BY THE NUMBERS:
Wilson will be at the controls.
“I think we’ll be pretty good up front, offensively,” he continued. “It could be one of the bigger (offensive) lines we’ve had. It will be the second year with Coach (David) Gibson as our offensive line coach, so they’ll have some continuity with each other and we hope we can have a little more balance this year, mainly because of the talent we’ll have up front, plus Blake’s ability to run the football.”
That offensive line includes three returners in Zach Scott - a first team All-Region pick a year ago - Chase Crosslin and Noah Sims. They will be joined in the trenches by Derek Gibson and Lane Phillips, while Zach Goins, Ridge Perkins and Gracen Shook will be in the rotation as well.
At the skill positions, Luke Grant and Ryan Carter will get a lot of attention. Grant was the region’s Special Teams Player of the Year after racking up 1,544 all-purpose yards, while Carter (1,010 yards, 16 TD’s) was a first team All-State selection. Both were named Class AAAA preseason All-State by RecruitGeorgia.com, while Carson Sherill gives Heritage perhaps the best trio of receivers in all of 6-AAAA.
In the backfield, running backs Malik Dumas, Johnathan Hickman, Jeffery Curtis, Lavarius Hood and Austin Ferguson are hoping to take advantage of the improved offensive line.
The Heritage defense is making the switch to a 3-4 look this fall with Goins (second team All-Region), Perkins and Kobe Beaty looking to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks along the line. Expect Crosslin and Thomas Owens to see plenty of action along the front as well.
All-Region first teamer Zaine Burton is moving to from his usual outside linebacker spot to an inside role in 2017, joining Curtis in the middle. Burton’s move will send Hank Weldon to the outside linebacker spot where he will join Hickman as a run stopper. Hood will also see time at outside linebacker after a very productive spring.
Grant and Carter, who were also first team All-Region picks at defensive back, will anchor the secondary. They’ll get help from Dumas, Ferguson and Sherill. Soccer standout Denis Viars will likely handle the kicking chores, while the punting job is still up for grabs.
Not surprisingly, Slaughter said his team’s experience was its strength.
“These guys have