North Paulding coach talks North Cobb win, compares Georgia, Florida football
Today’s Four Questions interviewee is North Paulding coach Don Stark, whose football team is 5-2 overall and 4-0 in Region 5-7A. North Paulding can clinch the region title with a victories over Etowah (5-2, 3-1) and either of its final two opponents, Cherokee and Wheeler, both winless in region play. North Paulding took the region lead with a 22-19 victory over North Cobb last week. Stark is in his seventh season at North Paulding. He had been coach at Seminole in Sanford, Florida, where his record was 40-6 in four seasons.
1. What was the key to the North Cobb victory?
“There wasn’t much difference between the two teams. We went into overtime, and one team made one more play in the end. I think the last two years it’s been special teams. Last year, we ran into the punter twice, muffed a punt, and they ran a fake punt on us and converted. This year, we made our extra point and field goal, and they didn’t. That’s what put the game into overtime, and we were able to kick a field goal and get an interception to seal the victory. Stopping No. 8 (North Cobb running back Zachary Belyeu) was big. We did a good job containing him.”
Note: North Paulding held Belyeu to 80 rushing yards and North Cobb to a season-low 234 total yards. Defensive end/linebacker Kemudirim Ozurumba had nine solo tackles, a sack and four QB hurries.
2. You started slow, at 1-2, losing to East Paulding 33-10, later Harrison 12-9. What’s different about your October team compared to your August team?
“We haven’t turned the ball over on offense. That was the reason we lost the East Paulding game. We had two pick-6s and a blocked field goal for a touchdown, and they ran a fumble back. Our defense only gave up one touchdown. I’ve never been part of a game like that. A lot of it happened at the end of the game. We scored a touchdown and got it called back or we would’ve been up 10-7 in the fourth quarter. Then the wheels fell off. And Harrison is a good football team. Our offense was not clicking that night. Our defense is our strong suit if we don’t put them in bad positions. We’re playing good defense, and our offense is doing enough to win games. That’s how we beat North Cobb.”
Note: In the Maxwell Ratings projections, North Paulding was given a 20.4% chance of beating Walton, a 6.5% chance of beating Marietta and a 25% chance of beating North Cobb. North Paulding won those region games 35-7, 35-28 and 22-19, respectively.
3. The Maxwell Ratings project that you will win the rest of your games but get the No. 15 seed in Class 7A, behind North Cobb. In the old GHSA playoff format, North Paulding would’ve been given what amounts to a 1-8 seed with guaranteed home playoff games in the first two rounds. Do you like the new playoff format that determines seeds by a computer model?
“Me personally, no. I liked the way it was set up by region finish. You knew it was always settled on the field by the results in your region. I do understand there are concerns with that way of doing it. Maybe the fifth-place team in a better region is better than the third- or even the second-best in another, but I don’t know how many fifth seeds have ever won a state championship. I think every time you leave it up to a computer, there are going to be negatives and positives. I’m a little bit old school and wish it was settled on the field.”
4. You spent most of your career coaching in Florida. Now in your seventh season in Georgia, how would you compare high school football in the two states? What has surprised you about Georgia football?
“I think the resources up here that Georgia high schools provide is substantially better than in Florida. I have the privilege to work with a principal, Gabe Carmona, and an athletic director, Ryan Dyer, two former sports guys that played sports in college. It’s a blessing to work for men that get what we’re trying to do, which is not just educate kids but teach them how to live outside the academic year. The caliber of programs is better than Florida top to bottom. Florida has some great, elite programs, but every week in Georgia you’re coaching against teams and programs that are prepared and doing things offensively and defensively that create conflicts. Every state has those elite programs, but in Georgia, the programs are better top to bottom. That’s been my experience.”