By RICK HEAD Publisher
Ware County head coach Jason Strickland said he felt different vibes when his squad gathered for summer workouts.
“This is a a really, really a close unit,” the seventhyear coach said of his sixth-ranked team about the 4-0 start heading into the first of two byes.
“They (players) are really supportive of each other and that closeness ... I don’t want to go back to last year,” said Strickland of a 2-2 start and 6-6 finish. “It’s something we’ve missed for two years.
“We had some things leak in after that 2022 (state championship) season. We (coaches) probably should have just shut it down from the very, very beginning. It just kind of turns your team a little bit.”
A veteran offensive line is opening holes for a powerful running game led by the 1-2 punch of seniors Jamir Boyd and Tayshaun Franklin. The line has given junior first-year starting quarterback Isaiah White ample time to deliver passes to a gifted group of receivers led by senior Ja’Mario Rice and junior Ja’Londi O’Hara.
“We’re going to focus more on the dropback passing game and expand from there this week,” Strickland said. “Defensively, we’ve done a really, really horrible job of tackling. This week is about us pitting our No. 1s against each other and trying to play fast. Those three things we’re really trying to hit.”
Unity, though, is what Strickland and his staff have noticed through Friday night’s 21-14 victory in Florida at Bartram Trail.
“I think the way they celebrate each other has been huge,” said Strickland. “We (coaches) look out there during a time out, or official time out, and the defense will be looking over towards our sideline. You’ll see several members of our offense going out to the defensive huddle praising those guys and encouraging them to keep fighting.
“On the other side of the ball those offensive linemen are a really, really close unit that supports each other. They understand the way we’re going to win is going to be different probably every Friday night. It’s going to be because of all three phases (offense, defense, special teams).
“When our special teams guys make a big play, you’ve got members of the defense running out on the field congratulating them. I mean, it’s just it’s a really, really close unit.”
Strickland points out the senior class has gone through its share of adversity after being thrust into the Friday night fire as sophomores.
“There was a ton of injuries in the senior class when they were freshmen,” Strickland said. “It was mainly to their skill players, touchdown makers, so they didn’t really have the season they wanted.
“Those offensive linemen got their noses bloodied and they were beat on during their sophomore season by some of the best defensive units in the state. Last year we were not a very close football team.
“We also had some injuries and guys missed playing time. We got back in January and this group of seniors, along with guys like Isaiah White and Gunter Forte, have demanded they play together, support each other and be accountable. That’s what you are seeing this year.”
Strickland pointed to the road win at Bartram Trail as evidence of team unity. The defensive unit supported a struggling offense until it found a rhythm.
“We were struggling offensively when Isaiah put us on his back,” Strickland said. “The defense kept us in the game and supported the offense and then it clicked.”
While giving those injured time to recuperate this week, Strickland and his offensive coaches plan to find depth for the offensive line.
“Kyler Matthews (senior offensive lineman) has been playing with an ankle injury the last couple of weeks,” said Strickland. “This week gives him some time to kind of get that thing rested up. We’re (coaches) going to spend some time looking at some offensive line depth.
“We want to get some other guys more practice time against the number one defense. We’ve (coaches) got to know what we’ve got with those guys because the backups are one play from being a starter.”
The bye week comes a week before the Gators host Lincoln High School of Tallahassee, Fla., for homecoming. The Trojans handed Ware County a 100 loss last year.
“We (coaches) need this bye as well,” said Strickland. “It gives us a chance to truly self-scout ourselves, especially from an offensive standpoint. We can find some tendencies we’re doing of tipping plays or running the same play in certain situations.
“Bartram Trail did a really good job of playing some of our tendencies, which sped up their (Bears) defense a little bit. We’ve got to take a look at some of those things.”
Strickland says he wants to start introducing the Lincoln game plan late in the week.
“Whatever we do will be No. 1 vs. No. 1 with the offense lining up with some key formations for the defense to see,” said Strickland. “It maybe just a couple of plays Lincoln runs.”
