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DEL.ICIO.USSpring Football Fling: After ‘07 title run, Lovett looks to rebuild
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
• 4/28: Lowndes • 4/29: Parkview • 4/30: Mays • 5/1: Marist • 5/2: Northside • 5/3: Lovett • 5/4: St. Pius
Photos: A look at Lovett
You make the call: What’s the buzz on Lovett in ‘08? Is this strictly a Lions rebuilding year? Games start in August. Talk starts NOW.
Lovett built a near-championship season in 2007. But by the end of the year, the Lions may as well have been sacrificial lambs.
Lovett rumbled to a 12-3 finish after a strong push in the playoffs got Mike Muschamp’s team all the way to the state title game in just his third season. And then Lovett had to play Buford.
The end result was a 50-0 trashing and a just-happy-to-be-here look for the Lions. The runner-up finish was the end of a remarkable two-year run for Lovett, but it may still pay dividends this fall.
“The good thing about going into playoffs as deep as we’ve been, for those younger guys, that’s like an extra month of practice,” Muschamp said. “That’s important to maintain to get that extra practice in. There’s a lot of carryover from that.”
The Lions will need all the extra experience they can get. Muschamp’s team lost a big senior class each of the last two seasons. The roster size for spring practice, which begins Monday, is down 15 players from the end of Muschamp’s first season.
“It kind of puts you behind the eight ball, so to speak,” Muschamp said. “But when that happens it presents an opportunity for others to step up. The past few years we’ve had very few kids go both ways. That may change with our numbers being what they are.”
Players may be missing, but talent certainly isn’t. Lovett returns an experienced quarterback for the first time in Muschamp’s tenure, and the offense could find multiple weapons to replace the talented Andre Hicks.
Muschamp doesn’t want to say whether or not his team can duplicate the efforts of the past two seasons. But he can guarantee one thing.
“Improving is a constant motto around here,” Muschamp said. “We’re going to improve. We’re trying to get our kids to understand and buy into that. For the most part we have.”
Lovett Lions
Region 6-AA
Spring practice dates: May 5-May 16.
Last year’s record: 12-3, lost in the state championship game.
Reclassification challenge: Does not apply.
Working on: Building depth. Lovett has lost 47 seniors the last two seasons, 25 from last year’s state runner-up team. Muschamp will look to reload various positions, including most of the defense, which lost seven starters. The offensive line only returns one player with starting experience, and playmakers will need to step forward to fill the void by Hicks. Said Muschamp: “We’re just going to try to tweak what we do to fit what our kids can do. Our strength last year was getting the ball to Andre. You never knew what was going to happen. It was going to be something good, but you just never knew how good it was going to be.”
Key starters lost: RB Andre Hicks; K Jack Hall; LB Adam Whitlock; DB Ricco Braxton; OL Elliott Henigan.
Key starters returning: QB Jonathan Carkhuff; TE Michael Steele; NG Jameel Stokes; DE Ross Pope; WR Max Williams; WR Drew Stockton; OLB Clay Cooledge; OLD Campbell Wilson.
2008 strengths: Muschamp is an offensive-minded coach who has mostly relied on defense to carry his team the past two seasons. He’ll finally get to lean on his side of the ball. Carkhuff is the first returning quarterback in Muschamp’s tenure. With two experienced junior wideouts in Williams and Stockton, expect the Lions to have a balanced attack. Steele, a senior, should be a good threat at tight end. Tailback should also be a strength behind junior Taylor Mack, who replaces Hicks.
2008 weaknesses: Depth should be a problem. The offensive line should be the biggest concern, however, with the Lions looking for five new starters. Said Muschamp: “I can’t wait to see what happens down there. We’ve got about seven or eight kids who are battling for five spots. We’ve got to find ourselves a center.” The entire secondary needs to be replaced, as well as the inside linebacker spots.
This season’s projection: It would be difficult to match the success of the past two seasons. Back-to-back trips to the Georgia Dome and a state championship game appearance are high marks for Muschamp’s team. Don’t expect that destiny this year as the Lions will rely on several underclassmen and look to rebuild. Muschamp still expects good things for his young squad. “Each year and each team is different,” Muschamp said. “To put a number or anything on it like that it impossible. Our job is to make the best possible football team that we can out of the kids that we have. We’ve set the bar high.”
Photos: A look at Lovett
Week Two Lineup
• 4/21: ML King • 4/22: Valdosta • 4/23: Buford • 4/24: P-Ridge • 4/25: Tucker • 4/26: Fayette • 4/27: Brookwood
Week One Lineup
• 4/14: Roswell • 4/15: Norcross • 4/16: Walton • 4/17: Harrison • 4/18: Camden • 4/19: Newnan • 4/20: Stephenson
You make the call: What’s the buzz on Lovett in ‘08? Is this strictly a Lions rebuilding year? Games start in August. Talk starts NOW.
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