Thursday night, Colquitt County head coach Rush Probst joined me on our radio show to talk about his #22 ranked Packers, who are off to a 3-0 start with a road game tonight in Alabama against Enterprise (1-1).
Colquitt County came into 2014 with lots of returning talent on both sides of the ball, but needed to find a replacement for graduated quarterback Daniel Mobley . Coach Probst told me during our interview that his offense hasn’t missed a beat with junior Chase Parrish taking over. Parrish has passed for 646 yards with six touchdowns and one inception while completing 71 percent of his passes.
“He (Parrish) really fits our offense,” said Probst. “Chase has the ability to spread the ball around because we have, as a group, some of the best receivers around.”
Kiel Pollard leads that group with 16 catches.
When the Packers have to run the football, preseason all-state running back Shiheim King has been the man. King is averaging 7.1 yards per carry while rushing for seven touchdowns in three games. King rushed for over 1,400 yards as a junior.
“He’s our guy that makes us click,” said Probst of King.
On the show, Probst said the key to offensive consistency is the development of the middle of the offensive line, which includes center Micah Edwards and guards Will Matney and Noah Moore. Those three are new starters that need to mesh with returning tackles Alfred Brown and Cade Blackburn.
The Colquitt County defense has lived-up to its billing by only allowing three touchdowns. The D is led by linebackers Bull Barge, Quintin Hampton and Tomarcio Reese, who Probst said are the best three linebackers he’s ever coached.
Barge leads the team with 33 tackles with six for loss. Hampton has recorded 25 tackles, while Reese has 21 tackles and an interception.
Probst is hoping this is the year that his Packers can get over the hump after reaching the state semifinals in AAAAAA five straight years. The last two years, Probst and his team lost to eventual state champ Norcross.
The Packers have played a tough non-league schedule that so far includes a win over Probst former team Hoover (Alabama) in Week 2. The non-league slate should prepare the team for the rigors of Georgia AAAAAA Region 1, which includes the likes of Camden County, Lowndes and Valdosta. All six teams in the region are 3-0 coming into this weekend’s games.
