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DEL.ICIO.USSpring Football Fling: Brookwood’s got talent, but lacks needed experience
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
THE SPRING FOOTBALL FLING
In upcoming weeks, teams throughout the state will spend 10 days on the practice field preparing for the 2008 football season. In a series of stories, ajc.com will provide an offseason outlook for 25 of the top teams in the metro and state.
This Week’s Lineup
• 4/21: ML King • 4/22: Valdosta • 4/23: Buford • 4/24: P’tree Ridge • 4/25: Tucker • 4/26: Fayette Co. • 4/27: Brookwood
You make the call: What’s the buzz on Brookwood in ‘08? Will inexperience hamper the Broncos? Games start in August. Talk starts NOW.
The week before spring practice was to begin for Brookwood, coach Mark Crews and a group of friends took a trip to Mississippi to golf and relax. It was one last chance for Crews to kick back before embarking on perhaps his most challenging season as Broncos coach.
Gone are a group of high-caliber players who carried the team on a nine-game winning streak last year. The 2007 season began with concerns about quarterback and running back, but Terence Davis and Kenny Miles emerged as leaders, and Brookwood maintained its position among the state’s elite programs.
Now, Crews and his staff have more work to do. Davis, Miles and a collection of other pivotal players, including kicker Dawson Zimmerman and key offensive and defensive linemen, are leaving.
Worse, there are no clear-cut replacements.
“It seems like every year we start over,” Crews said after a round of golf. “We have a lot of pieces to put back together. It’s so much of a team game. We’ve got a real challenge as coaches to match talent and personalities with positions. We’re pretty green.
“We’ve got to find a quarterback. We’re not set at running back or any of our skilled positions. So we have more questions this year than ever before.” The answers are so fuzzy Crews did not even provide names of potential candidates.
“There is a lot in the air,” he said. “There are four or five kids we’re going to be looking at running back. Four or five at quarterback. The competition is good. We just hope someone rises to the top.”
Significantly, the offensive and defensive lines were hit hard by graduation. “The lines were always our strengths,” Crews said. “But we have kids growing up in the program from the seventh and eighth grades. We always wind up with a lot of senior linemen because it takes all those years in the weight room building their body.
“We have several juniors who are good athletes. We just have to do a good job of coaching and putting them in the right places. So, it should be both a fun year and scary. You love to see the kids develop as players and young men. You just hope it happens quickly.”
Brookwood Broncos
Region 8-AAAAA
Spring practice dates: May 5-16.
Last year’s record: 9-3, lost in the state quarterfinals.
Reclassification challenge: Does not apply.
Working on: Brookwood is trying to replace starters in key positions, including QB. Four players are vying for the spot. It’s the same at running back, where Kenny Miles’ emergence saved the team last year.
Key starters lost: QB Terence Davis; RB Kenny Miles; WR/DB Josh Jackson; K Dawson Zimmerman; OL Eric Grube; OL A.J. Mackey; TE Jarrett Mackey; LB Eric Tatum.
Key starters returning: LB Chris Martin; LB David Cooper; S, Wade Brogdon.
2008 strengths: The Brookwood tradition and coaching. The Broncos have a vast feeder program that produces fresh talent yearly. The coaching staff molds the talent. Linebacker Chris Martin is a force.
2008 weaknesses: Inexperience. The Broncos have no identifiable offensive threat. Significantly, the core of Brookwood teams - the offensive line — has been decimated by graduation. And top skill position players will graduate.
This season’s projection: Last year, Terence Davis was a solid pick to play quarterback, and Kenny Miles arose from obscurity into the top running back in the county. The Broncos are hoping several players turn an opportunity into something special. If that happens, the Broncos will be strong. If not, it could be a struggle at times, as players grow into their roles.
You make the call: What’s the buzz on Brookwood in ‘08? Will inexperience hamper the Broncos? Games start in August. Talk starts NOW.
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By Georgia Dawg
April 25, 2008 5:38 PM | Link to this
You left off Kellen Williams- he is returning on the line and should be a leader for this team. Uh- and he just committed to Alabama.
By Farsider
April 27, 2008 10:18 PM | Link to this
Inexperienced? Yes. But this team is loaded with athletes. The reason their coach said he always has to “start over” is because his program typically plays mostly Seniors. Look at Kenny Miles. He’s probably the best back in Brookwood history, and he didn’t crack their starting lineup until 12th grade. I’d say this club will finish no worse than 2nd in their region and probably win a playoff game or two.
By Rammer
May 8, 2008 9:15 PM | Link to this
Thanks Farsider!!. Your one of the few that understands Brookwood is on the downside and the Rams are poised for a region crown.
By georgiafan88
July 16, 2008 10:19 AM | Link to this
The talent this team has is insane. The three back ups at RB were in the 10th grade now their juniors with a year experiance at varsity. The line they have been running behind since they were little is now varsity as well. It will be tough to rebuild but Coach Crews is to smart to let al that talent go to waste. Even if they are young. That’s the best part about Brookwood Football someone always steps up to become a leader.