LAKE COUNTRY
At the beginning of the week, all three Lake Country football teams – Morgan County, Greene County and Lake Oconee Academy – began the state-mandated acclimation week.
According to the Georgia High School Association (GHSA), acclimation week is a five-day period during the last week of July to prepare players for padded practices in the heat.
The GHSA website states that during this time, “practice shall not last longer than 2 hours, and [students] shall not wear more than shorts, helmet, mouthpiece, and shoes.” Once players have completed their five days of acclimation, they are cleared to practice with pads starting the first day of August.
Coaches and players utilize this time to figure out their strengths and hone in on them. After last season, each area team will be focusing on what yielded them success and how to replicate it this upcoming season.
Morgan County
Last year, the Bulldogs finished the regular season at 7-3 and lost only one region game to Harlem. They then entered the Class AAA state playoffs as a No. 2 seed but were knocked out by Liberty County 19-14 in the first round.
In the team’s 11-game stretch, the offense averaged just over five touchdowns per game, coming in a balanced form of both run and pass. The Bulldogs went on to rack up nearly 2,500 yards on the ground and a little more than 1,500 through the air.
Third-year head coach Clint Jenkins replaced former offensive coordinator Loren Purvis with former defensive coordinator Brett Bell heading into this season.
Some things might change stylistically, but the in-house hire means the Bulldogs are focused on maintaining an advantage over opponents on the offensive side of the ball.
Greene County
The Tigers are coming off of one of their best years in recent memory after going 6-4 during the regular season and finishing second in Region 8-A.
They were led by the combination of an experienced older group of players that have graduated, and a young core that has currently made some noise on the recruiting trail.
Third-year head coach Terrance Banks has a future Power 5 athlete in junior defensive lineman Kevin Wynn, as well as junior quarterback Steve Miller who threw for over 1,500 yards and 20 touchdowns over the course of 11 games.
Along with others who are stepping into more important roles, the young group of players that have been under Banks since he took the job will be instrumental in leading the Tigers to another playoff appearance.
Lake Oconee Academy
The Titans are coming off of their first full, 10-game season in program history after going 4-6, and second-year head coach Patrick Stewart has a lot of momentum to build on.
The blue and gold won two of their last three games of the regular season and graduated only four seniors. Now, the coaching staff is using this acclimation time to teach and condition a new, young roster so they are prepared for a full season.
After a lackluster season on the offensive side of the ball, the Titans hope players like two-year starter Cameron Kelley or Morgan County transfer Ike O’Neal can find the end zone more this year.
Opening Day
With only three more weeks until the first game of the regular season, every program is doing everything they can to be prepared for the competition they will have to face.
Lake Oconee Academy travels to George Walton Academy on Aug. 18, while Morgan and Greene County hosts Social Circle and Business Engineering Science Tech, respectively.