Martin, former QB Earl become Clark Atlanta’s go-to receivers

Johnny McCrary has found his favorite receivers.

The former Vanderbilt quarterback, who transferred to Clark Atlanta this summer, has thrown for 1,626 yards and 13 touchdowns, thanks in part to the rapport he’s built with senior Trenton Earl (Stockbridge) and freshman Dre Martin (Callaway).

Earl ranks second in the SIAC with 28 receptions, for 546 yards, and is tied for the conference lead with six touchdown catches.

Martin leads the SIAC with 562 yards, on 27 catches, and has scored three touchdowns.

As a result the Panthers (5-2, 4-2), who have won four consecutive games, lead the conference in total offense (376 yards per game) and passing offense (275.6) and rank second in scoring (27.4 points).

“We instantly started going at it in practice, after practice every day,” Earl said. “That’s how we started building our chemistry and our trust with each other. Each and every day, we’re throwing passes, running routes. We get about an hour and a half each day to work on timing and stuff like that.”

Earl started at quarterback at Clark Atlanta for parts of two seasons before moving to receiver last year. “I’m always down for whatever,” he said. “When they say that I feel like we have a better chance at winning by putting you at receiver, I’m all for it.”

He caught seven passes for a career-high 152 yards and touchdowns of 30 and 66 yards in last week’s 27-14 win over Benedict.

McCrary (Cedar Grove) leads the SIAC with 232.3 yards a game.

“It definitely feels good to be on the other side,” Earl said. “We’ve been waiting for this for a long time. We continued to work hard. Our coaches told us it was going to happen, it was just going to take time. We stayed true to it and now we’re on top.”

Wolves’ woes

West Georgia, which entered the season ranked second in Division II, has lost three consecutive games to fall to 4-3, 1-3 in the Gulf South Conference.

Injuries and turnovers have been particularly troublesome, especially on defense, where three starters missed Saturday’s 31-7 loss to West Alabama.

The Wolves have committed 13 turnovers (to six takeaways) during the streak and the defense scored the team’s lone touchdown last week.

Around the state

Morehouse linebacker David Smith had 19 tackles last week and leads the SIAC with 50. … Reinhardt (7-0), No. 3 in NAIA, plays at sixth-ranked Lindsey Wilson (8-0). … Georgia Military College quarterback Cameron Rosendahl (Kell) has thrown 19 touchdown passes with only five interceptions this season. The Bulldogs are 7-1 and ranked 11th in the NJCAA. … Berry defensive lineman Mamadou Soumahoro (Berkmar) has set the school’s season sack mark with 10. He was the Southern Athletic Association’s defensive player of the week with two sacks, three tackles for loss and a pass breakup last week. … Valdosta State sophomore quarterback Roland Rivers (M.L. King) is coming off his best game with 330 yards passing and five touchdowns in a 42-41 win over Mississippi College. He leads the Blazers (5-1, 3-1 GSC) with 1,143 yards and 12 touchdowns passing, and ranks second with 203 yards rushing.