MORGAN COUNTY
Morgan County’s Davis Strickland was invited to play in the Georgia Elite Classic this Friday in Rome.
The Bulldogs’ sophomore quarterback accepted the invitation to play in the game from Georgia high school football guru Rusty Mansell. The Georgia Elite Classic is the state’s premier all-star game.
Davis told the Lake Oconee News he is excited to play in the game and is honored to do so.
“It’s big for me because I want to get my name and Morgan County on the map,” Strickland said. “I’ll have my Morgan helmet on representing my school. It will also be good for some colleges to see me.”
In the game, Strickland hopes to display his skills in front of college coaches against some of the best competition in the state. He gets to do so as offensive coordinator Brett Bell nominated him for it.
“Coach Bell nominated me and I got to apply back in September and October,” Strickland said. “I didn’t want to pass up a chance at competing against some of the best football players in the state.”
Strickland also comes from a great lineage, too. His uncle is former Georgia quarterback Eric Zeier, who set 67 school records, 18 Southeastern Conference records and also played in the NFL.
“I’m looking to carry on that family tradition (at the next level). It’s a goal of mine. I’ve always looked up to him but want to be better than him, too. So, in the future during Christmas, I can go talk some smack to him,” Strickland said in a joking manner. “He was a great quarterback, though.”
Strickland split time under center with senior Talan Fuller this past season. The 6-foot-2, 175-pound signal caller passed for 684 yards, six touchdowns, and four interceptions as a sophomore.
As a first-year player at the varsity level, Strickland was surprised at how far he could throw the ball. Strickland found some positives in his game but knows he can improve on some things as well.
Strickland feels as if his ability to read defenses is a positive, but knows he needs to be more mobile. He will work on his weaknesses and try to improve those strengths in the next few months.
“I’ve got to improve a lot, but I know I can, especially after gaining confidence starting a few games as a sophomore,” Strickland said. “I’m thankful for that chance and am ready for next year.”
Not many colleges have shown interest yet, but Strickland has only played a small sample size of his high school career. He has two more seasons at Morgan County and is likely going to start next year.
Strickland hopes that playing in the Georgia Elite Classic will be the start of his recruitment process.
“One can only hope,” Strickland said. “I am just happy to represent myself, my family, and Morgan County, too. This is an opportunity to show what I can do and could my team out as well.”
The Georgia Elite Classic all-star sophomore versus freshmen game will take place on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Rome High School’s Barron Stadium. The game will be streamed on the NFHS Network.