Worth County coach talks game prep for ‘nemesis’ Fitzgerald matchup
Today’s Four Questions interviewee is Worth County coach Jeff Hammond, whose team is ranked No. 1 in Class A Division I entering Friday night’s Region 1 game against No. 9 Fitzgerald. Worth County won the region last season but lost to Fitzgerald in the regular season and the quarterfinals. Worth County is ranked No. 1 for the first time since 1990. Fitzgerald has won the past 11 games in the series. Worth County is 26-9 in Hammond’s four seasons. Worth was 11-39 in the five seasons prior. Hammond was Coffee’s offensive coordinator before taking the Worth job in 2022.
1. The first Four Questions we did with you was ahead of the 2022 Fitzgerald game. It was your first season as head coach. Your team was 6-0, having just clinched its first winning season since 2016. Fitzgerald was No. 1. You lost 42-0. You finished 8-3. What was the state of the program then compared to now?
“We weren’t mentally or physically in a position to compete with a team like Fitzgerald. During that season, we were hoping to win games. Now I believe that the players expect to win. They understand that there will be adversity in every game, but they can overcome it and be successful. Also, they have worked extremely hard in the weight room and at practice to be physical enough to compete with great programs. Additionally, the ability to supply nutrition every night of the week has helped their bodies. My board of education and booster club have done an outstanding job of providing us resources to maximize our players.”
2. You are ranked No. 1 by GHSF Daily and the Maxwell Ratings and are the consensus No. 1 team in the composite rankings. Is that recognition good in any way, or is it rat poison? Or irrelevant?
“It’s always nice to be recognized as a top program in the state. Our community needs this, especially since they went so long not being competitive. For our players it can be rat poison. We can’t believe what is being written about or voted on but concentrate on playing to the best of our ability no matter who the opponent is. If we are going to do polls in high school, then I wish it came later in the season where there is enough data to really tell who are the top teams.”
3. From a symbolic standpoint, what does the Fitzgerald game mean to your program given the history, including last year’s two losses?
“They have been our nemesis. We have to find a way to overcome that obstacle, but no matter what happens this is not the end of our season. If we win, great, then it puts us in a good place in the region. If we lose then we have a lot of football left to achieve our goal.”
4. From a more practical standpoint, what does Fitzgerald bring to the table physically that makes them hard to beat, and what will you need to do to win?
“They are still as physical as ever. They will run the ball and control the tempo of the game. They are also very good on defense. We will have to get off blocks, tackle and not give up the big play. Offensively we will have to be good on third downs and in the red zone score when we have chances.”
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.
