Today’s interviewee is Northeast coach Jeremy Wiggins, whose team defeated fourth-ranked Bleckley County 37-34 in a Class 2A game Friday. The victory put Northeast in sole possession of first place in Region 3-2A and in the state rankings for the first time since 2002. Wiggins, in his third season as Northeast’s head coach, is an alumnus of the Macon school who became an All-America safety at Appalachian State. In 2018, Wiggins was named by GHSF Daily as the best football player in Northeast history.
Jeremy Wiggins, Northeast head coach
1. What did the win mean to your team? “It was big for the program, and I think it was a confidence booster for the team. It was significant because it puts us in the driver’s seat to win the region.”
2. How did the game play out? What gave your team the edge? “We got off to a fast start on the offensive side of the ball with some big plays. We were able to control the game in the first half. We made a couple of mistakes in the third quarter that put them back in the game. Junior quarterback Travion Solomon was able to execute the two-minute drill to throw the game-winning touchdown caught by junior Dicey Hopkins to win the game. I think our athletic ability, speed and preparation with the two-minute drill gave us the edge to win the game.”
3. What persuaded you to come to your alma mater and coach in 2018? What did you see at Northeast? “Just the chance to give back to my community and try and build a football program to impact and help our student-athletes get to the next level. I saw needs, potential, and an opportunity to bring change.”
4. What have you and your staff done in your three seasons that you feel has made the biggest difference? “I think we’ve changed the culture by first building relationships with the kids, teaching core values of life and teaching them how to work hard to overcome adversity. As coaches, we want to make a difference in our players' lives and be that role model for them.”
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