Aug. 19—Lay of the land
Athens will likely be in Class 5A, Area 7 with Austin, Decatur, East Limestone, Florence, Hartselle, Muscle Shoals and Russellville.
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Head coach
Cody Gross is getting into his eleventh season at Athens. The Golden Eagles are 62-45 underneath Gross with eight playoff appearances.
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Final season
Athens (6-5, 3-3) completed fourth in Class 6A, Area 7.
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Phrases to develop on
After shedding a number of starters, Athens has a whole lot of new faces. Nevertheless, Gross is not any stranger to getting a younger staff
“The way in which I method it’s by making the offseason as onerous as we are able to make it, as gritty as we are able to make it with out truly being underneath the lights,” Gross stated. “We check them with a purpose to attempt to get them to develop up quick. After all, if you truly get to the Friday night time lights, it is just a little totally different.”
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Quarterback
Junior Zayden Homann would be the sign caller this yr with Gross saying senior Cam Carden may very well be within the combine as nicely.
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Offense
Athens should substitute two dynamic operating backs from final season in Xavier Edwards and Damarcus Malone.
Gross stated it will be a operating again by committee method this season however main the cost will likely be Aidan Lovell, a do-it-all athlete with faculty gives who will line up at operating again, receiver and tight finish.
“He is began since he was a sophomore and he brings a whole lot of expertise,” Gross stated. “He is a troublesome, gifted child with a whole lot of intelligence and we are able to plug him in wherever we’d like him.”
Different operating backs will likely be Eli Henson and Jaylen Johnson.
At receiver, DD Individuals returns after beginning final yr, whereas Carden, Jaxson Moore, Michael Hubbard, Ezekial Byrd and CJ Harris. James Newby will begin at tight finish for the third yr in a row.
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At offensive line Jordan Horton, a 6-foot-6, 280-pound sophomore, will begin at one sort out, and the opposite sort out will likely be Desmond Malone. Shemar Yarbrough and Max Shinkunas will begin at guard, whereas Almarion Davis will begin at middle. Max Jones might additionally play at any of the inside spots.
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Protection
Athens should substitute six guys who performed alongside the defensive position final season.
Lazarrius Nelson will likely be a set starter at defensive finish, whereas the opposite spots will rotate between Max Jones, James Newby, Braylon Younger, Blake Harris and Daniel Rivera.
Linebacker is probably the most skilled place group for the Golden Eagles. Austin Campbell returns as a three-year starter at center linebacker and Halston Barker returns on the different inside linebacker spot. Tommy Wiggins may also play inside linebacker.
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At outdoors linebacker, Aayden Baines will begin after beforehand beginning on the within. Tylon Robinson and Luke McGuire may also play on the surface.
At cornerback, the Golden Eagles will play three gamers in Labron Turner, Jonathan Booker and DeAndre Doss. Kaydon Bledsoe and Brady Johnston each return as starters at security.
Cam Carden would be the staff’s punter and Jaxon Swift would be the kicker.
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Last phrase
With such a younger staff, Gross stated senior management will likely be at a premium this yr.
“Their function is large. Now we have a whole lot of guys which have by no means skilled taking part in on Friday nights earlier than, so we’d like our guys which have to indicate up. And never simply on the sector on Fridays however in follow, within the weight room and in conferences,” Gross stated.
