The Moultrie Observer
MOULTRIE —
MOULTRIE — Jim Hughes has not coached in Region 1 in the state’s largest classification for 10 years and does not know any of the league’s current coaches well.
But before the coaches at Colquitt County, Coffee, Lowndes, Tift County and Valdosta previewed their 2010 teams at Saturday’s Region 1-AAAA kickoff event at the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center, Hughes gave them a bit of a history lesson.
Hughes, who started his GACA Hall of Fame career at Region 1-AAA’s Thomasville High in 1970, coached in the what later became Region 1-AAAA and now Region 1-AAAAA, for 30 seasons.
He was at Thomasville for 13 seasons, winning two state championships, and was at Colquitt County for 17 more, leading the Packers to their only state championship in 1994.
One of the biggest changes he has seen has been the number of teams that advance from each region to the playoffs.
Until 1990, only one team advanced, and in Region 1, for many seasons it was Valdosta, leaving what many believed were superior region teams out of the playoffs while inferior teams from other regions advanced.
From 1990-1995, two teams advanced. Since then, four teams have gone on to the playoffs.
He noted that during his 30 years as a head coach in Region 1-AAA/AAAA, region teams won 18 state championships.
Hughes also saw the elimination of black high schools, the end of 28-day spring football practice calendars and the rise of Title IX and its early stress on athletic budgets.
He also reiterated his long opposition to holding state championship games at neutral sites, an opinion that drew applause from the audience.
Before turning the floor over to the Region 1-AAAA coaches, Hughes reflected on what he misses about coaching, including Friday nights.
“I don’t think there are Friday nights in many other occupations,” he said.
The coaches who will begin their own Friday nights this month, then previewed their teams.
Coffee’s Ken Eldridge, who is starting his third season in Douglas, will try to rebuild after a 3-7 record last season.
The Trojans lost 26 seniors, but have 30 seniors this year.
Coffee will have an experienced quarterback in Will Gardner and a long list of backs who carried the football last year.
The offensive line is expected to feature two sophomore starters.
The defense has outstanding tackle Todd Grady returning, but the entire secondary is gone.
Assistant head coach Terry Quinn sat in for Lowndes head coach Randy McPherson, who was at a booster club golf outing on Saturday.
The Vikings are expected to contend for the region championship and have some key personnel back, including quarterback Cole Parker and running back Troy Braswell.
The defense will be experienced and strong and the entire secondary returns.
The biggest question marks will be on the offensive line.
Tift County also went 3-7 last year, but with eight starters back, the defense should be better.
“When I’ve been successful, I’ve had a good defense,” Blue Devils coach Jay Walls said.
There is depth at running back and receiver, but three quarterbacks are still battling to take the starting job.
Rance Gillespie is in his first season as the head coach at Valdosta, but won state championships at Peach County in 2005 and 2006 before becoming an assistant at Georgia Southern.
The Wildcats have a pair of outstanding offensive players in Jay Rome and Malcolm Mitchell, butValdosta, too, is searching for a quarterback.
“Our biggest challenge is transition,” Gillespie said.
Colquitt County head coach Rush Propst said the Packers have plenty of talent and experience on offense, but “we’ll have to do it with smoke and mirrors on defense.”
