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DEL.ICIO.USSpring Football Fling: GAC expects winning ways to continue as usual
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 several of the top teams in the metro and state.
You make the call: What’s the buzz on GAC in ‘08? Will change affect the Spartans’ winning ways? Games start in August. Talk starts NOW.
Greater Atlanta Christian Spartans
Region 6-AA
Spring practice dates: May 6-May 16
Last year’s record: 9-4, lost in state quarterfinals
Working on: The Spartans lost their top two tailbacks from 2007, Ben Donald to graduation and Bobby Petrino to Arkansas. Fullbacks Matt Cape and Blake Southerland will get some carries, but new coach Ken Robinson is looking for tailbacks. “We’ve got some consistent guys who have been in our program for a while,” he said. “It will probably have to be more by committee. That’s one of the questions that hopefully will get answered this spring and summer.”
Key starters lost: TE/LB Christian Robinson, OL/DL Justin Lumsden, TE/LB Michael Carothers, RB/LB Ben Donald
Key starters returning: QB Colton Chapple, FB/LB Blake Southerland, OL/DL Luke Davis, OL/DL Patrick Hartman, WR/DB Julian Horton, DB Stephen Atwater
Strengths: The Spartans are experienced on both lines. On offense, four projected starters played a lot of snaps last year. Quarterback Colton Chapple and wideout Julian Horton have developed great chemistry and should continue to burn defenses for long pass plays.
Weaknesses: There are no Caleb King or Micah Andrews-type talents at running back, and the top two tailbacks from last season are gone. Look for the Spartans to divide carries among several runners. Linebacker is another question mark due to the departure of Georgia-bound Christian Robinson.
Projection: The Spartans are adjusting to a new head coach, Robinson, and a new defensive coordinator in Felix Curry, formerly of South Gwinnett. But Robinson, a GAC assistant for six years, isn’t planning major scheme changes, so it should be a smooth transition. GAC has the talent to go deep in the playoffs.
Comment: “There’s nothing wrong with our system,” said Robinson, referring to GAC’s success under predecessors Jimmy Chupp and Jim Lofton. “We’re hoping to build a special team, which is separated by those intangibles. The way you build it is to get a bunch of guys paying the price together, making an investment and caring so much that they’re not willing to let one another down.”
Week Three Lineup
• 4/28: Lowndes • 4/29: Parkview • 4/30: Mays • 5/1: Marist • 5/2: Northside-WR • 5/3: Lovett • 5/4: St. Pius
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 GAC in ‘08? Will change affect the Spartans’ winning ways? Games start in August. Talk starts NOW.
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