Bowdon coach says team has ‘a lot more depth’ as it goes for 4-peat title
Today’s Four Questions interviewee is Bowdon coach Richard Fendley, whose team won Class A Division II last season for the Red Devils’ third championship in three seasons. The recent graduating class had a four-year record of 50-7.
1. What was the legacy of the 2024 Bowdon team?
“I would say the legacy was getting to play Clinch, Irwin County and Brooks County in weeks 13, 14, 15 to win the state title. Those three schools are probably the most historic Class A schools, with all of them winning the five previous titles before we won it in 2022. One of those three schools won the title from 2017 to 2021.”
2. What’s the outlook for the 2025 Red Devils?
“We have a lot of depth on this year’s team, more than the previous three seasons. Our OL/DL brings back a lot of experience. Our WR core also brings back four seniors as well as some young athletic players. Areas of concern are the secondary. We have two seniors back, Berkley Perkins, a four-year starter, and Keilan Prothro, a two-year starter, but the rest are 10th and 11th graders.”
3. You’ve won state titles with three different quarterbacks. Who will be this year’s quarterback?
“Josh Hopkins has emerged as our starter. However, our QB room is deeper than it has been. Josh was the starter at Johns Creek last year. We have three juniors — Connor Daniel, Levi Parker and Brayden Yates — and two freshmen — Grayson Bryant and Eli Harris. We will look a lot more like we did in 2022. Pretty well balanced with a running-back-by-committee approach.”
Note: The 2024 quarterback, Charles Maxell III, is playing at Washington University in St. Louis. The 2023 quarterback, Kyler McGrinn, is at Jacksonville State. The 2022 quarterback, Robert O’Neal, played at East Tennessee State.
4. What has been the single biggest victory for Bowdon since you became coach?
“I can’t pick just one game. Three games come to mind. In 2022, we played Early County in the quarterfinals and got down 19-0 in the first quarter. We found a way to come back and win 36-26, and I think that game put Bowdon as one of the elite programs in Class A. In 2023, we were down 23-21 to a very talented Greene County and won it with no time left on the clock with free safety Jordan Beasley tackling a Greene County wide receiver on the 6-inch line to seal the deal. The third would be the 21-20 loss to Manchester in the opening game and avenging that loss in the state title game 28-27. Best football environment was the two games against Schley County, which were both narrow wins 35-31 (at home in the 2023 semifinals) and 39-31 (at Georgia State in the 2022 final).”
About the Author
Todd Holcomb has been a contributor to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution since 1985. He is currently co-founder and editor of Georgia High School Football Daily.
