The Statesboro Blue Devils last hit the field with a 21-10 victory over Veterans nearly two weeks ago. This Friday the Blue Devils get back to action and from here on out it is all region games. The Blue Devils start things off Friday at Greenbrier.
Head coach Matt Dobson says it was much better to go into the bye week with a win than a loss and feels the team has had good preparation going into Friday’s game at Greenbrier.
“I think the team went into the bye week with momentum and excitement and that definitely beats the alternative,” Dobson said. “You can always tell what kind of an off-week it has been by the way they practice game week. I think we had our best Tuesday practice of the season this week and I like where our kid’s head are as we prepare for Greenbrier.
In their win against Veterans they Blue Devils had a balanced attack led by senior running back Chop Heath, and the play of freshman quarterback Beckham Jarrard. Heath rushed for 130-yards and one score and Jarrard threw for 156-yards and one touchdown, and also scored on a 31-yard run.
This week the Blue Devils travel to Greenbrier to take on a much-improved Wolfpack squad from the one Statesboro beat 10-3 last year and went on to go 1-9.
The Wolfpack have a new head coach in Sean Tiernan and have actually won two of the last three games they have played. They are 1-1 on the season with a 38-37 overtime loss to Harlem to start the season followed by a 28-14 win over Grovetown Aug. 23.
“Coach Tiernan graduated from Greenbrier and it seems like he has a lot more excitement around the program,” Dobson said. “In their opener they went for two and didn’t get it and lost. That is a team they lost to by 19 points last season. Their next game they beat Grovetown by two scores and they lost to Grovetown 36-21 last year, so there has been a lot of improvement.”
Greenbrier is led by quarterback Brayden Stephens and running back Cole Trupp. Trupp has 174 yards rushing this year and two touchdowns, while also piling up 19 tackles at linebacker. Stephens has thrown for 282 yards and four scores and also has one rushing touchdown.
“Their goal is to get downhill and run the ball right at you,” Dobson said. “They have a quarterback who can throw and run so you can’t just load the box and a good running back. I think the key to the game is going to be ball security. Neither of us as turned the ball over much this year, and we can not give up big plays either.”
Kickoff in Evans is set for 7:30 p.m.
