GHSF Daily asked Georgia head coaches to answer these four questions. We'll report from a different head coach each day.
Wendell Early, Heritage-Conyers
1. What is the most memorable game you've been a part of as a player or coach? "My senior year in high school at Miramar in South Florida, we played South Broward for a chance to win our first district championship in history. The game went down to the wire with the lead changing hands several times. Back then, we didn't play tie-breakers, and when they scored with seconds left, they decided to go for two. My good friend Rocky Bonawitz made a fantastic goal-line interception to stop the two-point conversion. It was the first time in school history we won the district and got a playoff berth. Back then, only the district champions went to 'The Show.'"
2. Which high school coach would you want your son to play for, and why? "This is an easy one. I'd have wanted him to play for the man I played for: Jim Scroggins. Playing for Jim Scroggins was what made me want to be a football coach. His daily leadership and strong faith in God is why I am where and who I am today." [Scroggins was Early's coach at Miramar. He later was head coach at Cook and led the Hornets to the 2007 Class AA semifinals.]
3. What is your favorite saying/motto? "Proverbs 22:1: A good name is to be more desired than great riches; Favor is better than silver or gold."
4. Which GHSA policy or high school football rule would you most like to see changed? "Obviously the transfer rule. Personally, I think most kids transfer due to recruiting by other coaches, players and/or 'interested parties.' Some coaches out there think good coaching is recruiting someone else's players. All they are doing is telling their own kids that they're not good enough and he's going after someone else's player. I think the next most frequent reason is due to the coach running a tough, demanding program. It is not the popular trend in today's society to be committed and live by the expectations of the coach. A youngster [who] can't or won't make it is subject to some tough consequences and then runs away to the school down the street rather than taking the 'behavior modification,' learning from it and growing from the experience. It is a sad state of affairs. It ruined high school football in Florida, and it is threatening to ruin it here. I'm not sure what the best way to enforce it, but it is a huge problem."
Produced by Georgia High School Football Daily, a free e-mail newsletter. To join the mailing list, click here.
