Seventh-ranked unbeaten Ware County leaves the friendly confines of Memorial Stadium for a date in Bainbridge Friday night against a muchimproved winless Bearcat squad playing its first home game.
The Gators are 2-0 for the fifth time in head coach Jason Strickland’s seven years at the helm following a 55-7 home win over then Class AA sixth ranked Appling County followed by a 24-14 home win over then Class 5A eighth-ranked Coffee.
The Pirates were bounced from the Top 10 poll the followi n g week while the Trojans fell two spots to No. 10 in the latest Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll.
Now comes a team that is struggling to find its identity.
“I was just having a conversation with our coaching staff guarding against an emotional letdown,” Strickland said during Sunday’s interview. “The problem is Bainbridge can beat you. Can we get the energy back up this week to go on the road and play in a place that has been very, very difficult for us to win the last few times we’ve gone over there?
“We put so much into last Friday (vs. Coffee). It’s one of the things that number one as coaches, we’ve got to control. We can’t put that on players. We’ve got to create a sense of urgency with our guys and make sure they understand there’s a standard that we want to play to every Friday.
“We (coaches) felt we took a big step from the scrimmage (at Brunswick) to Appling in getting better. And then from Appling to to last week against Coffee we felt like we took some steps to get better. Now, from Coffee to Bainbridge there’s still steps we need to take, and that’s got to be our focus on our energy this week.”
After two straight victories over ranked foes, the Gators face a Bainbridge team that has lost 11 of 12 games under secondyear head coach Jay Walls. It’s the 24th meeting between the two programs with Ware County leading the series 14-9 following last year’s 49-7 whipping, the 10th win in the last 11 meetings.
The lone loss came in the Gators’ last trip to Bainbridge in 2023 and after a 31-24 setback to Class 4A top-ranked Benedictine in a matchup of No. 1 teams. The Class 4A fifth-ranked Bearcats upset the Class 5A topranked Gators 35-21 handing Strickland his first two-game losing streak at Ware County.
“They (Bearcats) look like they’re bigger than than what they have been the last couple of years, especially on the line of scrimmage,” said Strickland. “I would say they are much improved over what they were last year. A transition year like Bainbridge went through last season is tough.
“This is really considered the first real year. You look at them and you can kind of tell they’re much further along where he’s (Walls) probably wanting to be at this point. It’s going to be another big, physical style of play offensively.
“Coach Walls has a track record. Everybody knows he’s going to get the program turned back around.”
As they did a season ago, the Bearcats have fallen to Coffee (28-14) and Cook (20-6) for a second straight 0-2 start for the first time since the 1996 and 1997 seasons. The Trojans were ranked eighth while the Hornets make their debut this week at No. 10 in Class AA.
Offensively, Bainbridge enters averaging 174 yards with 97 on the ground and 87 through the air. Senior quarterback Brooks Hines has taken over the control of the offense after the graduation of Camryn Scott.
Hines has struggled in the passing department completing just 15-of-50 passes (30 percent) for 174 yards with two scoring tosses and an interception.
The running game is being led by freshman Xzabion Jackson (5-foot-6, 140 lbs.) who has a team-high 122 yards on 34 carries (3.6 yards per carry). Junior Vontrey Willingham is the leading receiver with nine receptions for 111 yards (12.3 average) and one score.
Sophomore Ajylan McNair and Jackson are tied for second with two catches each.
“They (Bearcats) want to run the football out of multiple tight end personnel,” Strickland said. “They have a lot of gap scheme with some RPO (Run/Pass option) stuff off of that.
“They create a style of play where you have to put enough bodies in the box to stop what they do in the run game. But, what that then creates is RPO opportunities.
“We have to disguise what we’re in and make sure we have enough bodies in the box to stop the run game. We have to win first down.”
Defensively, Bainbridge utilizes a four-man front. The unit has forced three turnovers in the first two games with an interception and two fumble recoveries.
“They’re (Bearcats) not exotic meaning they’re not going to give you a lot of looks and blitz packages,” said Strickland. “The biggest thing is how well they play with their hands on the defensive line. They just squeeze blocks really well and they pursue the football.
“They play with great leverage and great technique. They just don’t give up a bunch of easy stuff. They make you work for the yardage you’re going to get.”
Ware County will continue to count on the 1-2 punch of seniors Jamir Boyd and Tayshaun Franklin behind a veteran offensive line.
“‘Little’ and Tayshaun push each other ... they hold each other accountable,” Strickland said. “They trust the offensive line is going to go out and fight for them and create holes. I’m real proud of all the steps that that whole group has taken.”
