Are Packers championship-ring ready?

Published 1:16 pm Wednesday, August 16, 2023

MOULTRIE – There are probably a lot of football coaches who will claim after a season – especially one that ends with a particularly galling defeat – that they began preparations for the next campaign the very next day.

In the case of Colquitt County’s Sean Calhoun, whose 2022 Packers team dropped a 35-27 state semifinal decision to Carrollton last December, the proclamation may have a bit more veracity.

In Calhoun’s first season as head coach, the Packers sliced through the first eight games of the season then claimed the Region 1-7A by disposing of Valdosta, Lowndes, Camden County and Richmond Hill.

And after three straight playoff wins, the Packers appear poised to knock off Carrollton in a fourth-straight game on Tom White Field and between the packed stands at Mack Tharpe Stadium.

But the Packers couldn’t score from inside the Trojans 5 on their first possession and then lost momentum after Jack Luttrell returned a punt for a touchdown late in the first half.

A controversial spot on a long Carrollton pass completion moments after Luttrell’s score led to Trojans touchdown and a lead at the half.

The Packers never recovered and the desire for redemption has been palpable ever since.

“I mean literally, the day after Carrollton, our preseason started,” Calhoun said. “Everything has been geared for this season.”

Clearly, Calhoun believes the Packers can make a run at a  state title this year.

“There’s lot of things that go into that, of course, like staying healthy, luck,” he said. “But we have a core nucleus of kids and we are very skilled at certain spots.

“You don’t always have players like that and when you do, expectations are high and it’s exciting, for sure. Yes, I think we have a chance to get it done this year. I really, really do.”

Plenty of folks share Calhoun’s optimism.

Colquitt County is highly ranked in a number of national preseason polls and MaxPreps lists the program as Georgia’s most dominant over the past 10 years.

The well-respected Georgia High School Football Daily has the Packers at No. 3 in Georgia’s Class 7A, behind Buford and defending state champion Mill Creek.

Much of the confidence in the team starts with Calhoun, who was on the staffs of the 2014 and 2015 Packer teams that went a combined 30-0 before winning 55 games in five seasons at Carrollton.

Some point out that Colquitt County is 43-1 with Calhoun in the Packers black-and-gold.

And this year, he has his 2022 coaching staff back intact.

But, as Calhoun is quick to repeat, “At the end of the day, it’s all about those players.”

And many of those players have the advantage of being part of a state semifinal team.

“Us going as far we did helps all the returners,” Calhoun said. “The extra practice, the extra games, being in that atmosphere.”

And the offense is chock full of players with the potential to put points on the board on any snap, starting with the senior quarterback who is expected to get a majority of those snaps.

Neko Fann is the reigning Region 1-7A Offensive Player of the Year after throwing for 2,645 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2022.

Heading into his final season, he is closing in on several Packer passing records.

He has thrown for 4,782 yards, 1,670 yards shy of the program record of 6,452 set by Chase Parrish, who led the Packers to the 2014 and 2015 state titles.

Fann’s 59 career touchdown passes trail only the 70 thrown by Parrish.

His go-to deep receiver is the Georgia-committed Ny Carr who caught 62 passes for 1,051 yards and 10 scores last year.

Carr has 105 catches for 1,934 yards and 23 touchdowns as a Packer. He has caught passes for 141 yards or more in a game five times.

All eyes in the stands and on opposing defenses will be on senior tight end Landen Thomas, the No. 1-ranked tight end in the nation who has committed to Florida State.

He caught 44 passes last year for 753 yards and eight scores and also ran for five scores out of the “Wild Hawg” formation.

The 6-foot-5, 230-pounder has 83 career catches for 1,383 yards and 16 touchdowns.

And Fann has other targets as well, including senior receiver Zay Williams, who caught 35 passes for 367 yards and five touchdowns last year.

Opponents will overlook Markese Wilson and Jaden Fowler at their own peril.

Many might think the Packers have a hole at running back after the graduation of Charlie Pace, who rushed for 3,026 yards and 36 touchdowns as a Packer.

But the Colquitt County staff likes the potential of juniors Ramsey Dennis and Day’Shawn Brown.

Veteran offensive line coach – and former Packer – Bryce Giddens says this year’s forward wall could be one of the best the program has produced.

Center Jay’Den Williams and right guard Ja’Nas Daniels return, as does tackles Ja’Quavian “Turk” Daniels, who has started 35 straight games.

Turk has moved from right tackle to the left side this season. His place on the right side is being filled by Xavier Nickerson II, who missed much of last season with an injury.

At left guard will be the group’s lone underclassman, junior Khalil Collins, who got considerable playing time last year. Tayshaun Hooks and Casey Scott should see plenty of action.

A motto of the Packers this season is “no punts.”

However, when a punt is called for, junior Brett Fitzgerald will get the call.

Jack Luttrell, last year’s outstanding and versatile punter, is now playing at Tennessee.

Fitzgerald also is one of the state’s top place-kickers and has converted 110-of-113 extra point attempts and 20-of-25 field goal attempts over the last two seasons.

Logan Morris and Chason Glenn have been battling to replace snapper Will Tapscott.

Eli Meads returns as the holder.

The Packers have just three returning starters on defense, including just one who will play his former position full-time.

“On defense, we don’t have much Friday night experience,” Calhoun said. “That’s why spring practice, summer practice, OTAs, 7-on-7s, that’s why all that has been so important.”

Returning to his defensive end position is Amari Wilson who led the team with 12 tackles for loss and four sacks as a sophomore last year.

Seniors Javaris Parrish and big Ky-von Rivers are expected to hold down the other two starting positions, with Chris King and Jartavious Flounoy providing relief.

Tyshon Reed Jr., son of the former outstanding defensive end with the same name, has moved from defensive end to the outside linebacker position.

He has committed to playing his college football at Duke.

Jerron Blakely, a backup at inside linebacker last year, will start at the other outside position.

Nick Pace was the Packers leading tackler at inside linebacker last year and is expected to play there again and also get some snaps at safety.

“I expect him to play both,” Calhoun said of Pace, who was credited with 162 tackles last fall. “He is so versatile, such an instinctive football player. And very physical.”

Expect to start next Pace on the inside in the season-opener will be sophomore Brayden Ruis.

The two must try to make up for the loss of Kamal Bonner, now at North Carolina State.

Ka’Marian Williams, Jah’Boris Fuller and Ty Lamar are being challenged by veteran coach Dextra Polite to handle the cornerback slots.

Seniors Will Madison and Trenton Dunbar are staffing the safety positions that Luttrell and Lyric Thomas handled so well last year.

The Packers 2023 schedule will be a challenge, starting with Dutch Fork High of Irmo, S.C., which will provide the opposition at 7 p.m. in the Saturday, Aug. 19, season-opener in the Georgia-Carolinas Challenge.

The Silver Foxes won their seventh state championship in the last eight seasons last year.

Dutch Fork head coach Tom Knotts has 451 career wins and is 46-6 in playoff games with the Silver Foxes.

Colquitt also will face Lee County, highly ranked in Class 6A, Cedar Grove a perennial Class 3A playoff team before beginning Region 1-7A play.

Lowndes, Valdosta and Camden County are expected to be strong this season.

But the Packers expect to make another state playoff run with Buford, Carrollton, Walton, North Cobb, Grayson, Milton and others lurking.

Colquitt expects to be primed for a 15-game run.

“We got into that semifinal game and it was too big for some of us at some point in the game,” Calhoun said. “We’ve got to find a way to overcome that.”