Last season, the Rockmart Yellow Jackets rode a season-long win streak all the way to the AA championship game, where they came up short, 27-6 to Heard County. Though it would have been their first state title since they won Class A in 1950, it was still a historic year for them. Their 14 wins topped the 12 they won in their championship season.
The Jackets have been on an upward trajectory since coach Biff Parson arrived ahead of the 2016 season. They finished 2-8 in Class AAA the year before, which was followed by the school hiring Parson as coach in January, 2016. What followed for the Jackets — who reclassified to Class AA — were consecutive 9-3 seasons that ended in the second round before they broke through in 2018.
The program’s turnaround began with its 2016 spring practice.
“There was a lot of excitement,” Parsons said. “Any time there’s a change, that happens...How’d we turn it around? The kids. And the coaches. We had to keep a lot of the staff, and everyone bought in.”
Well, not everyone. The changes that come with improving a team from 2-8 to 9-3 are never easy. There were some players who weren’t on board with the new direction and that led to attrition.
Parsons estimates around six players quit the team that spring.
“Two years removed from that (during the 2018 season), some of the players told me (the attrition) was eye-opening for them,” Parsons said.
Now, in spring session No. 3 for Parsons and the Jackets, a trademark of Parsons’ dubbed “The Standard” is firmly entrenched. Entangled in The Standard are the team’s goals and its vision to reach them. Unlike the first spring, the players are now onboard and know what to expect.
The spring session will take place in the first two weeks of May.
“We won’t have a spring game or traditional practices,” Parsons said. “We’ll get the kids out there, do our speed and agility drills and open it up to all athletes within our sports teams. It gives everyone a chance to get to know us, and then we take some time off before our summer program starts at the end of May.”
The Jackets lose six starters on each side of the ball, including quarterback Dylan Bailey and running backs Markus Smith and D.J. Whatley. Those three accounted for more than 4,000 yards of offense and 60 touchdowns.
They also lost their field goal kicker.
“We feel like we’ve got some players who can step in,” Parsons said. “The cupboard is not empty — we have 18 juniors — but it is inexperienced.”
At quarterback, Whatley’s younger brother, Javin Whatley looks to be the guy going into the preseason but others could get looks. Javin Whatley rushed for 653 yards and six touchdowns last season.
A strength for the Jackets will be the offensive line, which loses just two starters and which Parsons describes as “intact.” Deacon Allen has started since he was a freshman and will anchor both lines. Tight end Reid Couch and receiver/defensive back Juke Boozer, who holds offers from Syracuse, Tulane and Virginia, are expected to thrive as team playmakers.
Allen, Boozer, defensive back Paine Culver and linebacker Kieron Roberts will lead the defense.
Despite the roster shakeup that every program endures, Parsons still expects a lot from the 2019 Jackets.
“That’s the drink we’ve poured ourselves going 14-1 and playing in The Benz,” Parsons said. “Anything less than that and the reality is, people will feel like we’ve failed to reach our mark based on what we’ve done. Our goal and vision is to win state, and the taste from last season has helped a lot of our kids to want to get bigger, stronger and faster, because they know their time is now.
“Every year is a new team, a new identity, new leadership. We’ve got to figure out who is going to bond, who is going to lead, who is going to follow and there are other and different issues. It’s going to be tough with the expectations we’ve placed on ourselves, but that’s a good thing. We don’t want to be in a place where there’s no expectations.”
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