Landon Garretson understands what it takes for a team to be successful.
Garretson played his first two seasons of high school football at Class 5A’s Kell in Marietta. He then wanted a change of scenery and transferred to Greene County before the start of his junior year.
Garretson was a key leader for the Tigers last year, helping them finish 8-3 and secure a playoff spot, but the senior believes his work remains far from done.
Garretson aims to improve and be a more vocal leader this season, believing it will positively influence teammates on and off the field.
“It’s definitely something I can improve on,” Garretson said of his leadership. “It’s something anybody can get better at, so I’ve got to work on being even more vocal than I am.
“I’m just trying to stay level-headed, so I don’t lose control. If I let my emotions take over, the rest of the team will follow, and we’ll end up on a downhill slope,” he acknowledged. “I’m just keeping my emotions in check, encouraging my teammates to stay positive, and telling everyone to keep working because it’s going to pay off.”
Greene County will look a little different this season.
The Tigers have a new head coach, former Valdosta assistant Darius Robinson, who took over for Terrance Banks. They also lost a talented senior class, including Division I players Steve Miller and Kevin “Juju” Wynn.
So, it’s easy to imagine the odds are stacked against them as they head into the season.
Garretson disagrees. “A lot of people are saying this is a rebuilding year because Steve and Juju left since they were seniors, and we had a bunch of others leave, too,” Garretson said. “But I don’t believe this will be a rebuild year, and neither does Coach D-Rob, who has a lot of faith in us.”
Likewise, Robinson thinks very highly of Garretson, knowing what a gem he is as both a leader and a player.
“Before you can dive into all those attributes, one thing that you cannot replace at the quarterback position is reps and experience, and that’s something I’m excited about with Landon,” Robinson said.
“It’s his experience from last year, starting every single game. So, he’s going to be poised and prepared to command the huddle, get us out of bad situations, understand what football is bringing to us, and put us in the best position to be successful.
“Then you add to the dynamic that not only is he the guy I love having play for me, but he also has a great arm and excellent athleticism,” Robinson added. “He checks a lot of boxes for the quarterback position, and I’m really excited that he will definitely be our signal caller and ready to lead us home.”
Garretson had a lot of success on the field last year, passing for 1,236 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was an All-Region first-team selection for his performance last season, but still feels like he can improve.
So, Garretson has been working this preseason to enhance his speed and agility to escape the pocket better. He has been training alongside teammate Travez Gibson, emphasizing footwork exercises with cone drills.
“We’ve been going through the footwork ladder a bunch,” Garretson said. “I think my footwork has gotten better. I also worked on running hill sprints. I have a hill right outside my house where I get up in the morning and go for a run, and I’ve been running stairs too, just trying to develop explosiveness. Footwork is the big thing.”
Garretson and his senior teammates aspire to leave a lasting impact on the program. They’ve established several goals during the offseason, aiming to accomplish them by season’s end.
The 5-foot-11, 200-pound quarterback believes this year’s team can get it done.
“Obviously, the team goal is to win a state championship,” Garretson said. “But I think a big focus for us going into the season is dominating and winning the region, then making a deep run in the playoffs.”