By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

          Chance  Jones looked at the a few of the players and his Tattnall team were preparing for, coming on the heels of watching film of the opponent last week.

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          The opponent is deeper, bigger, and faster.

          “They look,” the Tattnall head coach said Tuesday at a press conference for the Macon Touchdown Club Middle Georgia Kickoff Classic, “like they could eat us for a snack.”

          The Trojans made a huge stride from a scrimmage against Howard to last week’s 59-15 win over an outmanned Our Lady of Mercy team, and that’s obviously a huge positive for a team that’s without several starters because of offseason and preseason injuries.

          “We learned we had to get in better shape, first of all,” Jones said. We learned our scout team needs to learn to be able to play at game speed, to be able to come into a game and not have that lull at the beginning.”

          But Dublin is a major step up in competition, and the stage is bigger when the two teams meet up at 5 p.m. Saturday at Mercer’s Five Star Stadium in the Macon Touchdown Club Middle Georgia Kickoff Classic.

          Everything the Trojans didn’t do against the Huskies, they did on the road at OLM.

          Quarterback Miles Morris ran the Trojans’ wing-T and made the right calls, with 39 first-quarter points. The one drawback: because of the rout and a weather-shortened game, Tattnall’s starters didn’t get anywhere near a decent workout.

          “It’s certainly something to worry about,” said Jones, who will play about 15 players with roughly a third of that total going both ways. “Going at 5 (p.m.) as well, you’re worried about being in shape and you you’re your summer stuff has helped you, as best as you can get it done without overheating.”

          Dublin’s first week was almost as successful statistically, with a 42-7 win over ECI. But the Irish’s opening opponent was a strong Class A program that started 2018 with three straight 11-win seasons and a top-10 ranking in both statewide polls.

          “Really, we just played well for the first game of the season,” Dublin head coach Roger Holmes said. “Our quarterback got out and had right at 200 yards. Him being a three-year starter, I think (we’re) starting to see the experience become a factor.”

          Veteran quarterbacks at Dublin invariably get compared to predecessors, like Rashad Smith, a multi-sport standout who played football at N.C. State. Is Rodriguez Martin approaching that level?
          “Not yet, not yet. We believe that we have playmakers in all skill positions. Until we prove that we can throw the ball effectively in game settings …

          “Rodriguez has been inconsistent his first two years throwing the ball. For us, we’ve still got to develop a little more consistency.”

          The Irish have some talent on the lines, led by prospect Steven Linton, a defensive lineman  (and tight end) who is getting increasing college attention.

          Two of the players Holmes brought Tuesday that Jones referenced were 230-pound fullback Greg Jones and the 210-pound Linton tight end as potential snackers.

          But Holmes wasn’t buying the Lou Holtz talk.

          “Their execution was much better. I think what Coach said was very true. They scored 30-something points in the first quarter. Howard jumped on them 21-0in the first quarter, but didn’t score again until late the third quarter.

          “Once (Tattnall) adjusted to game speed and those type of things, then all of a sudden, it’s another football team.”