creation of Division II is great for the smaller schools in that it creates a more equally competitive league throughout the state. I think the GHSA had to act because of the large number of private schools still left in the association, and I believe they got it right. I would still like to see a competitive-balance formula used for all schools, though, much like the Alabama High School Athletic Association uses, in that if a school dominates in one sport and is continually winning or playing for a state championship, then that school gets bumped up in classification in just the sport they are succeeding in. This gives other schools a chance to play for a state championship for a few years.”

2. Early is ranked No. 1 this week for the first time since 1994. How do you feel about that? Does it require you to discuss with your team the outside attention you might be getting? “I think it is a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing because it shows just how much our kids have bought in and worked through the offseason and that their hard work has paid off. It's also a curse because kids can be overconfident, and if they have never been in that situation before they may not be ready for what's to come. We will only get the best from the teams we play from here on out, and the target on our back has gotten to be pretty big. We will discuss making sure to keep our heads on straight and to carry ourselves like we are the No. 1 team in the community, classroom, and at practice.”

3. For those who haven't seen your team play, how would you describe your team, its style and identity? “We pride ourselves on being physical. Our coaches and players have bought into the concept to be the last man standing at the end of the fight and never give in. We play four full quarters of physical football, and our seniors have played against some really good physical football teams throughout their careers like the Fitzgeralds, the Thomasvilles, the Bleckleys. Our defense has played solid all year being in the right spot and making tackles, and we hope to get our main running back Ty Stovall back pretty soon. He has been recovering from a preseason injury.”

4. Not many Division II teams are still undefeated. You've got to play Irwin and Brooks and other good teams. Is it almost better not to be undefeated going into the playoffs if you have legit hopes of winning the state title in this class? “Well because of how everything fell with the reclassification [Early was originally slotted for Division I until winning an appeal to go to Division II], we had most of our schedule set and ended up having most of our region games first with our non-region games being last. I wanted to use the non-region games to give us a tune up for the playoffs, so I scheduled what I think are some of the best teams in two states in those three games. Brooks, Eufaula (Ala.) and Irwin will definitely give us a good look at what we need to fix heading into the playoffs.”

Today’s interviewee is Cedartown coach Jamie Abrams, whose team defeated Calhoun 21-7 on Friday, improved to 4-0 on the season and moved to No. 1 in the Class 4A rankings. It’s Cedartown’s highest ranking since 1995. Cedartown is 23-5 with two region titles in Abrams’ three seasons.

1. What did you do well vs. Calhoun that gave you the edge? “We were able to make a couple of big plays on offense and forced some turnovers on defense. Calhoun is a great program and has been for a long time. We have nothing but respect for them and knew it was going to be tough to go there and come out with a win.”

2. Your team is ranked No. 1 in some polls, including ours. How do you feel about that, and how do you handle that attention with your players? “We want to be 1-0 each week. We don't really talk about it.”

3. For those who haven't seen your team, what could they expect? “They will see a lot of kids who grew up in Cedartown who have been playing together since they were young who play for each other.”

4. You made the semifinals last season and lost to runner-up Carver by one point. What impact did last year's finish have on this year's team? “We all remember how bad it hurt. We know we can't change the past but can control how we go about our business moving forward.”

Today’s interviewee is Central Gwinnett coach Larry Harold, whose team is 4-0 in his first season. That Central’s best start since 1984. Harold had been Cedar Shoals’ offensive coordinator when he took the Central job. He has been a head coach at Americus-Sumter, Central in Macon, Brunswick and Macon County.

1. Is this where you expected your team to be at this point of the season, and what’s the most important thing that you and your staff have done to make things better? “I'd be lying if I said I expected us to be 4-0. Central had only won two games in the previous two years, many of the starting players transferred to other schools within the county, and the morale of the staff/players was extremely low. Taking over my fifth program, I usually expect a slow start as both coaches and players take a while to buy into the new demands and culture created by a new head coach. However, at Central Gwinnett, our administration has been very supportive, the teaching staff has gotten behind us, and the coaches and players have done everything that we have asked of them.

“The biggest thing I think our staff has done is let our kids know that despite what the scoreboard says, they are winners in life. I am a big proponent that outside circumstances don't define you, but your character, discipline and hard work can change your life's position. Our staff is a collection of great men and role models who pour into our boys and care for them with ‘tough love.’”

2. What is your team doing on the field that’s made a difference? “The key to our 4-0 start has been our defense, led by defensive coordinator and Georgia alumnus Shed Wynn, who has our defense giving up a mere 62 points in four games for a 15.5 point per game avg. Last season's Black Knight defense gave up 31.1 points per game. We also have an outstanding kicker in Michael Sarmiento, who is averaging 45 yards a punt, has kicked a 37-yard field goal this season and is 8-for-11 in PATs and kicked two kickoffs into the end zone vs. Habersham. Offensively, we are able to control the clock running the football, especially late in games, which helps our defense stay fresh. Also, we've scored 94 points already this season (23.5 pts. per game) vs. last season's team that scored 62 points the entire season. All three facets of the game, defense, special teams and offense, have come together to give us our best start since 1984.” [Harold added, ‘’We are not a very big team physically. However, we are very feisty, play aggressively and try to remain fundamentally sound in every contest.”]

3. What did you see at Central Gwinnett to make you go after the job? “I honestly was not interested in the Central Gwinnett job. I have always been a middle Georgia/south Georgia football coach, and working in the metro area really didn't appeal to me. I got a call from a fellow coach who asked me if I'd be interested in speaking with A.D. Jason Carrera about the position, and I agreed. After speaking with Jason and our principal, Mr. Shane Orr, it was evident that they had a vision and passion for the football program that matched my own. I was blown away by the facilities that were available at Central, the hunger of the players was evident, and the amount of community support/resources available in Lawrenceville was overwhelming. The Central job definitely wasn't in my plans, but God obviously saw something for my family and me in Lawrenceville that I could not see with my natural eyes.”

4. You've been a head coach for many years at multiple programs. How are you different now than you were years ago, say at Macon County? “The biggest difference between my Macon County days and now is I'm older, don't have the same energy and require a lot of sleep to get going for the next school day. Seriously, I know who I am and what the Lord called me to do. I know that God created me to use the game of football to change the lives of young men. I don't let the scoreboard, team records, complaints from parents or any distractions prevent me from focusing on my assignment – improving the lives of young men that I am blessed to coach. I try my best to focus on that. Everything else is secondary. Our family creed of #FaithFamilyFootball has been adopted by the Black Knight football program, and every individual in our program attempts to live by it daily.”

Today’s interviewee is Rusty Mansell, 247Sports recruiting analyst, color commentator for Peachtree TV’s Friday night football telecasts and co-chairman of the Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame. Mansell will be in Watkinsville tonight commenting on the game between Jefferson and Oconee County.

1. What are you looking forward to seeing in the Jefferson-Oconee County game? “I picked this game because of two programs that have been very successful but have not had the opportunity to be on television as much as others. I am big on two factors – a great football atmosphere and players. This game was an easy choice for me. We locked this game in early.”

2. The best-known players on each side are probably Jefferson’s Sammy Brown and Oconee County’s Whit Weeks. What’s your assessment of them? “I think most will get their first look at both around the country on Friday night. Both are household names in the recruiting world, but not many have seen either play on live TV. I love the upside of both, I am very familiar with both families. Both players are really good kids, but they are really high-level football players. Sammy has the potential to finish as a top-five player in the country for the class of 2024. He checks every box as a prospect. Whit Weeks is big-time underrated. He did not do the camp circuit. He came to one MVP Camp to get a verified height and weight for his 247Sports profile, and he has let his tape do the talking for him. I will tell you this, he had committable offers when he made his decision, and that is what really matters at the end.” [Weeks is committed to LSU, where his brother West is a sophomore. Brown is uncommitted.]

3. A common question that we get at GHSF Daily but aren’t experts on the topic: Are players who don’t play for a marquee program, or those outside of metro Atlanta, underrated in recruiting services? “Ten years ago, I would have probably said yes. Nowadays, you take two players by example from tiny Schley County in Zayden Walker and Jalewis Solomon. Walker is a 2025 OLB, and he’s already a top-15 player in the country. I saw both at Georgia Elite Classic, and they held their own with anyone. There are so many opportunities for players now to compete against 'larger' or 'higher profile.’”

4. What Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame candidate (or more than one) did you come away thinking, ‘Wow, I didn’t realize how good he was,’ based on the process of learning about the candidates and voting? “I had heard the name before, but to hear so many people speak about Andy Johnson, the 1969 quarterback, I had to look at his stats. He had to be special, but hearing Buck Belue, Lynn Hunnicutt and others talk about him, I knew he was special.” [Johnson led Athens to a 1969 state championship and played eight seasons in the NFL with the Patriots. Hunnicutt, a Hall of Fame board member, was Mansell’s high school coach at Pepperell and a teammate of Johnson’s at Georgia.]

Today’s interviewee is Glynn County Schools athletic director Steve Waters, the organizer of this week’s seven-game Border Classic between Georgia and Florida teams. The event begins tonight with McIntosh County Academy vs. West Nassau (4:30 p.m.) and Glynn Academy vs. Creekside (7:30 p.m.) The other games are Charlton County vs. University Christian (4:30 p.m.) and Brunswick vs. Bolles (7:30 p.m.) on Friday and Fitzgerald vs. Madison County (1 p.m.), Coffee vs. St. Augustine (4 p.m.) and Richmond Hill vs. Baker County (7:30 p.m.) on Saturday. All games are at Glynn County Stadium in Brunswick.

1. When and how did the idea for the Border Classic come about? “I have wanted to put on a football classic similar to the Corky Kell in Atlanta since 2012 when I became athletic director. This year, our school system invested in Field Turf, and that allowed us to host a football classic. I needed a couple of sponsors to step up to help us pull off a huge event like this. Baker’s Sporting Goods out of Jacksonville and Under Armour stepped up to the plate big time. Not only have they become huge sponsors, but they have helped us get seven really good teams out of Florida to come to southeast Georgia and play every year. We have a five-year contract, and our plan is to expand the event in two years.”

2. What are you hoping the event will accomplish? “Our main goal is to provide a quality football experience for teams from northeast Florida and Georgia to play in each year. In the southeast part of the state, you have to travel one to two hours just to find a non-region game. This event will provide our teams in the southern part of the state a chance to compete without having to travel far. This event will also allow teams from Georgia to play a different opponent almost every year. Our coaches are very excited to be playing a team they have never played before. I hope this might create some border rivalry games. We hope this will be an event that every team in the states of Florida and Georgia will want to compete in every year. Our facility is first class, and we will treat every team like they are from Glynn County.”

3. What did the planning of the event entail? How did you go about putting it together? “There is no doubt that to put on a major event like the Border Classic, you have to have great partners. Once I met Josh Baker, I knew we had that partner. Josh has stepped up and brought in Under Armour. Every player that plays in the Classic will get a nice UA shirt. Josh also had a lot of media connections in Jacksonville. With that partnership, we were able to partner with News4Jax and televise or stream all of the games. Josh has been a huge help. On the planning side, I have a great group of support staff in Glynn County. We are small, but we do not mind working hard to make sure the event is run professionally. Now that we are in game week, I feel like we are ready. We just need good weather.”

4. If you had to pick one game that you or fans in general are most looking forward to seeing, a marquee game if you will, which would it be? “The Border Classic will feature seven games. The highlight game is probably the Brunswick High vs. Bolles game, which will take place on Friday night. However, Florida state champion Madison County will be playing Georgia state champion Fitzgerald, and that should be a great game. I really do not think there will be a bad game. Coffee County is loaded with talent, and they play Saturday. There will be a lot of Division I athletes taking the field over the course of the three-day event. I can't wait to get it started.”

Today’s interviewee is Don Fendley, a retired Georgia high school football coach living in Martinez and best known for his time at Westside of Augusta from 1984 to 1996. For several years, he has been a researcher with the Georgia High School Football Historians Association, where his main contribution has been tracking NFL players from Georgia. GHSF Daily’s spotlight today lists Georgia players on opening-day rosters, but Fendley’s job continues through the season as he documents which Georgia players actually play in an NFL game – which is the criterion to make the GHSFHA’s list.

1. How did you get involved in the GHSFHA’s NFL project? “After discovering the historians group about 2006, I had a lot of the booklets that the Georgia High School Association put out listing coaches and started looking up missing coaches, and after that ran its course, I got started on NFL players. I believe that Bobby Hodges [the GHSFHA’s original webmaster] asked me to do it. What I like about it is finding an NFL player from Georgia that I didn’t know about that got lost in the shuffle.”

2. What does keeping up with Georgia’s NFL players entail for you? “Drafted players from Georgia are not hard to find. Undrafted free agents from Georgia are the great puzzle. A guy’s name might show up on a roster a year or two after college for some reason. There was a player from the Atlanta area, Eric Smith, who played at Virginia. By accident, I found that he played at Columbia. [NFL rosters don’t make it easy to know where players went to high school.] You have to toe the line and keep up with it. Like today, I saw that Duke Shelley [from Tucker] got put on a practice squad and a guy got cut, T.Y. McGill [from Wayne County], who was on injured reserve. I keep a transaction roster on all 32 teams through the season.”

3. Who is the most interesting player that you've learned about? “Probably Kyle Sloter. He was a quarterback at Mount Pisgah Christian. The first three years at Southern Miss, they used him as a wide receiver and he caught seven passes in two years. They dropped his scholarship. He transferred to Northern Colorado, where he was a wide receiver and played on punting and kickoff teams. He moved back to quarterback in the spring of his senior year. The starter got hurt in the second game, and he was the quarterback the rest of the season. His college career shows lots of sticking it out. He signed with Denver and was released. Signed with Minnesota’s practice squad and was activated and on the roster for two years but never played in a game. He signed six more times to practice squads and active rosters. So I have had him on my lists for pretty good while. He must be fairly smart to pick up these teams’ offenses if they are as complicated as they make out to be.” [Sloter was taken in the first round of the 2022 USFL Draft and was named to the All-USFL team. The Jacksonville Jaguars signed him in July but released him in August. He’s still not on the GHSFHA’s list of Georgia NFL players because he’s never played in an NFL regular-season or playoff game, which is the requirement. “But I guess he’s made a dang dollar or two if he’s been on a roster so many times,” Fendley said.]

4. What has been your attraction to high school football? “From the time I was a 130-pound lineman at Putnam County, I always wanted to coach. I spent three years with the great Dan Pitts at Mary Persons. I spent 45 or 46 years coaching overall. I enjoyed letting the players all have a chance and watching them improve. When I was at Westside, I had people in the ninth and 10th grades that didn’t play much, and then you look up when they’re in the 11th grade, they’re on first team. I still follow it pretty closely. John Small at East Coweta, Lee Chomskis at Lincoln County, Matt LeZotte at Richmond Hill and the late Bert Williams at Georgia Military Junior College all played for me at Westside. Plus, my late brother’s son, Richie Fendley, is at Bowdon. Football or any high school sport just gives a person a chance to be part of something.”

Today’s interviewee is Chip Saye, who co-founded Georgia High School Football Daily in 2009. Saye has covered high school football for the Athens Banner-Herald/Daily News, Anderson (S.C.) Independent-Mail and Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspapers since 1985 but began attending games long before it became his profession. In the past 25 years, Saye has kept a record of the nearly 600 games and more than 200 teams he has seen in person.