Photos Andy Calvert
Head coach David Humphreys and his squad won the GAPPS state championship in football in 2024. The Lions finished 7-4 with losses to a few out-of-region opponents early in the season, but went undefeated in region play, and went on to run the table to bring home the ultimate glory.
A lot of that talent returns for the Lions, but coach Humphreys was quick to let his team know that what they achieved last season has nothing to do with the season in front of them.
“You can’t drive your car and look in the rearview mirror,” says Humphreys. “We need to look in front of us. We cannot continue to dwell in the past, no matter the major victory that we had. My philosophy is that my players won’t remember the game, but rather the journey to that game.”
Although another championship is the ultimate goal, Humphreys’ focus is looking forward and taking care of the opponents in front of them instead of looking back and trying to recreate the past.
The Lions will go from 8-man to 9-man football in 2024 and with the skill positions locked down by returning starters, the line of scrimmage and building depth up front is a huge focus for the Unity coaching staff.
“One player may be eight players in our class. We have to create more depth, especially on the line. We have two guys that we as a staff and team feel like are the best in the state, but a lot more of our guys we feel like are unproven.” This year’s team for Unity looks to be one of the biggest they have had in years, and that will go a long way to building depth at all positions.
“With the changes the 9-man game brings, the game will now be even more wide open. We believe that we are a jet team with a little bit of play-action on offense. On defense, we go by the thumb rule; man to stop the run, zone to stop the pass. We will be primarily a 4-man front.”
Unity has a lot of contributing players who have some legitimate talent. Evan Whiteside, the senior QB for the Lions, is a big-time dual-threat QB. Over the past two years, he has rushed for almost 50 touchdowns, and thrown just as many touchdowns. On the O-Line, juniors Davis Blankenship and Elliot Whiteside highlight the Lions’ big nasties. Elliot and Evan are brothers, and Davis Blankenship has had one of the biggest transformations in just how much a person’s body can grow. A rising junior Ondreo Sawyer, a receiver, really came into his own towards the end of the season and will look to contribute even more in 2024, while Tyler Ford will return in the backfield to provide stability at the running back position.
William Wilson, Cooper Mathis, and Brady King, who played varsity as an 8th grader, are a few underclassmen to keep an eye on, while Gentry Allen, a 2028 transfer from Gordon County, could see some meaningful time as well.
The Lions reached the top of the mountain in 2023, and more depth and experience provide an opportunity to do it again this season.
