Morgan County took part in the Athens Academy 7-on-7 camp last week, using the competitive setting to get an early look at its roster and gather valuable teaching points for the upcoming season.
The camp at Athens was the first of several team activities the Bulldogs have planned for the summer.
Head coach Clint Jenkins said the camp provided a strong overall environment for evaluation, even if his team opened the day a little uneven.
“I felt like we had a good day overall, but we challenged our kids early,” Jenkins said.
That early stretch didn’t go smoothly for Morgan County, which looked out of sync in its first outing. Jenkins pointed to nerves, missed assignments, and communication breakdowns as issues that showed up right away.
“In the first game, we looked a little nervous, a little off,” he said. “We missed some stuff, blew some alignment stuff — just looked inexperienced early in the day.”
As the camp went on, though, Jenkins said his group settled in and showed steady improvement. By the later games, execution had improved, and the staff was able to get a clearer picture of where the roster stands.
“I thought as the day went on, we got better,” he said. “We did some good things overall, but there are still tons we can improve on offense and defense.”
A major emphasis of the day was quarterback evaluation, with the staff rotating reps to both build experience and get a better sense of each player’s strengths. Jenkins said both quarterbacks started slow but improved as the competition continued, which he attributed largely to inexperience and the need for more live reps.
“We kind of started slow, but we got better as the day went on with both guys,” Jenkins said. “Coach (Brett) Bell did a good job getting them reps and letting us evaluate both.” On the offensive side, Jenkins highlighted a handful of returning playmakers who are expected to play major roles this season. At running back, senior Alex Corrias stands out as a key returner.
Aiden Lawrence will also be part of the rotation, while younger players are expected to compete for additional carries as the season develops.
At wide receiver, Cole Wesley returns as one of the most experienced options after a strong role last year and could also see situational snaps at quarterback depending on how the offense evolves.
“He’s the guy with the most experience coming back at receiver,” Jenkins said. “He did a great job for us last year.”
Another important piece is Grant Smith, who contributes on both sides of the ball but is especially valuable in the secondary.
“Grant is kind of our coach on the field,” Jenkins said. “He understands what we’re trying to do and does a really good job communicating.”
Defensively, Morgan County is still sorting out its secondary rotation, where Smith headlines a safety group that also includes Lawrence, Jaylen Thomas, and several younger players working into roles. Jenkins said the group has potential but is still coming together, especially at cornerback, where depth and experience are thinner.
“We’re probably a little younger and a little thinner at corner right now,” he said.
Looking ahead, Jenkins said the 7-on-7 camp was only part of the summer evaluation process. The Bulldogs will continue building toward their next major test later this month at a padded camp at Habersham, where physicality and line play will become a bigger focus.
“That’s the next big thing,” Jenkins said. “Can we run the football? Can we knock people off the ball? Can we be physical?”