>> GMC PREP
The GMC Prep football team hasn’t had it easy so far this season. The Bulldogs return a lot of talent from last year’s historic season, but are currently 0-3 to start 2022.
Their latest loss comes at the hands of Brentwood, which defeated the Bulldogs 27-16.
GMC has struggled with the turnover bug this season and those mistakes have cost the Bulldogs in all three games. It was the same story against the War Eagles this past Friday.
Fourth-year head coach Lee Coleman is frustrated with GMC’s start.
“When you turn the ball over as much as we do, you will never win a football game,” Coleman said. “We’re not giving ourselves a chance to win a game when we turn the ball over. In three games, we have nine turnovers. That’s hard to overcome.”
The Bulldogs turned the ball over on three consecutive drives against Wheeler County in the first-half during the season opener, which cost them big-time in the end. The Bulldogs of Talmo scored 21 points off turnovers and defeated GMC, 35-14.
Last week, GMC and ACE Charter were locked in a tight game heading into the fourth quarter; however, the Bulldogs had a couple of key mistakes that gave the Gryphons the win.
Coleman highlighted that his offense can sustain drives, but their errors are costing them games.
“We’re just making boneheaded mistakes. They are just momentum killers,” Coleman said. “I mean, we are driving the ball up and down the field, then we’re just negating it with a turnover. That just cannot happen. It’s killing us. You can see it.”
Brentwood was the latest to win the turnover battle over the Bulldogs. The War Eagles came up with four takeaways, leading to a victory after a back-andforth battle. GMC struck first as placekicker Levi Ward nailed a 47-yard field goal. Brentwood answered on the ensuing kickoff as senior Wells Muller returned it to the endzone for six.
The War Eagles held a 13-9 lead at halftime, but broke open the game in the fourth quarter. Brentwood outscored the Bulldogs 14-7 in the final period and made some key plays.
The War Eagle defense picked off GMC quarterback Tyler Saunders as the Bulldogs were driving. They would score a touchdown and go up 27-9 a few plays later.
Coleman explained that another problem his team faces is blocking upfront.
“They (Brentwood) gave us a box where we could throw it. That’s why we threw the ball,” he said. “However, when they did give us the box when we would run it, it’s just little plays here and there where we are one play away from breaking it open.”
The Bulldogs returned nine offensive starters from last season, but that group is not performing thus far. They are averaging 15 points per contest through the first three games, while last season’s high-powered offense scored around 35 points per contest.
GMC’s offense is highlighted by Saunders under center and wide receiver Caleb Bush. Bulldogs running back Jessie Washington III is also a threat, but he’s been injured. Jonathan Roach and Isaiah Womble also returned for GMC Prep this season.
However, for Coleman, something just isn’t clicking for this group at the moment.
“We have pieces, but to look this bad, I am flabbergasted,” Coleman said. “I don’t know how to explain it. It’s obvious that off-season work wasn’t important. When you don't put in the work during the offseason, you can see that there is a lot of complacency. We’re complacent of what we did last year, and when you’re doing that, not realizing that each year you have to get better, there’s a target on your back. Sometimes, it’s just personal accountability to be better and we haven’t found that yet.”
GMC’s schedule doesn’t get any easier this Friday as the Bulldogs travel to play Washington Wilkes. The Tigers (1-0) are coming off a 41-0 victory over Glenn Hills.