Collins Hill has building blocks in place to improve on QF finish

Collins Hill is looking to build on an inspiring 11-2 season, one that ended a two-year run of losing campaigns following the 2021 Class 7A championship.

The Eagles started 2024 on the road against eventual Class 6A champion Grayson, winning 20-19 with a two-point conversion to end the game. They had a rematch in the quarterfinals and lost 38-14.

Collins Hill coach Drew Swick says his new team reminds him of the 2021 team that won it all with state player of the year and future Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter.

“Going into this season, everybody is talking about going 15-0,” Swick said. “We talk about ‘we over me’ and holding each other accountable.”

Collins Hill returns two players looking to have a massive impact at the next level.

One is 6-foot-2, 275-pound four-star defensive lineman Deuce Geralds. As of April 10, Geralds had trimmed his recruitment to 10 schools - Georgia Tech, Ohio State, Michigan, Florida State, Miami, Ole Miss, LSU, Clemson, Oklahoma and Oregon.

Katrell Webb, a 6-foot-2, 230-pound three-star defensive end/linebacker, took trips to Indiana and Florida State this offseason, but his recruitment is still wide open.

Both defensive stars got all-state recognition last season. They combined for 59 tackles for losses and had 13 sacks apiece last season. Geralds broke NFL player Tomon Fox’s school record for career sacks in 2024.

“They are the hardest workers,” Swick said of Geralds and Webb. “They’ve really amped up their leadership this year, because now they’re the seniors.”

Swick says they had to learn how to be leaders. They’ve gone from yelling at players to talking with players, he said.

Another returning senior on defense is Stephen Barjolo, the Gwinnett Touchdown Club’s outside linebacker of the year with an impressive story.

“Last season he did not start until injuries hit our team, and he prepared like he was the starter, and when his opportunity came he never looked back,” Swick said.

Swick said that Collins Hill has nine transfers, many of them who came in during the last school year. Swick, a Collins Hill alumnus who joined the staff in 2015, said he’s had had that many.

“Now you’ve got to get those kids adapted to your culture (and) your standard,” Swick said.

Those transfers also include Kevin Hughes Jr, a sophomore wide receiver with a handful of offers, including one from Missouri.

Swick says that when getting to know the kids, he found that many of these transfers grew up in the Collins Hill area. They said they had attended high school games as middle schoolers.

“We just didn’t pour into our community like we should have, and we’ve kind of flipped that script,” Swick said. “You’ve got to support the people that come to your games on Fridays.”

Swick credits his staff for the team’s current success. He’s brought multiple former players that he’s coached back to the program to be coaches. Those include Peyton Woulard, Najii German, Mark Riley and Isaac Bonacci. With their experience in the community and connecting with players, he says things are feeling like a “well-oiled machine.”

Swick says the team should look a little different on offense this year. He promoted coach Nathan Koerner to become his offensive coordinator.

Koerner, who took Swick under his wing when he arrived in 2015, was Swick’s first choice as offensive coordinator when he got the job in 2023; however, Koerner was unable to take the job because he had been diagnosed with cancer. Now cancer-free, Koerner looks to lead the offense for the first time.

“Our offense wasn’t like the defense (last season),” Swick said. “Well now, our offense is like our defense, and that’s what I’ve been looking for my whole career.”

Makyree Cross, who passed for 1,725 yards and 15 touchdowns as a sophomore, is back.

Swick said that Collins Hill’s most famous former player, Hunter, still has an influence on the program. In fact, Collins Hill will erect a statue of Hunter and reveal it in March 2026, Swick said.

Swick was Hunter’s defensive back coach before becoming his defensive coordinator in 2020. Swick uses Hunter as an example for all his players.

“He did everything Monday through Sunday to be the greatest of all time,” Swick said. “Travis is the perfect example to follow.”