Today’s interviewee is Rusty Mansell, recruiting analyst for 247Sports, Dawgs247 and CBS Sports. Mansell is doing color commentary on high school football games for PeachtreeTV this fall. Friday night’s game is Collins Hill at Rome.
Rusty Mansell, recruiting analyst
1. You’re known as a recruiting analyst, but you’ve found another niche as a color commentator. When did you start doing it, and what’s it been like? “You know I never really thought I would be going down this path in my career, so that is unexpected. About five or six years ago, someone was sick and not able to call a game at the Corky Kell Classic. I was there, and I.J. Rosenberg told me, ‘You are going in the booth.’ I really did not have enough time to think, and honestly it was a blessing I was able to work with Bob Rathbun. He carried me for sure, but I learned a lot of things that night, and it kind of fueled me to pursue this side of it a little more. My philosophy is not to try to talk like I am a college coach, because I am not. I tell the viewers what I see and try to provide some insight on the play. Ironically in 1993, I sat in the radio booth with K-98 radio in Rome just to listen to a broadcast. A person that was supposed to do analysis also got sick, so a little history, I called the first ever Rome high football game on the radio, and it was not planned either. I had a close friend that told me it was important to build your brand, and that is why I do every podcast or speaking engagement I can to help with that. I absolutely love doing this, and this season has been different-level special with my daughter, Kaylee, as the pre-game host. It is really fun to watch her career soar, and she will take her career to levels I would have no prayer getting to. She just naturally has it, to be honest.”
2. You’ve seen a bit of Collins Hill and will again Friday. What’s your assessment of Sam Horn-Travis Hunter? “What I see out of them is just chemistry, I see honesty and respect. I have been at practices, and they will have words with each other when a play is not right for either. They are like brothers. If you messed with one, you would get both, no question about it. They are special, and I know Travis gets all the hype and he deserves it, but Sam is really good and a gifted athlete. I wish I was blond hair, blue-eyed, 6-foot-4 with a cannon as a quarterback and 95 mph fastball in high school. Life has been pretty good to Mr. Horn, and he has been gifted to play with one of the best players to ever play in the state of Georgia. As a high school football fan, you just know to appreciate it because they will be talked about for a long time.”
3. Rome has had state champions awhile back that could match up with the current Collins Hill team. What’s your assessment of the current Rome team? Are they ready to slow down/compete with Collins Hill? “I have never seen a team like the 2018 Rome state championship team. I believe they averaged 50-plus point a game, but when they smelled blood, it was a wrap on defense. I watched some high-profile teams that quit against them in games. They wanted no more of that bunch. That was one of the most complete teams on both sides of the ball you will ever see in this state. I have been interviewed several times about this game, and one thing I’m 100% confident in, is that Rome will not be intimated at all. These kids practice hard, they train hard and get coached hard. I have been to it, and it is physical practices under John Reid. You must hold your breath every play with Travis Hunter, and Rome knows that, but I think the key is the Rome offense. They are really young, so it will be key for them to have some early success against Collins Hill. This will be the biggest and fastest defense they have faced with the young kids they have. This 2023 and 2024 group is special, and they beat down almost everyone for three years in middle school, so you know they are going to get even better.”
4. You’re from Rome and played at Pepperell. What would you want people to know about football history and tradition in Floyd County and Rome High? “The history is written about Northwest Georgia and especially Floyd County. You take a string of years starting with those East Rome teams in the late ‘70s to Model in ‘79 to West Rome ‘82-85, then Pepperell in ‘90, Darlington ‘98, all as state champions. You played someone up here back then, you better strap it up. I got a phone call from then Rome principal back a few months before they hired John Reid and we sat down and talked. He asked me what types of things were separating programs and what I was seeing around the state. Biggest thing I told him was paying your coaches and 11-month contracts, etc. You want to turn a program around, you have to get a coach and staff that wants to be here and you can keep. Rome has always had athletes, but they were not all in with other previous staffs, being honest. They have an indoor practice facility now, state-of-the-art weight room, and they have some state championship rings to show for it. I am a huge proponent of paying coaches, and you will get results more often than not. They have several staff members that turned down head coaching jobs elsewhere because they are making more at Rome as assistants, and that tells you a lot.”
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