The bright lights and national network coverage could make it difficult to maintain focus when No. 2 Cedar Grove travels to Hoover to face Alabama's highly regarded Hewitt-Trussville on Saturday.
For everyone, that is, except Cedar Grove coach Jimmy Smith.
"It's just a football game," he said, bluntly.
The game, which will be televised on ESPN at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, will take place at the Hoover Metropolitan Complex in Hoover, Ala., as a part of GEICO High School Kickoff, a series of seven games around the country televised by ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU.
Hewitt-Trussville is ranked as the No. 5 team in Alabama's highest class (AAAAAAA) and had an 11-1 record in 2017, following a quarterfinal loss to eventual champion Hoover. The Huskies quarterback, Paul Tyson, is committed to Alabama and will lead a group of four players planning to play for Nick Saban.
"Well, he is just a really good quarterback," Smith said. "So we are going to have to force him to make the hard throws. We can't allow him to make the easy throws."
Two senior Alabama commitments lead the group. Tyson, a 6-4, 217-pounder, is rated as a 4-star recruit and is the No. 13-rated recruit in Alabama and No. 12 rated pro-style quarterback nationally from the class of 2019, according to 24/7Sports. Pierce Quick, a 6-5, 287-pound offensive tackle, is rated as a 5-star recruit and the No. 7 offensive tackle nationally for the 2019 class.
"We are going to have to do a good job to figure out a way to get penetration," Smith said. "They have a really good quarterback and a great line."
The other two Crimson Tide commitments are entering their junior seasons. Four-star receiver Dazalin Worsham, a 6-foot, 169-pounder, is rated as the No. 3 overall recruit in Alabama for the class of 2020. Four-star cornerback Malachi Moore (5-11, 171-pounds) is rated as the No. 6 recruit in Alabama for the class of 2020.
Cedar Grove will enter the game after moving past Summerville, S.C., 21-7 last week in a smothering defensive performance which held Summerville to a total of six first downs, three of which came on the final drive of the game according to Cedar Grove's stat man Michael Martin. Cedar Grove also held Summerville to two-of-11 on third-down attempts.
For Smith and the Saints, the two consecutive weeks of travel have been welcomed as an eye-opening start to the season.
“You just want to give the guys an opportunity to see something different,” Smith said of his decision to take his team on the road for the first two weeks of the season. “Even if it’s outside of football. Just learning how to prepare themselves to go on the road to a game or to travel. My overall goal is to prepare my guys for the next level in football, or life in general.”
Through one game on the road, the offense hasn’t been too far behind the defense in terms of quality and execution.
Against Summerville, the Saints relied on an efficient performance from AJC Super 11 Jadon Haselwood, a UGA commit since he was a sophomore. Haselwood, who stars in all three facets of the Cedar Grove rotation, had four receptions for 26 yards and a touchdown. As the main Saints return man, he returned a punt inside the Summerville 5-yard line to set up Cedar Grove's final touchdown.
As it displayed against Summerville, the Cedar Grove defense is where the Saints have the tools make their opponents pay. The defensive line is downright frightening, with top Division-1 talent across the board. Defensive tackle Rashad Cheney, a 6-foot-2, 270-pounder, will play at Alabama. Defensive end Dante Walker, a Riverdale transfer, is rated as a 4-star recruit. The other defensive end, Alvin Williams, is a 6-2, 195-pound 3-star recruit. Inside linebacker Isaiah Ratcliff is rated as a 3-star recruit at 6-1, 205-pounds.
"But," Smith said of the challenge this weekend. "Hopefully my guys can rise to the task."
Here's the rest of the Class AAA Top-10 schedule this weekend:
1. (1) Calhoun (1-0): Off before hosting Therrell on Aug. 31.
2. (2) Cedar Grove (1-0): See above.
3. (3) Greater Atlanta Christian (1-0): Playing at home against No. 6 Westminster on Friday.
4. (4) Peach County (0-0): Facing Class AAAAAA No. 3 Northside-Warner Robins on Saturday at Mercer.
5. (5) Benedictine (1-0): Travels to Class AAAA No. 1 Blessed Trinity on Sept. 7.
6. (8) Westminster (1-0): Travels to No. 3 GAC on Friday.
7. (7) Lovett (0-1): Travels to Class AAAA No. 2 Marist on Friday.
8. (9) Liberty County (0-0): Travels to Bradwell Institute on Friday.
9. (6) Jefferson (0-1): Travels to West Hall on Aug. 31
10. (NR) Westside-Macon (1-0): Travels to Harris County on Friday.
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