Top 3 Stories Heading Into 2025 Football Season and NEW Head Coach for Fitzgerald?

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:07):
And now it's time for extra fun.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
Your host Bill Jones.

Speaker 1 (00:16):
All right, welcome in, everybody. Is another Tuesday night. That
means it's time to talk a little Georgia high school sports.
Time to talk a little Georgia high school football with
myself and Mazzannie Matthews as we are live here at
Big Nicks in Valdosta.

Speaker 3 (00:32):
Thanks so much for being with us.

Speaker 1 (00:33):
For those of you in attendance here at Big Knicks,
at a good crowd last week, and I know we've
got a room full of people back in the back
corner there here for some kind of meeting or function.
But for everybody else that's checking out the show online,
thanks so much as always for making us a part
of your Tuesday evening. I mentioned the fact that I

(00:55):
am here with you, but of course I'd be remiss
if I didn't bring in the who sets all this
up and allows us to get on the air. That's
Mazzani Matthews, missus producer. What's going on with Zanie?

Speaker 2 (01:07):
I'm doing good, Phil, how about yourself? I hope everybody
is having a good evening so far. It's been a
long Tuesday, but I'm so happy to be here with you.
Guys and being able to chat with you.

Speaker 1 (01:16):
All absolutely here here. I always look forward to Tuesday night.
And I really like our gig here at the Big
Nick's great setting, and people seem.

Speaker 3 (01:24):
To really like it.

Speaker 2 (01:25):
Yeah, I agree. We've gotten a lot of watchers in person.
I'm telling you, guys, if you can come check it
out in person on Tuesday, do it. I really I'm
starting to appreciate the live audience.

Speaker 3 (01:37):
Yeah, me too, I really am.

Speaker 1 (01:38):
And of course we wouldn't be anywhere without you guys
checking us out at home or wherever you're watching the show.
And of course we're gonna acknowledge you guys as we
go forward. If you're new to the show, hey, let
us hear your comments. We make this show as much
about the folks their commentary as we do about you
and I talking.

Speaker 2 (01:57):
Yes, yes, and I see some great comments here.

Speaker 1 (02:00):
You know.

Speaker 2 (02:00):
Of course we have Michael Baxter checking in the show.
He says, good evening, Phil and crew and everyone at
itg nets Georgia. He also says, go Milton Eagles, and
did you know that Michael Baxter he graduates from college tomorrow?
Oh really, yeah, so congratulations Michael.

Speaker 1 (02:15):
What college?

Speaker 3 (02:16):
Does he say?

Speaker 2 (02:16):
No, he doesn't say, so we have to check back
in and see what he says.

Speaker 1 (02:19):
Yeah, Michael tell us, Yeah, we'll put it out there
for you, brother, good stuff.

Speaker 3 (02:22):
Congratulations.

Speaker 2 (02:23):
Yeah, you got some other people checking into the show.
Joe Renee Thomas says, hey, Mazanie, Hey Joe, how are you?
She says? You rock?

Speaker 1 (02:32):
Thank you? Hey, MAAZONI you rock?

Speaker 3 (02:34):
You din't got your own fan club going on?

Speaker 1 (02:37):
I love it?

Speaker 2 (02:37):
Yes see, you know, graduation is coming up for a
lot of people. Stephen k Wynn says, checking out from
Trojan Nation in Leesburg graduation week, right, yeah, and then
he says, my daughter graduates from Savannah State University on Friday.
Hashtag SSU Tigers claw down. So congratulations to your daughter,
is Steven?

Speaker 1 (02:57):
What's up? Stephen gay when after I've always said, you know,
Stephen k Winn, he feeds me as much information as anybody.
So he's kind of our de facto employee.

Speaker 3 (03:07):
Not really, but he is certainly a wealth of information.

Speaker 1 (03:12):
I promise you that I get a lot of I
get a lot of pointers from Stephen k Winn.

Speaker 2 (03:15):
Yeah, he's a great person. We got to this past season.

Speaker 3 (03:19):
Yes, fantastic guy.

Speaker 2 (03:22):
Of course we have Obadiah Farley checking in. He says,
what's going on, TCC checking in?

Speaker 1 (03:29):
Yes, Obadia, we expect to see you here in the
house one of these nights. He's promising, he's gonna make
it up right.

Speaker 2 (03:34):
No, yes, it's not a far drive. It's not that
far drive.

Speaker 1 (03:37):
Jerry Harrison is checking in now, and this is a
pretty good drive. He's checking in from Monroe area. So
that's a pretty good haul there.

Speaker 2 (03:44):
That is, that is for sure. Who else we got, Oh,
Brian Bird, he says, Fizz Drill in the house, and
we're wonder we're wondering what's gonna happen with Fizzderl this season. Yes,
we're a new head coach.

Speaker 1 (03:56):
Yes we got you know, I was gonna say some
of the people that we've got that acknowledged, you know,
being here on the show, they're gonna like what we
got to say, especially talking about Fitzgerald, like you just mentioned,
they're gonna be in the conversation. And Michael Baxter Milton
gonna be in on the conversation. So chances are, oh wait,
look at here, Gabe Garrett good eating from Toombs County.

Speaker 3 (04:18):
That's another school gonna be talking about tonight.

Speaker 2 (04:21):
Yeah, yeah, all right, a lot of great schools.

Speaker 3 (04:25):
Absolutely.

Speaker 2 (04:26):
Kes Curz says, TCC checking in. We have another TCC fan.
Our Hill says it Chris in the building. Let's see
who else.

Speaker 1 (04:36):
Real quick like before you continue. So Our Hill, we
were at court Hill on Friday. We were up there
getting some doing some interviews. While getting doing an interview
with the coach, Justin Newman, who is one of the
guys we're gonna talk about tonight and one of the
topics we're gonna talk about tonight as we go forward,
and so looking forward to what your Christ County Cougars
have got this year. Who else we.

Speaker 2 (04:57):
Got Mazonie Ray John says, Dosh County, Indians in the house,
Dodgas County. Mac Foster James says, what's going on, Phil Jones,
Tiff County is in the house.

Speaker 3 (05:06):
Look out, Mac, what's happening?

Speaker 1 (05:08):
Brother, Big, big expectations for your Blue Devils this this
week or this year. I talked a little bit. I'll
put out a thing I think it was. I think
it was after last week's show. I believe it was
talking about Uh. It was just a quick post I
put out, Tiff County gonna be hosting Langston Hughes and
their spring football game, which I guess will be next week. Okay,

(05:31):
and uh and I put you I thought that was
one of the more intriguing spring football games that we've
got Tiff County, South Georgia. Normally of your spring games,
you see a lot of teams that are close together. Yeah,
you know, if they if they play, if if teams
play an outside team, they try to get a team
that doesn't have to drive too far.

Speaker 2 (05:49):
So that's an interesting matchup. It is sure. I would
have never paired those two teams. Wouldn't either, but I
think that'd be great for Tifton, Evenston Hughes.

Speaker 3 (05:57):
Same thing.

Speaker 2 (05:58):
You know, I chose Tifton to be my dark Course teams.
They were one of my dark Corse teams, so you did. Yeah,
And I think this will be a great game to
see what they have.

Speaker 1 (06:07):
Yeah, even if it is a spring game, I do
believe it's gonna be a really good test, good barometer
for Tiff County. You know, they really made some strides
last year. You and I talked about it. It really
hadn't showed up yet in the win loss column. But
I believe they're coming. And you know again, spring games
being what they are, this is gonna be I think
a good.

Speaker 2 (06:24):
Test for Yeah, and if they could put up a
fight against Lingston Hughes, I mean, hey, is it gonna
show that they can hold up and go far in
through the playoffs this season.

Speaker 1 (06:33):
It's gonna be interested to see, you know, how both
teams come out and you know how much action the
starters is gonna see because again, spring games you typically
don't go all out. But I got a feeling that,
you know, both coaches, especially Jeff Littlson over at chiff County,
I think he may want to get a little bit
more extended playing time for his starters.

Speaker 3 (06:54):
Yeah, just to see.

Speaker 1 (06:56):
Really what they've got, because it's gonna be probably the
toughest team they've played thing play since you and I
were there last year.

Speaker 3 (07:02):
Yes, or to call quick count again.

Speaker 2 (07:04):
I definitely agree. That's why I, like you said, it'd
be a great test for them. And also did you
mention that they're going to be hosting.

Speaker 3 (07:11):
I did not.

Speaker 2 (07:12):
Okay, wait are they they are? Okay, Sons and Hughes
will have to come down here.

Speaker 1 (07:16):
Yes, And yeah, I just answer the whole intrigue of
this being a spring game and Langston hugh Is gonna
have to travel three hours, three hours plus, you know
for this game. It just it just you know, it
caught my attention. That's why I posted on our It
Genius website, our Facebook page. So I thought it just
had a lot of interesting storyline.

Speaker 2 (07:32):
Yeah, so from your perspective, we talked about like how
this could be really beneficial for TIFFs, But how do
you think this could be beneficial for Langston Hughes.

Speaker 1 (07:40):
Well, because they got a new coach. I say to
quote The Who and if you get it, you get it.
The old rock band who Who used to say, you
know in one of their songs, the new Boss same
as the old Boss. Well, Langston Hughes bringing back their
offensive coordinator from twenty twenty two. He's he's the offensive

(08:01):
coordinator that oversaw that record offensive team that they had
in winning the state championship two years ago. And I'll
tell you his name here in just a second. But anyway,
he's coming back as the head coach. So I think
that's one of the things that Action and Hughes fans
are going to really be looking forward to. Does he
still have it? Does he still have both the talent

(08:23):
and the play calling to do what they did in
twenty twenty two, leading him to a state title and
racking up a record number of points.

Speaker 2 (08:31):
I honestly don't see why not. I think that's a
pretty smooth transition transition. If you ask me, you would think.

Speaker 1 (08:37):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (08:38):
And you guys helped me out. Who tell me who
the coach is?

Speaker 1 (08:42):
I just posted the story, but to remind me who
that is, I do want to say one thing real quick,
my man Harold Burgess.

Speaker 2 (08:49):
Yeah, I was looking at his comment.

Speaker 1 (08:51):
Yeah, Harold Burgess a team that he of course is
the Grayson fan. His son Travis quarterback for Grayson. Now, Mazani,
you've been I know what good to see your brother go.

Speaker 2 (09:05):
Ahead, Yeah, I was. I was just going to mention him.
I was like, herold, I know he's pretty happy about
the season already, or excited about the season, because, I mean, hey, Grayson,
we talked about them being what what teams do we
talk about? Not the dark horse teams? But were they
one of the ones that could repeat?

Speaker 1 (09:24):
Right? So, and mister Burgess certainly helped me out. He's
close to the action up there, and he gave me
a list of the players that they've got coming back,
including your son of course.

Speaker 3 (09:36):
Oh my god.

Speaker 2 (09:37):
Yeah, that's a long list.

Speaker 3 (09:38):
Right, It really was a long list. It is a
long list.

Speaker 1 (09:41):
Yeah, and so I think, you know, legitimately they've got
a chance, you know, to repeat.

Speaker 3 (09:47):
And again you actually.

Speaker 1 (09:48):
Called it out first, you know, when we were having
this conversation about who you think you know has a
chance to win, say championship, remember you right off the
bat saying I think Grayson, you know it's the team
to be so uh and I agree with you on
that for sure.

Speaker 2 (10:01):
Yeah. We have Shaane Morgan. Shane Morgan checking in and
says from Tennessee, love to see you guys, branching out
into the communities that our loan shows go by too
fast for us football junkies. Bring the longer shows and
rush back to Georgia.

Speaker 1 (10:17):
You know, Russi has been in the conversation here this week.
Have you heard about that?

Speaker 2 (10:22):
I mean, for like new coaches saying bring him out
of retirement. So I'm wondering is he getting these messages,
what does he has to say, What does he have
to say about that?

Speaker 1 (10:30):
Yeah?

Speaker 3 (10:30):
I reached out to Rushing going anywhere? You know Rush?

Speaker 1 (10:34):
Is he you know home is Alabama from him for
him and didn't I know that? Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's
where he is coached probably ninety percent of his career.

Speaker 2 (10:41):
Oh wow.

Speaker 1 (10:41):
Even though the weird thing is he's he's probably best
known for the success that he's had, you know, in
uh in Cockwook County of course. And I still say
Mazani that one of Russia's best coaching jobs was the
one year that he was that he spent here in Valdez.
That man came in late in the process. Yes, didn't

(11:04):
meet his players for about thirty to forty five days.
That was during COVID, Yes, So he didn't mean it
was hard late, didn't get to meet his players until
late in the season, in the preseason, and for him
to still come out and lead that team to the
quarter finals.

Speaker 3 (11:20):
I just thought it was a great job.

Speaker 1 (11:21):
Now.

Speaker 3 (11:22):
I know how.

Speaker 1 (11:22):
Things ended up and they had to go back and
forfit the wins and come on to me, but it
was but what they did on the field, you can't
take you that away.

Speaker 2 (11:32):
Yeah, and that is so true. And you know, one
thing that stuck out to me about Rush Pros was
his him prioritizing nutrition for his players. The health of
his players, you know, and just making that the forefront
and everything, and it showed on the field when they
were able to perform properly right one percent. So that
was one thing that I don't think I've ever seen

(11:52):
from a coach or heard about talked about as much
surrounding a coach, and they're like mentality or they're for
he really you.

Speaker 1 (12:01):
Can say, and I agree with everything you just said.
He's the forefather of the nutrition program that exists today.
His legacy lives on in that regard, not just to
callqu but everywhere. I'll tell you something else he did Mazani.
You know when he when he got that inside or
that indoor practice facility built. Yeah, yeah, you know, that

(12:24):
was still very much a new thing. But now again
you see all these other schools implementing the nutrition programs
and what else are they doing.

Speaker 2 (12:33):
The indoor facilities, you know, but it's it's showing, how
I guess you could say maybe necessary that the indoor
facilities are. You know, some would argue like is it
making your players tougher or not? Because you know, some
players remember back in the old days, you plan practicing
on the muddy field, the rain didn't stop you. But now,

(12:54):
you know, we have extreme temperatures. It's too hot outside,
you know, so now let's move everything to the indoor
facility or something. I've heard some people say the players
aren't toughing it out, but I feel like they're being efficient.

Speaker 1 (13:07):
That's a really good way to put it. It is.
And look, you know, as far as compare and you
know to the way things used to be, that's true.
But you know, on one hand, and I'll kind of
incorporate all the things that rush did. You know one
of the reasons that he started the the nutrition program,
and you got to think back before that did start.

(13:29):
You know, he said that these kids would come in,
these young men would come in on Monday morning start
lifting weights at six o'clock. Well, you know a lot
of young kids, for whatever reason, don't eat breakfast.

Speaker 3 (13:40):
Don't eat a lot of breakfast.

Speaker 1 (13:41):
True, a lot of these kids, you know, weren't eating
right at home. Yeah, so they'd come in. Expect them
to lift, you know, and do an hour's worth of
weight training, litting all this weight with no energy.

Speaker 3 (13:53):
Yeah, no carves and them no food in them. Rushed it.

Speaker 1 (13:55):
Wait a minute, we can't keep doing it. And just
imagine all the years that that was done that way.
It doesn't make it right. So Rush, you know, made
a change there. And again we've seen all the other schools.
Now players are bigger, stronger. Yeah, you have faster, they're
better for it.

Speaker 2 (14:10):
Yeah. Prioritize their protein, yeah, any protein to fuel.

Speaker 1 (14:15):
And then you know you're thinking about the indoor practice
fascificly again. Uh you ask, you know if it does
it have an advantage? Well, yeah, to a man, many
coaches will tell you. Look, in the summer, we don't
have to practice in you know where we've got a trainer.

Speaker 3 (14:31):
Now, think about this.

Speaker 1 (14:32):
You've got a trainer that has to to monitor a
wet bulb.

Speaker 2 (14:35):
Yeah, we've seen that firsthand. Right, yes, at christ County.

Speaker 1 (14:38):
That's right, that's right. You know you got your trainer
to sitting there having to watch this thing to make
sure the humidity, uh and the heat doesn't get too high. Well,
the indoor practice facility takes that away, Like you said,
it creates more efficiency. You players can go in there
and practice. What's another thing that we have in addition
to high heat and humidity in South Georgia, Well, yeah, yeah,

(14:59):
Hurricane Slash thunderstorms, you're right, stormy weather.

Speaker 2 (15:01):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (15:02):
So you know how many players or how many teams
have been chased off the practice field because you know
the the threat of inclement weather. Yeah, and remember if
you have a slightning strike, I think it's within twenty miles,
you're out, You're off.

Speaker 2 (15:13):
Yeah, you know.

Speaker 1 (15:14):
So there's a lot of advantages of these things that
rush Proach brought aboard. Again, it's to his legacy still
lives on through these things and a lot more so,
you know, I think there's an argument to be made
for having those things.

Speaker 2 (15:25):
Yes, I agree. I agree. Man, that was good. And
we have some more people checking in. I see right here.
Evan Reese, Hello, go Mighty Hornets. Check out the show
from Girls Lacrosse Elite eight. Ray Maynez say, yeah, Roswell
is beating a Pope sixty three at half.

Speaker 1 (15:46):
I love it.

Speaker 2 (15:47):
I don't think I've ever really checked out lacrosse before.

Speaker 1 (15:50):
You know, it's big north of Macon. You know, that's
another one of those things. You'd be great to see
some of our southern schools in south part of the state,
you know, ad lacrosse to the to the list of
athletic programs that they have.

Speaker 3 (16:05):
But you know, it's you know, it's huge up in
the Northeast. Yeah, your Ivy League schools. But it's fun.

Speaker 1 (16:11):
Primarily a girls sport. There are some boys team to
play it.

Speaker 2 (16:14):
Okay, yeah, I know that.

Speaker 1 (16:15):
But have you ever played lacrosse? Have you ever watched
the lacrosse mouth?

Speaker 2 (16:18):
So I've seen a little bit of like lacrosse highlights before,
but I never sat down and watched a full game.

Speaker 3 (16:24):
It's different.

Speaker 1 (16:24):
Yeah, it's kind of a cross between football, basketball, and hockey.

Speaker 2 (16:30):
You're right, Yeah, you're right.

Speaker 1 (16:31):
Kind of across wing all those you gotta cause you
gotta you know, you gotta put the.

Speaker 3 (16:34):
Little ball in the net.

Speaker 1 (16:36):
Yeah, you know, and hey it's physical, it's dangerous.

Speaker 2 (16:40):
I'm like, how do they keep up with that little ball? Like,
you know, it's like how do hockey players keep it
with the puck?

Speaker 1 (16:45):
Right?

Speaker 2 (16:46):
It's so small?

Speaker 1 (16:46):
But yeah, they job, they really did. I did want
to mention real quick, so i'd asked about you guys
a reminder about the the new Langston Hills coach. Yeah,
and it's all heck and Rico Hines. Okay, yep, and
Drico Hines he was he was the offensive coordinator of
the twenty twenty two Hues team. They averaged I think

(17:08):
over thirty five points a game the whole season. That's
a lot of points to average.

Speaker 2 (17:12):
Yeah, that is Yeah, And I really think having a
good offensive coordinator is so important. It really does. Yeah,
it really does.

Speaker 3 (17:22):
Uh did you mention D Smith from north Side?

Speaker 2 (17:25):
No? I didn't go ahead and read that comment.

Speaker 3 (17:26):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (17:27):
D Smith's is good evening from north side Eagle Country.
And you know what, I found out something about this.

Speaker 2 (17:34):
Okay, where'd you find out?

Speaker 1 (17:35):
All right, so he says good evening from north side
Eagle Country. Yes, Now, anytime I would mention north Side,
i'd always say north Side warn of Robins.

Speaker 3 (17:43):
Well, I think it was d.

Speaker 1 (17:44):
Who corrected me and said, no, no, no, it ain't north
side Warner Robbins.

Speaker 3 (17:48):
It's just north Side.

Speaker 2 (17:50):
Oh okay, Well, I mean it's easier to.

Speaker 1 (17:52):
Say, but well, they don't even want to mention the
Warner Robbins. You know.

Speaker 3 (17:55):
It's kind of like Valdosta lowns. I can remember.

Speaker 1 (17:58):
You know, I wrote a story one time and I said,
I said Lowndes High School, which is located in Valdosta,
because it is the school has a Valdosta dress. Right.

Speaker 3 (18:13):
You wouldn't believe the Lowndes fans.

Speaker 1 (18:14):
They got all over me. It ain't a Valdosta school.
I'm like, okay, well it's got a Valdosta dress. If
they're gonna get mail there, they're gonna get it through
the Valdosta Bose Dolphine.

Speaker 2 (18:28):
I bet they were upset.

Speaker 1 (18:29):
It's just they were. They are they are, And you know,
at the time it didn't mean anything to me, But
I've noticed that those two examples certainly proved the fact
the people are funny. Like you said about how you
describe their team, how you define their team, and just
like these men don't call them north Side one of
Robin's Eagles.

Speaker 3 (18:49):
Yeah, north Side Eagles.

Speaker 2 (18:50):
Hey, you know that robbery just runs so deep within
some community it is, you know it does. For a while, I.

Speaker 1 (18:57):
Would not wear a maroon really.

Speaker 2 (19:00):
Yeah, I did not like the colors.

Speaker 1 (19:02):
You still, I know what you've made mentioned about that.
You know, I heard you say last week something about
you know, if it's maroon, I'm not gonna wear And
you know what, good for you. That's the way. It's
light hearted, it's fun. Yeah, they're no harm, no foul. Yeah,
I'm sure you know Lowndes fans, and you know they'll
tell you the same thing. Yeah, you know, that's what
I love about that rivalry Valdosta Lownds, which, by the way,

(19:25):
I know right we've got the helmets up here tonight.

Speaker 2 (19:27):
Yeah, yeah, And.

Speaker 1 (19:29):
I think it's just it's good for high school football.
It's good, priest, it is.

Speaker 2 (19:31):
It keeps it fun. But don't don't take a picture
of me if you catch me a public wearing maroon. Okay,
I just started within the last couple of years. My
heart has changed. So yeah.

Speaker 1 (19:42):
Fo the way. Harrold Burgess, who we were talking about earlier,
his son Travis, the quarterback up at Grayson, the defending
state champions. I think and I think Mazagne agrees with me.
We both think that they've got a great chance of
repeating this year. Harol Burgess says, love the show, Phil,
Harrold Man, listen, does my heart well? You saying that, brother,
And thanks so much for checking out the show, and
thanks for all your help with the with the Grace

(20:03):
and football team. I appreciate it.

Speaker 2 (20:06):
Oh. I have an interesting comment here by Stephen k Wynn.
He says, shout out to all Benny, city of state
champions private school. He says, well, Deerfield Windsor and Sherwood
Christian running back between twenty five.

Speaker 1 (20:18):
Steven, I love you giving the private schools se mentioned there,
brother boy, that Deerfield Windsor story was such a great story.
I think the year before they had won, and Steven
correct me if I'm wrong. I think they had won
like one game. They were like one and nine, and
I remember talking to the coach over there, and he said,
you know, I'm trying to keep everybody here, meaning over

(20:38):
different winds of patient and he said, I think we've
got a good team coming, and he was right. But
to go from so far down to winning a state championship,
that's that's very good. You're a good coaching And what
was the other team he mentioned?

Speaker 2 (20:51):
He said, well, Deerfield and let me go back up
real quick, Sherwood Christian.

Speaker 1 (20:58):
So I didn't realize Surewood Christian had won the state
title as well. That's what he was saying, Right, were
they gonna run it back? Yeah, I gotta be honest
with you, that's a good question.

Speaker 3 (21:09):
I know that they are a strong private school.

Speaker 1 (21:11):
I gotta do a little bit more research before I
can go out and go and make an opinion on that.
But you know what, I love all these schools getting
the you know, getting the coverage, you know.

Speaker 3 (21:22):
Because that's that's the way it should be.

Speaker 2 (21:23):
Yeah, it should focused.

Speaker 1 (21:24):
On the teams.

Speaker 2 (21:25):
Yeah. And another question that I wanted to know if
you had the answer to it, says the Linkston he
was to get a big time QB transfer from Peachtree Ridge.
Do you know anything about that?

Speaker 1 (21:35):
They sure did, They sure did, And I can tell
you my buddy at Peachtree Ridge, Matt Helmrick, who's the
head coach there, was not happy about it. Darnell Kelly, Yeah,
is his name the QB yep. And you know, he
was one of the state's best. One of the things
we're gonna talk about, you know, is so some of

(21:56):
our storylines, which we'll get into in a minute, but
that kind of has to do with one of these
stories lines talking about who are going to be the
new rising quarterbacks this year? Yeah, and Darniell Kelly, formerly
a Peachtree Ridge was going to be one of them.

Speaker 2 (22:08):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (22:09):
And he does leave and go to Langston Hughes and uh,
that was that was a tough, tough loss for Peachtree Ridge,
but a good get for Langston Hughes.

Speaker 2 (22:19):
I want to say he may just continue rising at Hughes.

Speaker 1 (22:23):
Yep, yeah, you know, uh that's kind of been the
thing up there, you know with Hughes, well really with
all the teams, not just Hughes. But you know, you've
got these all these players, especially quarterbacks, seem to be
you know, uh, switching skulls, fashioning shake a stick.

Speaker 2 (22:36):
That's true.

Speaker 3 (22:37):
Uh, in fact, that stick. Yeah, that's my parents giving
through there.

Speaker 1 (22:42):
But so let's say so Langston Hughes had the other quarterback,
the Christian Langford, who had transferred from where guys, you.

Speaker 3 (22:52):
Guys helped me out on that one.

Speaker 1 (22:53):
Let's Buford maybe maybe yeah, maybe somebody will can form
almost on that. So anyway, Steven, answer your question, Yes,
they did getting Darnell Kelly, sure did.

Speaker 2 (23:05):
You'll see here we have David Woods checking in from Grayson.
Let's see you here. Let's keep on going down Rodrinka's Upshaw,
great show, guys, Gainsville checking in and go big Red.
We have Jeremy Williams. He says Coffee will win Regent
and the state championship.

Speaker 1 (23:22):
I tell you they got some really good young talent
coming up. And you know, one of the helmets that
we've got up here on the table has a fan
out there in this watching us, none other than mister
Wallcat himself, Johnny.

Speaker 2 (23:36):
HOLKEM Yes, I saw Johnny.

Speaker 1 (23:38):
Johnny Oakam says, go Cats, Johnny, we did this for you,
my friend. I got the Go Cats. I got the helmet,
the Cat's helmet up here.

Speaker 2 (23:46):
It looks very nice, doesn't it.

Speaker 1 (23:48):
It does? It does? I like both those helmets do
my favorite. So I gotta ask you. We talked a
little bit about Valdosta last week. Who's gonna take over
for Todd Robinson?

Speaker 2 (24:00):
That is a good question, and I've been wondering myself,
honestly about that. Like I said, I've been hearing about
a lot of young, great talent for Valdosta coming up
in the feeder program. Of course, you know, also in
eighth grade. But I believe we have a quarterback that's
in ninth grade. He'll be in ninth grade this upcoming season.
I'm not gonna say he's starting or anything. I can't

(24:22):
even remember his name if anybody knows. Yeah, I was
gonna say, maybe Johnny can help us. But does he
know of any talent on Valdosta that you know, will
be replacing in Todd Robinson, just like you know Luke
Nicol and what Juju lewis. There's gonna be some big
shoes to fill. We're not looking for quarterbacks exactly like them,

(24:44):
but you know, I think it'll be interesting for these
coaches to see what kind of quarterback will be coming,
you know, up for them. Are they gonna be like
dual threat quarterbacks?

Speaker 1 (24:53):
You know exactly? You know again, you got Travis. We
talked about it Grace and he's gonna be back.

Speaker 3 (25:00):
But it's going to be interesting.

Speaker 1 (25:02):
And again we'll kind of segue into this this conversation.
This is going to be one of I think the
three big talking points. And I know you and I
were going to bring that up, you know, and I
put it out to the viewers earlier today as one
of our topics that we were going to talk about tonight.
What are your top three storylines? Yeah, heading into the

(25:24):
twenty twenty five season, And I'll go ahead and segue
from that conversation into you know, the top three. What
I think is one of the top three storylines, and
I think that is who are and of course we
already tald a little bit about who's going to replace
those quarterbacks, who's going to become the new big name quarterbacks.

Speaker 2 (25:41):
That's true this year. Yeah, you know, earlier in the
season we named quite a few and their names are
sleeping me now. But you know we were talking about
upcoming talent and a lot of them work ubis that
are seniors now are just just becoming juniors.

Speaker 1 (25:54):
Yep.

Speaker 2 (25:55):
Are any of them coming to mind for you?

Speaker 1 (25:57):
Well? So again, Grace has got an advantage that they've
got Travis coming back. Yes, but let's just say, like Milton,
for example, Milton, you know, you lose Luke Nickel. He
really was a main cog in those back to back
state championships and kind of you know, tying a couple

(26:17):
of my things together as far as top three stories
for the season, one of them is not just the
whole quarterback situation overall, but can Milton be the first
team and I don't know when to three peat?

Speaker 2 (26:28):
Yeah, that's a great possibility, you know, And I want
to say, maybe great reason to why they may repeat
is because they have a lot of returning talent, do
you think And that was a lot of my reasons
as to Like last week when we've talked about the
teams that have a possibility of repeating, my main reason

(26:49):
for ranking them, like you know, or saying that they
have a chance of repeating, is because they had a
lot of returning talent and in those primary positions such
as quarterback, you know, those main positions on defense. Once
you have your core positions filled or even if they're
just returning, they're already used to that system, right, so
there's not much that you have to do for next season.
It's just kind of like tweaking and making your game better,

(27:11):
making your system run better. Yeah, so I think that
was why the main reason why I say, yeah, these
teams of course have a great chance of repeating.

Speaker 1 (27:18):
Well, And let me mention something else, and that is
the transfers.

Speaker 2 (27:23):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (27:24):
By the way, I want to do I want to
really mention I don't know if you mentioned him or not,
Rodriguez Upshaw. Great show, guys, Gamesville, check it in, go
big Red Rodrigus. Appreciate that, man, and I think your
Gamesville Red Elephant team is the team to watch for
this year. We'll talk a little bit more about them
as we go forward, but so let me mention this.

(27:44):
So you've got the transfer situation. Yes, everybody knows about it, okay,
And I think it's kind of getting a bad rap
because a lot of people are treating transfer like it's
a four letter word. But let me tell you what
I'm here. These teams like Milton, like Gainesville, like Grayson.

Speaker 3 (28:07):
Yeah, well I think a.

Speaker 1 (28:09):
Lot of people get it in their head that, yeah,
these coaches are going out and and they're recruiting these
young men and and this and that. Well how about
thinking of it another way. These young men that are
coming in, they want to be a part of a
winning program.

Speaker 2 (28:26):
You took the words right out of my mouth. I
don't even think you have to recruit, you know. That's
you don't know, you don't because people want to be
a part of a good program, you know. And so
transferring is just I think it's becoming more prominent these days.
And it's just what's going on with the times. You know,
the times are changing, yes, and you know transfers are

(28:46):
becoming more common at all levels.

Speaker 1 (28:49):
Yep.

Speaker 2 (28:50):
Right, So no, I do think it gets a bad rep.

Speaker 1 (28:54):
Yeah. Look, parents want the best for their kids right
right there, their sons, you know, and so the parents
are going to reach out and say, hey, you know
it's a good school. Yeah. Let me let me say this.
I don't think you're gonna find many, if any, set
of parents who want their child to go to a

(29:17):
school that's not a good school first, I mean for
great yeah academics. So that's another thing. I think a
lot of people are not taking any consideration. You know,
they're gonna go to a good school with good academics,
and oh yeah, they want the opportunity for their son
to play for a winner.

Speaker 3 (29:34):
And what are the goals for parents wanting their kids
to do?

Speaker 2 (29:37):
What?

Speaker 3 (29:38):
Get a great education and win a championship?

Speaker 1 (29:40):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (29:40):
And uh, you know, great resources to help them get scholarship, yes,
and to make sure that they have a great support
system at school.

Speaker 1 (29:49):
Yes.

Speaker 2 (29:49):
Yeah. So I don't see anything wrong with that.

Speaker 1 (29:52):
I don't either, And I just think, Mazzanie, that's why
we've got to take a different look, you know, in
a different approach and how a different interpretation of how
we look at transfers. I agree, because it's not like school,
you know, a whatever school, this school, city school, whatever,
going out and trying to lure a young man to

(30:12):
come to school I don't think they have to do
that anymore.

Speaker 2 (30:14):
Well, I have a question.

Speaker 1 (30:16):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (30:17):
Firstly, I want to mention this though. At the comment,
Kelly Mitchell says L J. Thomas going to be special
for the Cats. So I believe he is a QB
that may be coming up. I cannot tell you a
grade he is in. Maybe Kelly can give me more
information in regarding that. But then Jerry Harrison also said
Ezra Harrison is going to be a rise in QB
this year, so I'm assuming that's his son. Have you

(30:38):
heard of Ezra Harrison? And Jerry? Where are you from?
What team? Are you ripping?

Speaker 1 (30:45):
Yeah?

Speaker 3 (30:45):
That did he mention he was a quarterback specifically?

Speaker 2 (30:48):
Are you just yes?

Speaker 1 (30:48):
Okay? Yeah?

Speaker 3 (30:50):
Help us out on that brother.

Speaker 2 (30:52):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (30:53):
By the way, Tanya Stewart friend Tanya, what's going on?
Heyfield go Cats? Do you know Tanya? She's a big
Cats fan.

Speaker 2 (31:02):
No, I don't think I know Tanya.

Speaker 1 (31:03):
Hey, Tanya, thanks so much for being a part of
the show. Great to see you, Tanya. We need to
get on the tent. I think Tanya's a tennis player,
So Tanya, when he get on the court sometime. Oh
I forgot, Oh.

Speaker 2 (31:14):
Yeah, oh, yeah, have you ever tried pickleball?

Speaker 1 (31:18):
No, I have not gone to the pickleball route yet.
In fact, I am swearing off pickleball. He's just I
don't know, pickleball has kind of become a fad and
you know, you don't even have to move when you
play pickleball.

Speaker 2 (31:33):
That's what I was going to start out with. Well,
I'm gonna I.

Speaker 3 (31:36):
Will say this in defense of pickleball.

Speaker 1 (31:37):
If you know, if it's something you want to learn,
just to you know, get your racket, you know, ball
coordination down. It's a good way to start. Yeah. Yeah,
And I don't want to diss on it a whole lot,
but it's got its place. No, Yeah, I'm I'm gonna
stick to the regular tennis.

Speaker 2 (31:50):
Okay, Yeah, all right.

Speaker 1 (31:54):
Luke Nelson's in the house. He is always fashionably late,
but he's here, big Beautford. What's going on?

Speaker 3 (32:01):
Brother?

Speaker 1 (32:02):
And by the way, I saw on Luke's Facebook page
earlier today, they're coming right along with the new stadium
at Beerford.

Speaker 3 (32:07):
Have you seen it?

Speaker 2 (32:08):
No, I have not seen it to check it out.
And I said the same thing last week and I
still haven't checked it out.

Speaker 1 (32:14):
Incredible.

Speaker 2 (32:15):
Yeah, I'm excited. You know when they have their opener.

Speaker 1 (32:17):
Yep, Milton, Milton and Beerford gonna go at it, which
again you know we've talked about it. That's gonna be
one of the great openers I think for the twenty
twenty five season, one of many, you know that we've
talked about.

Speaker 2 (32:28):
Yeah. But to my question earlier one that I have
for you, philm Yep, I was just wondering, like, do
you feel like the south south part of Georgia is
being left behind with this transfer system. I don't want
necessarily say portal because it's not like exactly how college is, right,
but you know, I just feel like it's easier for

(32:49):
the northern part of Georgia to transfer and in the South,
which we've seen recently, it's harder for them to transfer
without issues of you know, being eligible or not.

Speaker 1 (33:00):
To answer your question, I think it's it's more prevalent
with the North or I'll say the North Georgia schools,
we'll call it that. But I think it's only because
of the density and the population. Your schools are so
close together up in the north part of the state,
you know, and I know a lot of the transfers

(33:20):
I've heard about like we just talked about Darnie Old
Kelly going from Peachtree Ridge over to Langston Hughes. You know,
it's easier for you know, both for parents to move
and move, right, that's right. Gotta make that bona fide move.
And what does that entail. You know, you've got to
make your whole family. You got to move your whole family.

(33:42):
But parents can do that and keep their job in
Metro Atlanta because chances are you're you're you're having to
you know, make a significant drive the same commute, that's right.

Speaker 3 (33:53):
So so so.

Speaker 1 (33:56):
It makes it easier to transfer if your kid wants
to transfer.

Speaker 3 (34:00):
Whereas in South Georgia.

Speaker 1 (34:02):
You know, let's say, if you've got a job here
in Valdosta and your child wanted to, I don't know,
just go to say Thomasville. Yeah, I'm just using it
as an example. I have no idea, you know, if
anybody's looking to that. But what's the chance that you know, a,
you're going to be able to get a job in
Thomasville and it be in the same field, and if not,
you got to drive back and forth. It's not a

(34:22):
bad drive, but you don't have you know, the easy
act says like you do in Atlanta with all the
major highways eighty five, four hundred seventy five and go
on and on. So that's just a lot of advantages. Yeah,
for transfers to happen more often and more frequently and
easier in the north part of the state. Yeah, So
to answer your question, I do think the southern part

(34:43):
of the state is getting left behind for those reasons
I mentioned.

Speaker 2 (34:46):
Okay, and do you feel like it's kind of by
your answer, it kind of sounds like it's kind of
hard to get around those things, you know.

Speaker 3 (34:54):
Yeah, I would agree with that.

Speaker 1 (34:56):
Let me read off some of the comments that are
coming in over now. Farley is asking when are the
helmets going to return to the ITG next stage. Well,
we got two of them up here over I but
with our new setup, we just don't have enough runs.

Speaker 2 (35:10):
No, we don't, and we try to change them out
every week, you know, and especially like when football season
comes right comes back around the game of the week,
we'll have those helmets hopefully, hopefully we'll have both teams right.

Speaker 1 (35:20):
There, you get.

Speaker 3 (35:21):
That's exactly what we're gonna do for sure.

Speaker 1 (35:23):
Kelly Mitchell, Good afternoon, Brooks County checking in. You both
do a terrific job. Go Trojan's Kelly, thanks for the
We always love to get a good pad on the bat.

Speaker 3 (35:32):
Everybody likes to paddle.

Speaker 1 (35:33):
On the bat.

Speaker 2 (35:35):
Let's see Kelly Mitchell, she answered our question about LJ. Thomas.
I believe she says. If I'm not mistaken, I think
he'll will be a freshman. He has great accuracy and size.

Speaker 3 (35:47):
And that's Valdosta right.

Speaker 2 (35:48):
What's his name again, LJ. Thomas?

Speaker 3 (35:51):
Gotta write that down.

Speaker 2 (35:52):
Go back up to make sure I have his last
name correct.

Speaker 1 (35:54):
While you're doing that. Kelly Fountain checking in from Rome, Georgia.
Great show watching from Rome, Georgia. Kelly, what's going on?
And what's up with Reese's Fountain? Reecee Fountain former quarterback
for the Rome Wolves. Oh wow, Yeah, Rome, by the way,
is the team I've heard too to look out for
this year.

Speaker 2 (36:13):
Okay, okay, kind of like a dark horse.

Speaker 1 (36:15):
Maybe, you know, but I wouldn't really come a dark
horse because you know, they've been knocking on the door.
In fact, Mazani, you know that was the other thing
I was going to talk about. You know, I talked
about our three top storylines, I mentioned earlier, you know,
kind of this being the year of who are gonna
be the playmakers?

Speaker 3 (36:32):
Who are gonna be the quarterbacks that are rising up
this year?

Speaker 1 (36:35):
One another one is these teams that have been knocking
on the door, not necessarily dark horses, but teams that
have been contenders, but they're just coming up a little short. Beauford, Yeah,
is in that mix? Rome is in that mix? Who
else is in that mix? Oh well, Carrollton, gains Ca, Yeah,

(37:01):
all of them, all those things they're keep knocking on
the door. They've got talent, they've got the facilities, they've
got the coaches that they seemingly have got everything you need, right, Yeah,
but they just can't break through.

Speaker 3 (37:13):
But will they be able to break through this year?

Speaker 2 (37:17):
That's a tough call, it is, It honestly is. And
I'm so excited to see how the season plays out.
Made so much talent across the board, it's ridiculous.

Speaker 1 (37:26):
Jerry Harrison, Ezra Harrison, it's going to be a rising
quarterback this year? Now, Jerry? Is Ezra any kin to you?

Speaker 2 (37:34):
Yeah? Yeah? I was like, I assume that's his father,
And I didn't know what school they were from, what
school are they. Where's Ezra from?

Speaker 1 (37:41):
Yeah, Jerry tell us what school it is. Brother.

Speaker 2 (37:44):
Stephen k Wenna says the remote working industries make it
easier for families to relocate, enabling more transfer opportunities. That
is true, but I know that some businesses are moving
back to an office.

Speaker 1 (37:56):
Good observation there.

Speaker 2 (37:58):
Yeah, it kind of makes it's difficulty and it's not
so easy finding remote jobs all the time.

Speaker 1 (38:04):
It's really not. Yeah, that's that's that's that's Uh, it's doable,
but like you said, it's kind of going against the trend, yeah,
where a lot of employers are asking their employees to
come back in.

Speaker 2 (38:14):
Yes.

Speaker 1 (38:16):
Shay King representing Packernation checking in, Go pack Go Golden Herd.
By the way, our very own Mark Dykes was at
Colwood County Interview in Seawn Calhoun today.

Speaker 2 (38:28):
Ohn.

Speaker 1 (38:29):
Yep, yep, Wow, yep.

Speaker 2 (38:31):
Absolutely, I'm pretty sure that's a great interview.

Speaker 1 (38:34):
Oh.

Speaker 2 (38:35):
Yeah, is a great coach.

Speaker 3 (38:36):
He is a great guy.

Speaker 1 (38:38):
He's a great guy. And we all say we're there
getting a little bit highlights from the Packers spring practice today.

Speaker 2 (38:43):
Great. You know I was we we did a shootout
there last year. Yeah, and I got a chance to
look at their indoor facility, and it was just amazing.
You know, he's doing great things with that program.

Speaker 1 (38:53):
Absolutely, he really is. And that's a MAAZONI that's another
program not on the door.

Speaker 2 (39:01):
Yeah you know what I mean, Yeah, for sure.

Speaker 1 (39:04):
So we've got several here knocking on the door programs
that are trying to get there, trying to get there
and just can't quite get through. You know, Couquit, I
guess what a couple of years ago, like they had
Milton on the ropes, they were going to break through.

Speaker 3 (39:19):
That was Milton's first state championship.

Speaker 1 (39:21):
But you know, Cauquit really having a tough time getting
back there, as so many South Georgia teams are trying
to get back to a state child.

Speaker 2 (39:28):
Was that this past season?

Speaker 1 (39:31):
No?

Speaker 2 (39:32):
No, all to this past season. I can't remember what
I said, who do they fall past? Fall from this
past season? Like what game did they lose? I forgot
who their opponent was talking about? Who know Coquit County?

Speaker 1 (39:45):
Oh, well they finished. I think they finished like nine
and three or something. But you know, again they've and listen,
last year they really weren't that close. I would say
last year it was kind of a rebuilding season. But
you know, you go back a couple years again when
they played Milton and I think that was the semi quarterfinals,

(40:06):
and you know last year they got put out by
Colin sil in the playoffs. Okay, yeah, but again I
don't think he might was expecting a whole lot from
the Packers last year. But they got another young and
upcoming quarterback. He was a freshman last year, he'll be
a sophomore this year. So there's so many of these
interesting storylines, you know that we can just talk about that,
we can just keep going. But yeah, we were talking

(40:29):
about three storylines for the twenty twenty five season. I
asked you, guys, what is one? Me and Mazzangnie, we're
going to talk about ours. I've given you a couple
of mind. Do you have any a storyline for two
twenty five season that you think that it's something that
fans should look for this year?

Speaker 2 (40:45):
Yeah? I know, Well, let me take a look. I
know you had we were talking about this a little
bit earlier before the show, about you know, Fitzgerald's new
head coach and the possibility of who that would be
a Hi.

Speaker 1 (40:59):
Yeah, yes, so why don't we talk about that?

Speaker 2 (41:02):
Yeah, you want to share your thoughts on We've been
hearing the name floating right in the air.

Speaker 3 (41:08):
Let's talk about it, guys.

Speaker 1 (41:09):
Let's just go ahead and the h whether they say,
address the three hundred pound elephant in the room.

Speaker 2 (41:13):
Yes, exactly, all right.

Speaker 1 (41:15):
So I have been hearing the name Mary's Freeman thrown
out there as possible a replacement for the gentleman that
we had on last week with us Tucker brewittt somebody
saying something.

Speaker 2 (41:30):
Yes, Mark Arey as Wendy says, I would be coaching
the fiz Der Purple Hurricanes. What an honor to go
back and coach my alma mater, Cocaines.

Speaker 1 (41:41):
I love it. I love it. Yeah, see that now.
So Mary's Freeman is the hot name. He's the hot
take right now. Yeah, Mary's Freeman, we remember led Bruce
County to a state championship.

Speaker 2 (41:55):
Amazing, it was amazing.

Speaker 1 (41:56):
And then he takes off to Alabama to the surprise
of every body. And so he apparently and you our
rumors are well, he was spotted in Fitzgerald, you know.
So I reached out to him today. I said, look,
we love to have you on the show, love to
talk to you. Get your thoughts, and I said, yeah,
I understand that you've been seen in Fitzgerald recently, and

(42:19):
he's basically sent me a meme of like a scared
I don't know what you said. What do you think
that meme is? Like a picture of a scary Uh?

Speaker 2 (42:26):
Yeah, I'm like, which one is that one? Is?

Speaker 1 (42:28):
That?

Speaker 2 (42:28):
Is that Jason or Michael Myers?

Speaker 1 (42:31):
That's a good question. I think it's Michael Myers.

Speaker 2 (42:33):
I was never too fond of those movies.

Speaker 1 (42:35):
I don't like them.

Speaker 3 (42:36):
I don't like scary movies.

Speaker 2 (42:37):
But basically so everybody in the bushes.

Speaker 1 (42:39):
I don't know if you Yeah, it's probably hard to
pick that up, but it's it's a picture of Mike Myers,
not the comedian, not a comedian, but the guy with
the hockey mask. Yeah, yeah, who came out of what camp?
Crystal Lake and you know, y'all know the movie I'm
talking about with a Friday the thirteen. So anyway, that's

(43:00):
what Coach Freeman sent me. I said when I said, hey,
you've been seeing in Fitzgerald and he just said L
O L and so we'll say, yeah, he didn't deny it,
that's for sure, though, mazag he didn't say no, I
wasn't interested.

Speaker 2 (43:14):
Maybe he's king around, so that is.

Speaker 1 (43:16):
Yet, that's the big name that we're hearing is Maurice Freeman.
Possibly allegedly.

Speaker 2 (43:23):
That was Jason. Me and Field don't watch scary movies. Okay,
I don't like them, so we don't know. But yeah,
that was Jason.

Speaker 1 (43:31):
Yeah, yeah, I don't. I don't like scary movies at
all either, have no enjoyment.

Speaker 2 (43:36):
But yeah, I don't coach Friedman come back to Georgia,
come back to Georgia.

Speaker 1 (43:40):
You know, he's the predominant name I'm hearing, And I'll
be honest with you, I haven't really heard a whole
lot about that job. Right now. If I was a
betting man, which I'm not, I'm gonna put my bet
on Maurice Freeman coming back.

Speaker 2 (43:57):
Okay, Okay, I haven't heard any other names. I know
a lot of people have been talking about in the
Facebook Facebook groups and chats. Who do you guys think
is up for the running for the new Fitzgerald head
coach position? Do y'all think people are scared to take that?

Speaker 1 (44:15):
Well, that's a good question, and I know you say
it kind of jokingly. Yeah, I can't see it on
your face, But really, why would you want to follow
up behind Tucker prew It.

Speaker 3 (44:25):
Yeah, that's big shoes to feel.

Speaker 2 (44:27):
That's true. That's true.

Speaker 1 (44:29):
I mean, yeah, I wouldn't want it because again, you're
coming in and that that's one of the things. You
know what I want to talk I'll ask you about.
You're coming in behind Tucker Prewitt.

Speaker 2 (44:39):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (44:40):
Look, he didn't leave Fitzgerald because he was run out
of town, no farther from the truth. In fact, I
can I can tell you people are not happy that
he left.

Speaker 2 (44:51):
Yeah, I know for sure.

Speaker 1 (44:52):
There's some people asking why would you leave Fitzgerald, And
there's been some things there. Really has nothing to do
with wins and losses because he's going from one successful
program in Fitzgerald to another.

Speaker 2 (45:03):
That's true.

Speaker 1 (45:04):
Yah. You say what you want to about Jordan Mullis
this or that, but the guy came in and led
Applin County to a couple three four solid seasons, semifinals, quarterfinals,
region championships. So that's the thing thing about it. Whoever's
replacing Tucker Pruitt got big shoes to feel, and Tucker

(45:26):
Prude himself is gonna have big shoes to feel.

Speaker 2 (45:29):
That is so true. And the question that I have
for you and even to you know, our audience, is
do you think Fitzgerald is looking for, you know, like
a Mari's freeman, a coach, a head coach that has
experience already you know, that has a great resume, or
do you think they might be willing to take a
chance on like assistant coach that has also has a

(45:51):
great resume, has some great records, but they've never fulfilled
a head coach position before.

Speaker 3 (45:56):
That's a good question, very good question. You're full of
good questions.

Speaker 2 (46:00):
Thank you.

Speaker 1 (46:02):
In my opinion, Mazani, yeah, I think it would be good.
I think Fitzgerald wants an approving coach. Okay, I don't
think they want to experiment. I just don't think they're
in a position to say, yeah, we'll take this assistant
from high school X and let's give him a chance,
see what he can do. I just don't think they're
they don't have to do that.

Speaker 2 (46:21):
Yeah, you know what I mean, I stay on the
safe side. Yeah, And I asked that because I've seen
a lot of coaches who are in getting head coaching
positions at you know, smaller counties, or different schools, and
they've never been a head coach before, that's right. Yeah,
So I mean kudos of them. You know, they're they're
spanning their career and you know, improving their resume and

(46:43):
get in the you know, fill of that leadership role.
So I just wanted to see your you know, get
your take on Fitzgerald.

Speaker 1 (46:49):
Yeah. And look, I just again because Fitzgerald is another
one of those teams that are kind of knocking on
the door. You know. It kind of seems to be
the theme of the show, right, these teams that are
getting so close, so close, so close, which you know,
Tucker had had him so close in his eight years there.
I just think that they're not wanting to start it over,

(47:09):
reinvent the wheel, so to speak. Yeah, They're wanting somebody
that's proven, a proven winner Maurice Freeman is who can
come in and just keep that program on the way up.

Speaker 2 (47:20):
Yeah. I agree, Yeah, I agree, And I.

Speaker 1 (47:22):
Think fashgeriald is a unique situation in that you know
they can do that.

Speaker 2 (47:25):
Yeah, they are, they are. We were talking about different
coaches earlier. A lot of the new coaching changes that
we have this season. I just want to know, like
how do you think all of that will play out
in the spring some of these spring games, right, do
you think there will be one team that was that
will seem pretty whole, you know, as far as putting

(47:50):
as far as the coach is putting the pieces together?

Speaker 1 (47:52):
Now? What? No, no, what are you?

Speaker 3 (47:54):
What are you talking about?

Speaker 1 (47:54):
Exactly?

Speaker 2 (47:55):
Now? First for the spring game? Uh huh, the results
of those games, you know, which which, which team do
you think will be the most put together team? I
mean it may be too early, but you know spring
let's say.

Speaker 1 (48:08):
Yeah, Well, the thing is the tough thing about spring
is you only have ten practices, you know, to really
prove what you can do.

Speaker 3 (48:18):
And you know, coaches have.

Speaker 1 (48:19):
Said there are some coaches, several coaches that have said, hey,
we're not even gonna.

Speaker 2 (48:22):
Have a spring point I know that of last week.

Speaker 1 (48:25):
Yeah, So to me to answer your question, I just
don't think the spring practices are that impactful.

Speaker 3 (48:31):
To really be able to tell one way or the other.

Speaker 2 (48:34):
Got you.

Speaker 3 (48:34):
Yeah, that's just my that's just my take on it.

Speaker 1 (48:37):
There are some interesting comments coming in about our conversation
about Fitzgerald's new coach and who it might be. So
Brian Bird reminds us that Tucker Prewett was an assistant
before coming to Fitzgerald. Now he was an assistant, but
now Tucker was a very successful assistant who was aligned

(49:02):
with like the state championship, and you mentioned this last week,
the state championship at Valdosta.

Speaker 2 (49:10):
Yeah, that's a great resume. He was already you know,
you know how a state championship feels absolutely.

Speaker 1 (49:16):
Now Yeah, well, you know, Tate Rodermaker was the head coach,
and you know you mentioned last week, I think it
was that you know that coach Prewitt was really kind
of the offensive mind behind that offense at Valdosta win
in that state championship.

Speaker 2 (49:30):
Yeah, you're right about that. You know, Rodermaker took over
a great team and of course had great help from
those assistant coaches.

Speaker 1 (49:36):
Yes, yes, and sometimes and again this is just to
kind of, you know, address what Brian is saying that, yes,
Tucker was an assistant, but I think he was in
the upper echelon. I mean, he was considered to be
you know, you could see the head coaching material in him. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (49:52):
So and that's another thing like I've never really thought
about this, and I would love to hear y'all's opinion
went for a head coach. Right, If you're looking for
a head coach, do you want a head coach that
has more of an offensive mine or an offensive pass
or more of a defensive pass.

Speaker 1 (50:10):
I think it really depends on, you know, the style
of your of your team. You know, and again we'll
kind of stick on Tucker. Stay on Tucker right now.
You know, he goes to Fitzgerald and he becomes known
as the coach that runs the wing tea. Yeah, well
he didn't run that of Valdosta. He didn't run it
at Lowndess either. We gotta remember he was at Lowndes

(50:31):
as well. So I think he is. And this is
probably one of the reasons that he was considered as
a head coach at Fitzgerald, because he proved that he
could take whatever personnel he was given and make it work.
So I think it really depends on to answer your question,
what is that program that team? What is their personality?
You know? Do they have the team with a bunch

(50:53):
of big linemen and strong rushing attack, which that could
even change from year to year, but usually you'll see
your program have that identity no matter who the coaches
are do that makes sense?

Speaker 2 (51:05):
Yes, I get it, I get it, but you know,
you you it's important to have a coach that can
have that duality and no question, you know, be able
to adapt.

Speaker 1 (51:14):
Yes, and I think that's that's definitely what's important. Terrence
King also says Mazzani, the two previous head coaches before
Tucker left Fitzgerald of championships. The next one will do
the same.

Speaker 2 (51:27):
Okay, how about that?

Speaker 1 (51:28):
Okay, Terrence King seems to have a lot of information
on Fitzgerald. So what does Terrence say? I want to
I want to know what Terrence has to say about
fishing the new coach at Fitzgerald.

Speaker 2 (51:37):
Maybe he has the inside scoop maybe so, yeah, he
seems pretty close.

Speaker 1 (51:42):
Stephen Tate checking in. Stephen Tate is my brother from
Coffee County. Stephen Tate is Coffee County Trojans finally got
him a state championship year before last.

Speaker 2 (51:55):
Did you already read Roster Sutherland's comment? He says, Hello
from Marietta. We have our spring scrimmage next Thursday at
Northcote Stadium.

Speaker 1 (52:03):
Oh I missed that. Thank you for checking for picking
up on that. Yeah, I love Roster Sutherland and you
know they are one Massigonni of several schools who have
got a new coach. And that's another on my list
top three stories, you know, yeah, number three. Yeah, number

(52:25):
three was it's gonna be interested in taking a look
and keeping.

Speaker 3 (52:29):
Up with, you know, the new head coaches.

Speaker 1 (52:31):
Which ones are going to be able to take their
team to the next level. So you've got.

Speaker 2 (52:38):
Boom yes, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's again.

Speaker 1 (52:42):
I was just in there trying to figure out which
one I was gonna.

Speaker 2 (52:44):
Talk about first.

Speaker 1 (52:45):
Yeah, Boone Williams, Daniel Boone Williams. Yes, going from Hughes
to north Side, Yeah, north Side, and we're talked about
andreko Hines. You know, he's the new coach, the former
offensive coording. Now he's a new coach at Hughes, his
old school.

Speaker 2 (53:04):
Wow.

Speaker 1 (53:06):
Now this isn't a new coach this year, but I
think Jeff Littleton and tiff County is gonna be one
to watch. It's only a second year, but I think
he is the guy that's really got a chance to
make an impact.

Speaker 2 (53:19):
And I think that's fair, you know, giving coaches time
to make that impact. You know, I think we talked
about this in an earlier episode. This season about you know,
how long do people give coaches, you know, to come
in and be able to transform the program if need be,
or just to really see some you know, improvement. Do

(53:40):
people give coaches long enough? You know, I don't. I
think some people expect they're not gonna say everybody, but
it'spect change a lot of change in one season, and
that's kind of hard to do.

Speaker 1 (53:50):
Yeah, it really is. Yeah, And you know, as we
look at all of our state champions from last year,
you know, again wondering if these these teams are going
to repeat. You know, we talked little bit about it
last week. You know, we both agree that Grayson is
a team to watch. Milton North of Coney we don't
talk a lot about them. In four A. They bring
back everybody. When I say everybody, I mean everybody. I

(54:12):
think I counted nine seniors gosh that graduated, and I
don't even know how many, if any of those started.
So North of Coney four A lookout they're gonna be.
And again I think this is one of the overriding
themes this year Toombs County.

Speaker 2 (54:31):
Yeah, Northfolk they won.

Speaker 1 (54:33):
Yeah they want hip Yeah four A uh huh. Absolutely,
you know you got Toombs County. I talked with coach Smothers.
He and I exchanged some texts, by the way, my
first time talking to him, and look forward to talking
about Toombs County and everything that they've got going on.
But I think they've got an excellent chance to repeat
as as they have got deficuit here. Somebody call folks

(54:56):
to attention in here. It got quite all of a sudden.
I think Toombs County, though, it has got an excellent chance.
He got a lot of playmakers coming back Tooms County
defeating Northeast Making in the state championship game last year.
They're a team to watch, the Red Devils AID Division
two A D two, the Bowden Red Devils because Rich

(55:17):
Finley had a chance to chat with him yesterday. Uh.
And I'm putting all this together in the story. By
the way, these teams that I think you've got a
great chance just about all of them.

Speaker 2 (55:26):
Yeah, they really do, all of them. I know somebody
mentioned here Oscar Miles. He says, Carvick Columbus. As I
speak Jabourrie, that's week fourteenth. What's the boat's supposed to
be at Georgia State. But I think they've changed locations
to New Manchester High School. And I don't think New
Manchester High School has been around that long.

Speaker 1 (55:44):
Has it?

Speaker 2 (55:44):
Has it?

Speaker 1 (55:46):
No? I think they were a fairly new school. Uh,
you know, I don't know a lot about them.

Speaker 2 (55:52):
Yeah, I me either.

Speaker 3 (55:53):
I'm a little bit now I'm kind.

Speaker 1 (55:56):
Of curious Oscar Miles. By the way, Oscar helped me
a good bit with some information on Carver him and
DeShawn Suggs did, and I appreciate that. So I thought
Thomas County, Central Gainesville and North Qinet, we're also all
supposed to have their spring Jebguree at Georgia State.

Speaker 2 (56:15):
Yeah, but then it got counseled, right, Yes, I believe so. Yeah,
that's what they said last week.

Speaker 1 (56:21):
So hm, so would they cancel one yet?

Speaker 2 (56:26):
Host another ye said maybe they just changed locations to
New Manchester. Do you think everybody's gonna be competing at
New Manchester now?

Speaker 1 (56:34):
Sounds like it, certainly sounds like it. Look at this
Michael Latta, Hey Phil, I'm checking in from Hawaii. Yeah,
that's about as far as you can go without leaving
the United States of America, right, Michael, what are you doing?
By the way, in Hawaii? Hawaii, the Big Island, the

(56:56):
Big Kohonah.

Speaker 2 (56:57):
I would love to be on an island right now.

Speaker 3 (56:59):
Don't you know it, visiting or living there.

Speaker 2 (57:04):
Honestly, I would live there for about a year or two.

Speaker 3 (57:07):
Why only a year or two, because.

Speaker 2 (57:09):
I you know, I don't want to settle down in
one place permanently. I'm not gonna say ever, but just
to experience out of life. For sometimes I feel like
you need more than two weeks, you know, to really
get the vibe and the culture of a place. And
you know, if you could find a job there, why
not chill there for about a year or two. Yeah,
you know, you'd be like, Hey, I lived in Hawaii
for two years.

Speaker 1 (57:29):
That would be cool. And that's my climate. I love
warm weather, hot weather. You know, I love the sun
as much as I can get.

Speaker 2 (57:38):
I just love you water.

Speaker 1 (57:40):
Oh that too, Yeah, that too, love it. Okay, Michael says,
I'm on vacation, sir, I hear your brother. I kind
of figure that, but glad to hear that.

Speaker 2 (57:49):
So let's see. Yeah, Oscar Miles said, for some reason,
Georgia State keep canceling jamboree since last year. Maybe scheduling.

Speaker 1 (57:57):
Yeah, it's kind of odd, and you know, I think
it's a tribute to what del McGee is doing. Speaking
of Carver, del McGee the great coach, well known for
his job he did there at Carver. There's a lot
of history at Carver, but you got to go back
a little ways. But obviously coach Pierre Coffee is now
trying to bring that back. Yeah, for sure, they're at Carver,

(58:17):
but del McGee now at Georgia State, so looking to
do some big things there. Zoe Hill says Big Crisp
will be a team to watch this year. Again. We
were there last Friday, a new head coach, Justin Newman,
coming over from Carver.

Speaker 3 (58:35):
You know, you asked a question about teams.

Speaker 1 (58:37):
You know, are they going to like try to you know,
concentrate more on the offense or defense. Yeah, So I'll
take Justin Newman at Chris for an example.

Speaker 3 (58:47):
There's no doubt he's going to try.

Speaker 1 (58:49):
To put a defensive minded team together at Chris.

Speaker 2 (58:53):
For sure. He does have that background percent.

Speaker 3 (58:55):
Yeah, you know, and I asked him.

Speaker 1 (58:56):
He said, look, I'm gonna try to do the same
thing we did here at Carver. You know, as they say,
defense wins championships.

Speaker 2 (59:02):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (59:02):
They did that at Carver and now he's gonna try
to do the same thing at Chris. You know Shelton Felton,
who is the Valdosta City football coach, came from Chris. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (59:12):
Yeah, I can't remember if that's his hometown.

Speaker 1 (59:17):
I think it is. Yeah, I think it is.

Speaker 3 (59:19):
I'm pretty sure it is.

Speaker 2 (59:20):
Yeah, I think so too. So yeah, it's interesting. It's
gonna be interesting to see what coach Newman does there.
It is at Chris County. You know, was that area
they were struggling in defensively, Yes, yeah, So he's probably
gonna put those pieces right together and make it fit.

(59:41):
And I see him turning around. Uh you know the
season for this year, I did two.

Speaker 1 (59:45):
They got at They got a returning quarterback is Slimp
is his last name. His dad coach is there and
he's a lefty. Had a chance to loo get a
little bit in practice. Yeah, it's uh. He's good looking,
a good looking kid. Gillen quarterback. So you know what
I like to say about teams and quarterbacks, right, Yeah,
I know you go as far as your quarterback will
take you.

Speaker 2 (01:00:05):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:00:06):
You are kind of like you are what you eat. Well,
you are as your quarterback goes. I'm a big believer
in that got a good quarterback that gives you a
chance to go far?

Speaker 2 (01:00:15):
Yeah, for sure, for sure.

Speaker 1 (01:00:18):
So what do you guys think about the Fitzgerald job? Again,
we're talking about Fitzgerald. Maurice Freeman is the name that
we keep hearing. I tried to reach out to coach
Freeman earlier today. Toy Wibby a little bit sent me
the picture of Jason and the hockey mask are Michael Myers? Whicheveryone?
It was?

Speaker 2 (01:00:36):
It was Jason, But you I see a little bit
of pro sprinkled in the comments. But we all know
that that's not gonna happen.

Speaker 3 (01:00:44):
Now and now Approach ain't coming back.

Speaker 1 (01:00:46):
But how about a hey, listen, how about a program, yeah,
that you have rumored to be taking over your program?
Two coaches like Maurice Freeman and Rush Proach.

Speaker 2 (01:00:55):
Yeah, I mean that's I think that speaks highly of
your program one hundred percent and the caliber of coaches
that you're looking.

Speaker 3 (01:01:00):
For, Yes, one hundred percent.

Speaker 1 (01:01:02):
So we're gonna try to keep your posting on that
where it's going. If anybody out there has got the scoop,
you know, listen, I had heard that Maurice was lurking around.

Speaker 3 (01:01:15):
Over there with those wild chickens.

Speaker 2 (01:01:17):
Yeah, and of course you know you got to stay
tuned to IgG because we have the latest school club
as an amizzion drive. Was good at the news to
you guys first, and also make sure you subscribe to
the newsletter. He's creating stories all the time giving you
the latest news of Georgia high school football. So yeah,
what are you doing if you're not subscribing to the newsletter.

Speaker 3 (01:01:36):
Thank you for that.

Speaker 1 (01:01:37):
As we get ready to wind things down already an
hour is in the books here, guys, thanks so much
for being a part of the show. I'd be remiss,
by the way, if I didn't acknowledge the fact that
we are here at Big Knicks here in Valdosta, Big
Knick's juke Joint and barbecue restaurant.

Speaker 3 (01:01:54):
Great food here.

Speaker 1 (01:01:56):
We're gonna get ready to chill down once we finished
the show here, big thanks to Big Nick for feeding
us here. We appreciate that. And uh, listen, there's a
group here. Looks like they have brought their meeting whatever function.
They have a YouTube and reserve. They had a nice
reading meeting room here that you guys if you're looking
forward to doing that, and they've got a group meeting

(01:02:17):
coming up. And of course if you just want to
come out and get some great food, they've got it
here at Big Knicks. We are live here every Tuesday
from six thirty to seven thirty. But come in and
check out their Sunday brunch. Yeah, by the way, you did.

Speaker 2 (01:02:30):
I did, and it was amazing. I had prime rib
at the brunch. Who who do you know is serving
prime rib at brunch? Right? And then he also has
amazing events going on like almost every single night. Wednesday
is pretty big here. They have karaoke nights, so swing
by a big mix, especially on a Tuesday, so you

(01:02:51):
can come see us and chat with us live. I'm
about Georgia High school football before and before.

Speaker 1 (01:02:57):
We get out of here. Now, Larry, we got to
answer this one. Larry Pope wants to know y'all looking
forward to who winning Region one six A m. You know,
I'll say this, It was up in the air last year. Yeah,
Calkwood wound up winning it.

Speaker 2 (01:03:14):
I know, right, Uh, congratulations to Cockway yep.

Speaker 1 (01:03:17):
Absolutely, But you know what, Larry, I really think it's
up in the air. Again this year. I think Colk's
gonna be in the running, Valdosta is going to be
in the running. Camben County they're going to be back. Yeah,
you know they they uh you know that loss they
had to fish Or to Valdosta first region game of
the year really set them back.

Speaker 3 (01:03:38):
It was a bad loss.

Speaker 1 (01:03:39):
But Lownds is going to be better, Tiff County is
gonna be better.

Speaker 2 (01:03:44):
Yeah, you know, honestly, Richmond Hill is gonna be good.
You keep you keep naming them and naming them, and
it really is gonna be tough. But like I said recently,
I really do believe Tiff County has a great chance
of knocking some by.

Speaker 1 (01:04:01):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:04:02):
So we're gonna see what happens there. Tiff County may
have a chance at knocking somebody off for that region,
that region champ spot.

Speaker 1 (01:04:11):
So Michael Lott is just rubbing it in. He's in
Hawaii and he says Phil headed to MAUI. Now I'm
waving ykiki. I don't even know what that means.

Speaker 2 (01:04:24):
Oh my gosh.

Speaker 1 (01:04:26):
All right, So again, guys, I also want to thank
doctor Kevin Collins of the Houston Clinic and our buddy
Dorrier Delote she had Pepsi Cola Pepsi and doctor Kevin
Collins are the sponsors of the show Extra Point with
Phil Jones, so we appreciate their support, and we appreciate
Big Knicks.

Speaker 3 (01:04:45):
For hosting us every Tuesday night. Are you the final word?

Speaker 1 (01:04:48):
What you got? Yeah?

Speaker 2 (01:04:49):
So you know, we're just excited about Georgia high school football,
of course, and you know, come support us here at
Big Mix our new location. Can't wait till actual football
season start, but for now we'll just have to be
satisfied with these spring games. And then if you're still
not satisfied with that and you can't wait any longer,
please go ahead and subscribe to the newsletters. Phil has

(01:05:10):
some great stories and some content that will hold you over.
Thank you, chev no problem. Check out our Facebook, YouTube, Instagram,
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until a football season gets us.

Speaker 3 (01:05:26):
You know, through, and be sure to like and share
the show our stories.

Speaker 1 (01:05:31):
Guys, Let's get as many fans, players, coaches and men involved,
because Georgia, our high school sports is all we do.
It is our business. It is our love, so join
us for the ride. Guys, I think you'll love it
all right. For Mazzoni, Matthews, I'm Phil jones On behalf
of all of you checking out the show. Thank you
so much for being a part of the show. We

(01:05:52):
had another great turnout tonight online. Thank you guys so much.
Be sure to join us next Tuesday as we come
to you live here from Big News in Valdosta. Until then,
have a great week, everybody.