Georgia Military College (GMC) Preparatory School enters its 2022 season with high expectations following last year’s outstanding performance.
The GMC Bulldogs won the Region 7A-Public championship last year after finishing with a 10-1 record. It was the first time since 1960 that a GMC football team has won the region’s title, and marked the first year since 1934 that a Bulldogs squad posted a double-digit win total.
Now, as GMC enters its new season, the bar is set high for a program led by head coach Lee Coleman, who stressed to his players that they can’t get complacent.
“What I learned about my kids over the summer is that we continued to work, especially after the 7-on-7 camp at Baldwin in June,” Coleman said. “So, we started working a little more. We’re starting to band together a little more. The leadership is getting better, and the sense of urgency has picked up since that 7-on-7 camp because we realized we still have a long way to go. We can’t just show up and be good. We’ve got to work to be good.”
Still, the fourth-year head coach admitted it can also lead to a “scary” feeling.
“Obviously, the expectations have risen after you do the unthinkable,” he said. “It’s scary for a coach because it’s like, ‘how do you go up from winning all your regular-season games?”
It’s a great problem to have, though, especially since Coleman’s players have bought into what he preaches. The Bulldogs’ program numbers also reflect the success, with GMC having a record 36 players come out for this season’s team, seven more than 2021 drew.
Leadership lessons
The Bulldogs did lose, however, a senior class last year that displayed a lot of leadership in the locker room. Nevertheless, Coleman is hoping veteran players such as Tyler Saunders, Caleb Bush and Camden Bentley can step up heading into the 2022 season.
“Those guys have been doing well, but then I had a pleasant surprise in junior Noah Williams, who is a leader in the secondary,” Coleman said. “The things he provides is a little change in attitude that I hope he sustains. If he sustains that attitude throughout the year, he will have a great season.
“But, those guys, yes. They are starting to lead by example more. They’re starting to get a little bit more vocal. I’ve seen my upperclassmen teaching a lot.”
Coleman highlighted those types of things that will help the team continue to grow heading into the season.
“If my young guys do mess up, or they are making mistakes, I have seen a growth in my older guys,” Coleman said. “They pull them to the side and tell them, ‘You do it this way.’ They’ll help correct their mistakes. That definitely shows signs of improvement. The leadership is stepping up and we are trending in the right direction.”
‘Balance’ is key on offense
Coleman said he’s extremely excited about GMC’s offense heading into the upcoming season.
“I think we’ll be balanced on offense this season,” Coleman said. “We can have a really great year if we execute.”
The Bulldogs averaged 32.3 points per game last season and return several players on offense, including Saunders at quarterback and Jessie Washington at running back. They also bring back the pair of Bush and Williams at wideout, while the entire offensive line also returns.
“I saw the other day at practice, offensively, that my O-Line was asking questions that they haven’t asked in the past. ‘What about this?’ I told them it doesn’t pertain to them, but they wanted to know. So, as a coach, that made me feel great,” Coleman said.
“I think we could have a good year on the ground, but even more in the passing game this season.”
The coach believes Saunders is going to be the catalyst that’s going to steer GMC’s offense towards success.
“Each year he has progressed. His sophomore year was him getting his feet wet; last year, I think he had a really great year compared to his sophomore season. Going into his senior year, I told him that this is his team,” Coleman said.
“He’s been here; he’s grown. It’s time for him to make some decisions on his own. If he sees something wrong, he has the ability to check it. I have that confidence in him because he is a smart guy. He has a strong arm.”
Washington is another explosive player in the Bulldogs’ offensive arsenal that Coleman is excited about. The 5-foot-9, 200-pound tailback rushed for over 1,000 yards in 2021 as a junior.
“He’s a really good, smart football player,” Coleman said. “He asks a lot of questions as well, which to a coach, that’s a great sign. He cares and wants to know (how to get better).”
The Bulldogs also return Jonathan Roach at running back. The rising junior can help handle the load when needed. Coleman called the Washington-and-Roach tandem “dynamic and explosive.”
“They are both great kids,” he said. “Having Jonathan back there gives up some depth.”
According to Coleman, the wide receiver pairing of Bush and Williams are also “exceptional playmakers.”
“I think with my quarterback and his ability to throw the football— combined with those guys’ ability to run routes, get open and score—I think Caleb (Bush) and (Noah) Williams have big years if they stay the course,” he said. We need to stay healthy. Offensively, we should be more dynamic than we were last year, especially because this year we have the experience.”
‘Strong core’ returns on defense
GMC Prep had one of the top overall defensive units in all of GHSA’s Class A-Public last season. In 2021, the Bulldogs allowed opponents to only six points on average per contest.
However, unlike the offense, there was a bit of turnover on the defensive side of the ball in the offseason. GMC lost Trey Woods, Alex French, Corey Brookins and Evan Brantley from last year’s defense roster.
Coleman said he’s going to miss each of them as all four contributed a lot to the GMC program over the years. He called them all “exceptional” football players and “leaders.”
“They all meant so much to the program,” Coleman said. “However, we do return a lot of experience.”
Washington, one of the team’s top tacklers from 2021, comes back. GMC also returns Roach and Bush opposite of each other at safety, while Williams comes back at cornerback. Bulldogs’ sophomore Logan McMillian will start across from Williams at the other corner position.
“Logan will be the only young guy (in our secondary),” Coleman said. “I’ve got two more young guys at linebacker. They are both first-year starters but will help out Jessie (Washington) there. So, that’s what we have to work on is those three players getting better. Jessie will have to lead, but those guys have done a great job of picking it up.”
Bentley, who is a returning three-year starter, will highlight GMC’s defensive line at one of the end positions. The Bulldogs also have both starting defensive tackles returning: senior Javion Lawrence and junior Joe Taylor.
“They all played a significant amount of snaps last season,” Coleman said. “Finally, Isaiah Womble will occupy the other defensive end position. He’s been a two-year starter for us. So, my defensive line is the most experienced group. I think they could have a really big impact, which will help out my younger linebackers, who are just now getting their start.”
Replacing Woods, French, Brookins and Brantley might not be as hard as it seems, per Coleman.
“We’ve got a strong core of experienced, exceptional football players coming back for us,” he said. “It’s only a matter of time until we see how battle-tested our defense is.”
The GMC Prep Bulldogs will open their 2022 season on Aug. 19, at Wheeler County.