Blessed Trinity coach says first-round OT victory brought ‘pure joy and relief’
Today’s Four Questions interviewee is Blessed Trinity coach Ed Dudley, whose team defeated Stockbridge 28-27 in the Class 4A first round last week. Blessed Trinity defensive end DJ Jacobs, rated the No. 1 junior prospect nationally by 247Sports, blocked an extra point in overtime on the final play of the game. Blessed Trinity will play at Marist on Friday in the second round. Dudley is in his 32nd season as a head coach, his third at Blessed Trinity. His career record is 241-129. Dudley and Marist coach Alan Chadwick (455-82) are the two winningest active GHSA coaches.
1. For those who didn’t see the Stockbridge game, what was the key moment, and what made it memorable?
“I think the key moment was DJ Jacobs blocking the extra point in overtime to give us the win. The game had been so back and forth until that time that something had to give. The game will stay in my memory for a long time. Stockbridge was extremely well coached and explosive athletically. They are very young and will be troublesome for everyone next year. Our players’ reaction of pure joy and relief at the end of the game is something I will remember for a long time.”
2. Stockbridge passed for more than 400 yards, and you had to make some clutch stops, including two interceptions. I’m guessing Marist won’t replicate that. How do you prepare for what Marist has to offer?
“Stockbridge is a wide open Air Raid team. They put up a ton of yards against us, and we were able to stand up to them in the red zone. Marist is the premier triple-option team in our state. We will have to play disciplined and stay with our assignments for all 48 minutes. We prepare very differently for Marist than we do for Stockbridge. We will emphasize half line option drills and assignment-based defense. That is the beauty of high school football. Air Raid one week and Wishbone the next.
3. Your best-known player is DJ. His younger brother Dawson, also a defensive lineman, isn’t far behind. Can you describe the skill set of each? Have you coached other D-linemen this good?
“DJ and Dawson are amazing young men. They have tremendous athletic ability and are high-character individuals as well. DJ is an explosive edge rusher with a great first step. Dawson is a powerful inside player who has fantastic instincts and technique. I have coached a lot of good defensive linemen and edge players over the years, players like Derrick Little and Chuck Smith at Clarke Central, Reggie Elder and Corby Johnson at Carrollton, Chase Thomas at Walton and Jimal McBride at Ware County. I know I am leaving guys off this list. The Jacobs brothers are probably ahead of those men at this stage in their careers. They both have very bright futures.”
Note: The Jacobs brothers each had two tackles for losses, and another prize defensive lineman, Lucas Smalls-Allen, had three. Smalls-Allen is a senior committed to Kansas.
4. For Friday’s game, imagine the GHSA is allowing every coach one five-minute timeout during which the coach can call anybody on his cellphone and discuss strategy, his next move, how to get out of a jam. Who are you calling?
“With apologies to the hundreds of coaches I have worked for and with, I am going to call former East Rome and Darlington head coach Jerry Sharp. I wanted to call Billy Henderson and Ben Scott, but that call was too expensive. It will be dark, so Coach Sharp will be off the golf course. He always had a calm demeanor with us and could pull a rabbit out of his hat in any situation. His common-sense approach to the game and his ability to teach situations were unmatched. I know Coach Sharp will have a way to help me no matter what the situation. It will probably end up tight slot right 28 sweep, sweep blocking to Will Muschamp.”
Note: Muschamp was Sharp’s star tailback at Darlington in the late 1980s. Of course, he gained greater notoriety as a Georgia player, Florida head coach and Georgia co-defensive coordinator. Billy Henderson at Clarke Central and Ben Scott at Carrollton were state-winning head coaches who have passed away. Dudley worked on their staffs in the 1980s before his first head-coaching job at Buford in 1992. Sharp was among the first GHSA coaches to win state titles at two schools — East Rome in 1977 and 1978, and Darlington in 1998. He’s a member of the GACA Hall of Fame.
About the Author
Todd Holcomb covers high school sports across the state. He rejoined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2025 and has worked with the AJC in varying capacities since 1985. He is a co-founder and editor of Georgia High School Football Daily.
