By David Parker

Athens Drive football season is coming to an end but at this point their record is 0-9 and is looking to finish off the season strong.  The Jaguars have had to push through a lot of adversity throughout the course of the season but continue to fight.

After three games, the Jags cut ways with Head Coach Chris Martin who was replaced  by interim head coaches Jimmy Ray and a different Chris Martin that players and students call “Deuce.”  After the head coaching change, the Jags are still searching for their first win of the season and have dropped all five games under Coach Ray and coach Martin.

“The change was not very easy at first, but once we got used to it, it has made practice more efficient,” Peyton Smith, senior football player, said.

Athens has also had to fight through countless injuries that has seriously hurt the team.  Junior quarterback Tre Echols missed three games to due with a concussion that he suffered during a game against Grimsley High School, a game in which they lost 7-44.

“I’m not the only one to get injured this season, and if we all could have stayed healthy all season, who knows how our season would have turned out,” Echols said.

Some of the team has been down morally after losing all their games, but that can change with a lot of hard work.

“After I got my ankles so broken by Braxton Barrios my sophomore year, my feelings were kind of hurt, but they are starting to feel much better. What a feeling it is,” Smith said.

There have been many changes to the practice schedule for the jags that make practice a lot less predictable. Previously practice was lasted from 2:30 p.m. to almost 6 p.m.  At practice players lift weights, watch film, and proceed to go outside and practice.  

“Practice was so tough; we worked really hard but at the end of practice we were all gassed and once we got home it was tough to do homework because we were so tired from all the football,” Smith said.

Now with the coach change, practice starts at 2:45 p.m. for skill players (quarterbacks, receivers, running backs, kickers, punters, and long snappers) and the rest of the team comes out at 3 p.m.  Players get out of practice at roughly 5:30 p.m.  Coaches lock the gates, and if you are late, then you do not practice.  This was put into place because players used to be late and would miss out on crucial information at the beginning of practice ;also makes discipline a key part in the jaguar success on and off the field.

“The new schedule is so nice because I can go home and actually get my homework done and get a good night of sleep, which helps me in school and practice,” Smith said.

As the football season comes to an end, the Jags look to finish strong despite a coaching change midway through the season and many injuries.Athens Drive football