(Post sponsored by Tinsley Title, Holt Wrecker, R&R lawn specialists, Gibson Pharmacy.)
Talking on this week’s Hornet podcast, Coach Zac Harrell praised his team’s focus and execution in last week’s win and looked ahead to Friday’s homecoming matchup with Jacksonville.
Recap of Last Week’s Win
The Hornets moved to 2-1 after a dominant performance over Palestine. Coach Harrell said the difference was how his team prepared and locked in throughout the week.
“We’re at the point where they play hard every night,” he said. “So now, what are the other areas we have to improve on to get to where we want to be? And focusing for a game is a big part of that.”
Coach Harrell said Athens executed in all three phases — offense, defense, and special teams — better than they have all season. Depth was also a highlight, with six different players scoring touchdowns and more than ten touching the ball.
“That’s really nice to have,” he said. “We don’t have a lot of kids playing both ways, and because of that we’ve been able to get more practice time at offense and defense. That’s been big.”
Scouting Jacksonville
The Hornets will welcome the winless Jacksonville Indians (0-3) to Bruce Field for homecoming.
Coach Harrell said Jacksonville is adjusting under a new coaching staff led by head coach Montey Stevenson, formerly the defensive coordinator at Alvarado. The Indians will use a 3-3 stack defense, which requires Athens to adjust blocking assignments.
On offense, Jacksonville relies heavily on the passing game, with quarterback Ben Bolton throwing the ball about 65 percent of the time.
“It’s going to be a good test for our secondary,” Coach Harrell said. “Really, it’s probably the first pass-first team we’ve played.”
The Athens secondary has been one of the highlights of the season. With only one player returning with varsity experience, the group has steadily improved and came up with key plays last week.
Keys to Victory
The word of the week is "Us." Coach Harrell said the focus is on improvement, not the opponent.
* Nameless Opponent. The goal is to improve each week, no matter who lines up across the field.
* Sharper Route Running. Receivers must improve the depth and precision of their routes to prepare for tougher competition down the road.
* Sound Secondary Play. Jacksonville throws often, so assignment discipline will be critical.
* Cause Three Turnovers. Athens created two last week and is pushing to get on the plus side of the season turnover margin.
* Big Return. The Hornets are still looking for a game-changing play on special teams.
Homecoming Atmosphere
Coach Harrell said last week’s crowd brought great energy and noise, and he hopes to see that again on Friday.
“We need the same energy this week,” he said. “It should be a fun night at Bruce Field.”
This Week
Friday, Sept. 19 – Athens vs. Jacksonville, 7:30 p.m., Bruce Field (Homecoming)
