Terrence Edwards delays title celebration, praises ex-teammate Quincy Carter
Today’s Four Questions interviewee is Mount Vernon coach Terrence Edwards, whose team clinched Region 9-2A with a 47-17 victory over Mount Paran Christian last week. The region championship is the first for the Sandy Springs school, which played its first football season in 2006. Edwards became Mount Vernon’s coach in 2024 after working on Milton’s staff as passing game coordinator during its 2023 Class 7A championship season. Edwards was recently selected for induction into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame for his achievements as a state-winning quarterback at Washington County, a record-setting wide receiver at Georgia and a nine-year standout in the Canadian Football League.
1. What does the region title mean to you and your program and school?
“It’s been great, honestly. It’s something we put on paper as one of our goals. But even though we clinched last week, I didn’t make it a big deal because we want to finish off our regular season strong and not come into this last game Friday like we’ve arrived. (Mount Vernon is playing at Mount Pisgah Christian.) We don’t need to lose focus and not play up to our capabilities. We need to keep practicing hard and finish strong. This is a big deal for Mount Vernon, but we won’t celebrate until after Friday’s game.”
Note: Mount Vernon’s 28-14 victory over Fellowship Christian on Oct. 2 was the pivotal game in capturing the region championship. Fellowship had won 43 straight region games and seven straight region titles. Mount Vernon (7-2, 5-0) is ranked No. 6 in Class 4A-2A Private and is a 42-point favorite to beat Mount Pisgah (3-6, 1-4), according to the Maxwell Ratings.
2. What’s the identity and scouting report for your team?
“Offensively we are a run-based team this year even though our Georgia commit (wide receiver Taurean Rawlins) has 13 touchdowns. On defense, our strength is our secondary that can play man-to-man if we need to. We have a fast defense up front and rely on the abilities we have, which is to run to the football. We have a good kicker who allows us to kick a field goal anytime we get past midfield, and he can punt, too. We have an unselfish team that understands the goal is to win the region championship and contend for a high seed and put selfish goals aside. I tell them, ‘If you’re the best team in your region, your accolades will come.’”
Note: Mount Vernon’s kicker/punter is Pierce Bhamornsiri. Senior Gavin Steele is the leading rusher with 913 yards. Mount Vernon’s original starting quarterback, senior AJ Rahal, has not returned from a Game 3 injury. Junior Kobe Fleming has taken over. Rawlins’ numbers are down this season, 515 receiving yards compared to 1,395 in 2025, but he commands the most attention from opposing defenses.
3. You’re not the only former Georgia Bulldog to win a historic region title this season. Quincy Carter was your first quarterback at Georgia, and he has led Heritage of Conyers to its first region title since 2016 in his first year as a head coach. His team was 1-9 the season before. Have you been in contact with Quincy about this history you’re making?
“Me and Quincy talk a lot. If you check out my social media, I told him, ‘If no one else gives you your flowers, I will. You do a great job.’ We all know his story, the struggles he’s faced in his life. For him to come back and have sobriety and be able to give his testimony to these young men and share his story, from being a top quarterback in the country in high school, playing for Buck Godfrey, and speaking at his funeral this year. Quincy is the right person for that job. I’m proud of him. I knew this moment was going to come. I knew he was going to get an opportunity. His mission is just to help kids. I don’t want to speak for him, but God doesn’t put things on people they can’t handle. He put it on someone who can handle this and now has a testimony that he can give to kids. ‘Don’t follow my same path,’ and if they do, they always have somebody to talk to about it. He’s a good dude at the end of the day. I love that guy. And Quincy should be the coach of the year in Georgia. Turning a team from 1-9 to a region championship, that’s coaching. That’s what that award should be about.”
Note: Carter was the AJC’s all-classification Player of the Year in 1995, when he led Southwest DeKalb to a state championship in the highest class under Georgia Sports Hall of Fame coach Godfrey, who passed away Aug. 1. Carter was Georgia’s starting quarterback during two of Edwards’ seasons (1999-2000) and played four years in the NFL before drug issues and legal troubles derailed his career. Carter claims seven years of sobriety.
4. How did you feel about getting selected for the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame?
“Surprised. I do know I’ve been on the ballot a few times, and I finally got in. It’s something special when your achievements are recognized, from my high school career, my college career, my pro career and my coaching career. And I get to share this moment with my wife and kids. My kids get an opportunity to see what their father was able to do as a teenager. I’ve got two teenagers at home now. It’s a just a good feeling.”
Note: Edwards led Washington County to 15-0 seasons in 1996 and 1997 as a quarterback before becoming Georgia’s all-time leader in receiving yards, a record that remains. His oldest son, Terrence Edwards II, is a junior wide receiver/cornerback at Mount Vernon. Youngest son Troy Edwards is a sophomore wide receiver/cornerback at Woodward Academy.