Varsity Canes’ Attend Camp
The Canes’ began preparing themselves for football season this week with a Monday through Thursday football camp held at the high school. In order to beat the heat their practices were scheduled during the mornings and early evenings.
From 8:30 through 10 a.m. the team practiced in helmets, shoulder pads and shorts. After an hour break they reported back out in nothing but shorts and jerseys and practiced special teams until noon.
At 6 each evening they reported back in and were on the field at 6:30 for a full-pad practice what lasted until 8 p.m.
After practice each evening the Hurricane Booster Club prepared and served dinner for the team in the school cafeteria.
Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Doug Huff’s staff consists of Defensive Coordinator and Defensive Line Coach Rydell Jackson, Offensive Coordinator and Offensive Line Coach Robert Ingram, Wide Receiver and Linebacker Coach Brook Adams, Running Backs Coach Chris Jenkins, Defensive Ends Coach Scott Brantley (new from Rockdale), and Defensive Backs Coach Jimmy Hughes (new from Cordele).
The Canes’ will begin play next month in a new region within a new classification. It’s Region 7 in the single A classification, which includes several programs with winning records and reputations.
Of the nine opponents they’ll face this fall during the regular season, six of them went to the playoffs last year, and Lincoln County won the state championship.
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Coach Huff isn’t taking the new region lightly at all. “Yes, it’s a tough region. Some folks think that by moving from double A to single A would make things easy on us, but all you have to do is look at our opponent’s records to see how tough it’s going to be.
“Twiggs County and Lincoln County are consistently deep in the playoffs, and Lincoln has won several state championships.
“There’s also Warren County, Hancock, and Wilkinson Counties who will all be very athletic. Aquinas was also in the playoffs last year and they have a fullback who has already signed to play at Auburn. We’re looking forward to playing in the new region, but it’ll be tough.”
Coach Huff reported that so far the team was free of major injuries, and also that two new students, Nathan Knight and James Lawrence, would most likely help the team.
At the quarterback position, Junior Octavius Epps is currently the starter. Returning starter Markese Thurman, also a junior, has returned after recently being medically cleared to play, said the coach. They are both backed up by sophomore Ethan Huff and freshman Keldrick Davis.
As far as the offensive and defensive sets, Coach Huff said, “Offensively we’ve put in a little winged-T where the guards are pulling. And we’ll probably do a little more running out of the shotgun. Defensively, the front hasn’t changed and will be what people saw last year, but we have changed some things in the secondary.”
The coach also commented on his offensive line. “We’ve got some big players. Michael Rosser, our senior center is six foot one and weighs 290 pounds, Brandon Perry is six foot three and weighs 255 pounds, and there’s also Blake West who is six foot one and weighs 220 pounds. Our guards are smaller but they are fast, and that’s what we want because they’ll be pulling.”
A scrimmage game is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 25, at 7 a.m. at Ola High School in Henry County, which is off Hwy. 81 in McDonough.
The first game of the season is scheduled versus Social Circle in Social Circle, on Friday, Sept. 1. Complete schedules for all teams are scheduled for publication in the August 31 issue of The News.