Photos Andy Calvert
The Blue Devils made another run to the playoffs to round out a successful season in 2023. They finished 3rd in 7-AA, behind North Murray and eventual state runner-up, Rockmart. Then went on to beat Therrell in the first round, before running into a Class 2A juggernaut in Callaway.
Model did not have a designated spring practice window, so the staff turned their focus to the fall and summer windows. To prepare for the upcoming season, they played two scrimmages in the fall against LaFayette, a common scrimmage opponent each year, and Armuchee. In terms of work during the summer break, they have played against numerous worthy opponents in higher classes, such as Cedartown and Villa Rica.
“We saw a lot of athleticism out of both teams (Cedartown and Villa Rica),” said Head Coach Jeff Hunnicutt. “Our guys responded well to the levels we saw and became eager to learn. I always believe early success can be translated into how the season will go.”
While Hunnicutt’s squad is fairly young, the expectations and goals remain unaltered.
“It’s high school football; we don’t get recruiting classes year in and year out. Our standards and goals will remain the same as we compete with a group of great young players.”
Model graduated 14 seniors, with seven being two-way starters, so a learning curve can be expected, but the winning culture Hunnicutt has built will go a long way in molding a roster with a lot of underclassmen.
“Our entire backfield is going to be new, and from a skill position standpoint, there will be lots of new faces,” said Hunnicutt. “The defensive backfield is young, and the defensive front is a work in progress.”
Hunnicutt and his coaching staff believe in a no-excuse attitude and are dead set on getting their players ready to execute come region play.
“So far, the freshmen have really impressed us, but they still have to be stellar in the weight room and practice field before they can gain our trust on the football field.”
Hunnicutt mentioned a few names that people need to put on their radar for the upcoming season. Of those names, the first is Gage McWhorter, a rising senior who saw 5-10 carries a game last year. This year, he could be looking at twice the workload. Jaden Daniels, another senior, is also looking at getting meaningful carries on offense. Henry Coalson is another senior leader who will spend the majority of his time on both sides of the front. At linebacker, Ridge Hardaker, an upcoming junior, is another player who could see valuable two-way snaps. Rising sophomores AJ Adams and Collin Watson are additionally going to be valuable on both sides of the ball, with Adams being on the O and D line and Watson being at linebacker and part of the offensive backfield.
While this year’s team is going to be young, and settling into a very competitive region that works its way down the lines of Highway US-27, the goals and expectations for the Devils will remain consistent as always. Coach Hunnicutt and his staff are ecstatic to see the waves that this group will make for the 24-25 football season.
