Pack must find a way against big, athletic North Gwinnett

Published 8:16 pm Thursday, August 29, 2024

MOULTRIE – North Gwinnett and Lee County are on Colquitt County’s schedule this year to help a team short on experience get ready for the rigors of Region 1-6A competition.

The Bulldogs are first up and have the talent that will make the Packers quickly forget about West of Utah and Monroe.

North Gwinnett sounds like an offensive coordinator’s nightmare.

“They are big up front,” said John Cooper, who is in his third season of running the offense for the 2-0 Packers. “They are long and fast on the back end. They are well-coached and they want to make you drive the football.”

Will the lopsided wins over West and Monroe get the Packers ready for a team that is 1-0, had last week off and is ranked No. 7 in 6A?

“We are going to find out a lot about who we are against North Gwinnett,” Cooper said. “Our plan is to try to wear them out.”

And if the offensive attack is anything like what the Packers sent out against the Panthers and the Tornadoes, the Bulldogs are likely to get a steady dose of Day’Shawn Brown and Jae Lamar running behind a strong offensive line being constructed by coach Bryce Giddens.

The Packers are averaging 8.7 yards per rush and feel especially confident giving the ball to Brown, a senior leading Region 1-6A in rushing with 196 yards and 7.8 yards a carry.

“He’s a veteran and he knows what we want to do,” Cooper said. “He has come so far since he was a freshman. He’s bought into our system and really has become the linchpin of our side of the ball. He’s sort of like the older brother to the other guys.”

One of those “other guys” who has turned heads with his performances the first two weeks is junior Jae Lamar.

One of the bigger backs the Packers have had in recent year, Lamar also can fly.

He is averaging 14.9 yards on his 10 carries from scrimmage. The 195-pounder has rushed for two touchdowns and caught a pass from quarterback Cohen Lawson for another.

“He might be one of the most talented backs I’ve been around,” Cooper said. “But because of his inexperience, he sometimes doesn’t run the play called correctly. But he sure has made up for it.

“Against North Gwinnett, though, he can’t just run around out there. He’s got to do what he’s supposed to do.”

Ja’Mari Stokes, third on depth chart, also runs hard and has gained 40 yards on 10 carries and has scored a touchdown.

“He can get us four or five yards between the tackles,” Cooper said.

Stokes also is playing some slot receiver.

Lawson, a freshman who will make his third start on Friday, also might be called upon to carry the football into that North Gwinnett defense.

The Bulldogs front includes veteran Cole Funderburk, who is headed to Wake Forest, and 6-foot-4, 305-pound Braxton Kyle, who is headed for Rutgers.

Funderburk has 16 sacks and 25 quarterback hurries last season. Kyle has 25 tackles for losses.

The Packers will try to neutralize Funderburk, Kyle and company with an offensive line that includes Khalil Collins and Jakari Byrd at the tackles, Casey Scott and Jamaal Jackson are the guards and Matt Dillon at center.

Collins and Scott are team captains and Jackson, a little undersized at 5-foot-10, 225-pounds, is making a name for himself as a battler.

Giddens keeps a chart that shows how many knockdown blocks each offensive lineman gets each game.

Jackson is leading.

“Jackson is leading by a lot,” Cooper emphasized.

Lawson has been solid in his first two starts, completing 14-of-20 passes for 215 yards and three touchdowns.

His receiving corps is led by Malik Walker, who leads the Packers with six catches for 92 yards and a score.

Other targets are Sam Miller, Ni’Shawn Osby, Na’Ryan Sumlin, A’Zhiyen Alridge and tight end Alexis Barge.

North Gwinnett’s secondary has outstanding athletes and is especially well-seasoned, with 6-3, 200-pound Chandler Jordan and Chauncey Davis Jr., who had four interceptions last season, back in the mix.

If the Packers stall in Bulldogs territory, they will not hesitate to call on senior Brett Fitzgerald, one of the nation’s top high school kickers.

His next extra point will set a Georgia high school record and he has made 30 of his last 33 field goal attempts.

Chason Glenn will be his snapper and Logan Morris has been the holder.

The Packers have dangerous kick return teams, led by senior Jah’Boris Fuller who has scored a touchdown on both a kickoff return and a punt return this season.

But Cooper knows that the Packers might have a small margin for error against the Bulldogs.

“We can’t have those false starts and can’t get in those third-and-longs,” Cooper said.

Also on Friday, Lee County will visit Tift County; West Broward (Fla.) will travel to Camden County; Central Gwinnett will go to Lowndes; Dougherty will meet Valdosta at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium; and Everglades (Fla.) will be at Richmond Hill.