As the 2017-18 school year comes to an end, many of the state's football teams are taking the field to begin to carve out depth charts for the fall. It can be a stressful for some programs, even for a defending champions, who are trying to replace starters who carried the team the season before.
Calhoun doesn't have that issue. The Yellow Jackets, who won the Class AAA state title in December, aren't going anywhere. There were some losses to graduation on both lines, but the play-makers are back.
The lineup is eerily similar. Of the 18 seniors Calhoun graduated from the 2017 lineup, only five defensive starters and three offensive starters were lost, and a majority of the moving parts return.
Don't be surprised to hear this a lot over the next six months: The Jackets are stacked.
In 2017-18, Calhoun's star quarterback Gavin Gray was 237-for-372 passing for 3,453 yards and 32 touchdowns, and he will return to add to those numbers in 2018. Zack Fuller led Calhoun in rushing yards with 1,300 yards on 228 attempts and 18 touchdowns as a junior in 2017. He returns.
The group of receivers is led by juniors – Luke Moseley, Brannon Spector, Bralin Barton – which shouldered a lot of the wide-out duties during the championship run. Look for their numbers to swell. Last year, Moseley had 51 catches for 787 yards and 11 touchdowns. Spector, who was involved in the controversial play at the end of the title game against Peach County, caught 45 passes for 724 yards and five touchdowns. He probably will play defensive back at Clemson. Barton added 669 yards on 39 catches with six touchdowns.
On defense, Calhoun lost five starters – middle linebacker Bailey Lester, defensive end Owen Williams, defensive end/tight end Zeke Nance, offensive and defensive tackle Andrew Clements and tackle.noseguard C.J. Fuller. Lester made 71 solo tackles and 48 assisted tackles last season and is on the roster at West Georgia. Williams had 44 solo tackles and 57 assisted tackles during his senior season. Nance made 44 solo tackles and 18 assisted tackles last season.
Calhoun will have to replace kicker Elmer Gutierrez, who played in 13 games last year and made 11-of-12 field-goal attempts and converted 45-of-48 extra points. Rising junior Eduardo Fajardo and rising seniors Aaron Hayes and Julion DeLeon will have their chances at filling the Gutierrez's shoes.
But when looking back at the depth Calhoun displayed throughout the 2017 season, into the playoffs and even in the championship game, there are talented athletes returning at most positions.
Is it too early to mention back-to-back? Well, it's a long way until December, and some of the other programs who reached the semifinals last season just might have a say.
Next week: Peach County
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