GHSF Daily asked Georgia head coaches to answer these four questions. We'll report from a different head coach each day.
John Reid, Rome
1. What is the most memorable game you've been a part of as a player or coach?"This is my 28th year as a football coach. During my career, my family and I have had the good fortune to coach in three states - Indiana, Tennessee and Georgia. We have been in numerous memorable games with and against some tremendous coaches and players. The most memorable would be the 2004 Tennessee state championship. I was the head coach at Alcoa. We were playing Huntingdon. There were some tremendous players on the field. We had Mr. Football and future Florida State player Brandon Warren. Both teams had multiple SEC players on the field. In fact, Randall Cobb (Green Bay Packers) was our holder and back-up quarterback. We (Alcoa) came out hot and got ahead 14 points. Huntingdon responded and went ahead 34-26 at half. Huntingdon scored first in the third quarter and went ahead 41-26. We then went on a 26-point run and won 52-41. We were ahead by 14, down by 15, and won by 11. In the following days and weeks, many people that were at the game commented that it was the best high school game they had ever seen. Both teams combined for over 1,000 yards of offense and 93 points. It is especially memorable to me because my son Colton was our starting center."
2. Which high school coach would you want your son to play for and why? "Any of the legendary coaches from Georgia that have been talked about in previous editions of GHSF Daily. I have only been in Georgia for 10 years, so it has been very rewarding reading about Buck Godfey [of Southwest DeKalb] or George Maloof [of St. Pius] from their former players that are now coaches. I want to mention that there are many future legends that are still coaching in Georgia that I would be proud to have my son play for. I will name two from previous states that I would want my son to play for, both of which were our biggest rivals when I coached against them. First, from Indiana, Fort Wayne Snider High School, hall of fame head coach Russ Isaacs. Russ always had the toughest, most well-prepared team we faced. He displayed great work ethic and integrity. Second from Maryville High School in Tennessee, Coach George Quarles. Coach Quarles has won as many games as any coach in the country over the last 15 years. His teams have won double-digit state championships, but more importantly is the way he coached and treated his players. He is a very humble and generous person and a tribute to the coaching profession."
3. What is your favorite saying/motto?"There are two ways of doing things on our practice field - Right or Over."
4. Which GHSA policy or high school football rule would you most like to see changed?"I think that we should change the rule counting special team quarters against the six-quarter rule." [Players are not allowed to participate in more than six quarters per week in JV and varsity games combined.]
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