FPD has too much in all phases for ACE in Macon Touchdown Club Middle Georgia Kickoff Classic
By Michael A. Lough
The Sports Report
centralgasports@gmail.com
The film won’t lie much.
Jason Stephens may be looking at some new faces in some starting positions, and Greg Moore will pretty much smile a lot.
FPD got a break with an early turnover, and turned it in points, and kept turning a lot of possessions into points en route to a 48-0 win over ACE in the first game Saturday of the Macon Touchdown Club Middle Georgia Kickoff Classic.
The game was delayed once with just less than nine minutes left in the game for lightning, but a running clock led to a quick finish, ACE still unable to mount anything against FPD’s reserves.
It was a quality first-game effort from FPD.
“I liked a lot,” FPD’s Moore said. “Mostly that I thought we played really well on defense. Did some good things, opportunistic things on offense.
Stephens thought some Gryphons were more tentative in game action against an opponent than in practice, and the lineup may have some changes.
Video: Michael A. Lough/The Central Georgia Sports Report
“We really had some stuff that wasn’t good, too.”
Not much.
FPD’s defense was expected to be a strength this season, and got off to a quality start, giving up nine rushing yards and 55 passing yards, the Gryphons managing only four first downs.
The Vikings outgained ACE 429-64.
Stephens was worried about his offensive line before the game, but less so afterward.
“This is one time I give them credit for doing what they were supposed to do,” he said. “We just didn’t seem to have a back that was fearless enough to hit it.
“My biggest concern was my offensive line. We got plenty of movement, created some big holes. … We’ve got to figure that out.”
The Gryphons defense got too much of freshman quarterback Jakhari Williams, who’s debut was pretty dandy.
FPD didn't do many things to rile up Moore, who will have to go to the video to find much to get yell about.
Video: Michael A. Lough/The Central Georgia Sports Report
He completed 14 of 17 passes for 265 yards and five touchdowns, 11, 7, 22, 7, and 45 yards, completing passes to six different receivers.
“I like him a lot,” Moore said. “I think everybody caught a little glimpse of the fact that he can be something pretty special.”
The Vikings scored less than two minutes into the game, on Griffin Green’s 1-yard run.
Three minutes later, Williams started a stretch, throwing TD passes on the Vikings’ next four scores en route to a 34-0 halftime lead.
FPD didn’t have a preseason scrimmage, so Moore was very much wondering what he’d see.
“I didn’t know what to expect,” he said. “Replacing so many different things on the perimeter, and we had a lot of new kids that haven’t played much on this kind of stage.
“I was really overall very pleased.”