GREENE COUNTY
The Greene County football team is set to take on the Putnam County War Eagles Friday at Al Reaves Field for a fall scrimmage.
The two programs scrimmaged each other last season in a low-scoring, defensive affair.
For the War Eagles, they are now under the direction of first-year head coach Joel Harvin. Not only has the team spent the offseason replacing graduates on both sides of the ball, but they have also had to learn new philosophies and systems.
For the Tigers, they return most of their talent from last season and just completed their first full offseason under second-year head coach Terrance Banks. With a roster full of young starters from a year ago, Greene County will utilize this scrimmage to figure out which players fit into Banks’s schemes.
To capitalize on the momentum from the end of last season, here are some of the keys to the game for Greene County to find its identity before the season-opener.
Versatile quarterback play
The Tigers will have junior Steve Miller taking the snaps in the first half of this Friday’s contest, and he will play a vital role in the team’s offensive success over the next few months.
Miller got his first snaps during his freshman season. He only threw the ball a handful of times, but the experience was important to his varsity development.
In Banks’ first season, Miller earned the starting job as a sophomore and found success. Across 11 games, he was able to rack up over 1,500 passing yards with a 67 percent completion rate. Miller was also able to protect the ball, throwing for 20 touchdowns and only eight interceptions.
Aside from his arm, Miller is also effective on the ground.
For this upcoming season, Miller’s decision-making and ability to be a dual-threat quarterback will determine how successful the Tigers’ offense can be.
X-Factors out wide
In an interview with the Lake Oconee News this offseason, Banks admitted that his wide receiver room would make all the difference this year.
The Tigers no longer have leading receiver Javaris Harris and graduated multiple other seniors that Miller was able to target last season. Now, players like Quay Burdette and BJ Mullens are in a position to step up out wide.
Burdette is the leading receiver out of the players who are returning this season. In 2022, he caught the ball for over 200 yards and found the end zone three separate times.
Mullens also contributed to Greene County’s offense last year with just under 120 receiving yards on 15 catches.
Banks believes this group is the most underrated on the Tigers’ offense, and their first opportunity to prove that will be later tonight.
Tigers in the trenches
Greene County’s defensive line was the anchor of that side of the ball last season and is expected to be again this year.
The Tigers’ front three is spearheaded by junior defensive tackle Kevin Wynn. According to 247 Sports, Wynn is a four-star athlete that is the 17th defensive lineman in the class of 2025. Last season, he racked up 45 tackles with four sacks and had help along the way.
Dayshaun Copeland is an end that led the Tigers in tackles with 64 last season. Copeland is one of the more experienced players on defense as he enters his senior season, and his aggression off the edge helps to get after opposing quarterbacks.
With some younger guys filling in the spots of former players, the Tigers’ defensive line is poised to be disruptive all season.
Security in the secondary
One of the main aspects of the Tigers’ defense is that it is full of athletes that can play multiple positions.
With the departure of a few important players in the secondary, Banks is looking for younger guys to fill in the missing gaps.
As a combined unit, Greene County’s secondary forced 12 turnovers – 10 interceptions and two fumbles; however, most of that production left due to graduation or transferring away.
Older guys such as Chris Lowe, Steve Miller, and Quay Burdette will look to help the underclassmen in the secondary like Jailen Ruff, Denim Harris, and a few others learn the ropes.