Here are 13 burning questions for Augusta-area high school football teams entering 2023
It's game week in the Augusta area.
As new coaches and players settle in, this is the time of year where the preseason chatter comes to a halt and things get decided between the white lines. It's also the time where important questions get answered and storylines begin to take shape. When both teams exit the tunnel, it's not theory anymore.
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Before the whistles blow Friday night, let's take a look at some important 2023 high school football storylines across the area. Here are 13 burning questions for Augusta-area programs.
13 burning questions for Augusta-area high school football teams entering the 2023 season
1. Will Thomson repeat as state champs?
While many programs experience a rebuild following graduation of a talented senior class, Thomson is in more of a reload situation. The Bulldogs return starters at almost every position and like many elite programs, the former backups are now primed and conditioned to produce as starters. It's common knowledge that winning the second championship is much harder than winning the first, but Thomson has what it takes to get back to Atlanta in December. They'll begin that journey in Waynesboro Friday night.
2. Which team is the biggest challenger to Thomson in Region 4-AA?
Anyone who followed Thomson's historic 2022 season knows the Bulldogs barely got out of Laney Stadium with a win. The Wildcats won eight games and nearly knocked off Thomson for a ninth. Even though they'll meet at The Brickyard this time around, Laney has proven that it deserves Thomson's respect and that game could very well become a de facto region championship contest. In addition to Laney, Putnam County is lurking as another contender. The War Eagles finished runner-up in the region a year ago and expect to be in the mix again this time around.
3. Will Aquinas win its first region title since 2017?
On paper, the Fightin' Irish likely have the best team they've seen in a decade. Between Jim Franklin and Buddyrow Garrer, they can beat you with the passing game. Clark Jackson is always a threat in the backfield and now part of the "Bash Brothers" duo in the middle of the defense, opposing offenses are going to have a hard time. If Aquinas can get past region rival Lincoln County, there's nothing but green between the Irish and a banner in 2023.
4. Will North Augusta defend its Region 4-AAAA title under its new coach?
Last season's Region 4-AAAA race came down to a three-team brawl between North Augusta, South Aiken and Midland Valley (with the Yellow Jackets coming out on top). South Aiken's video-game-like offense is returning both quarterback Terrence Smith and running back Jevon Edwards, who combined for 3,800 rushing yards and 57 touchdowns. Midland Valley will always be in the hunt when Traevon Dunbar has the football in his hands. North Augusta has what it takes and the Yellow Jackets have been there before, but there's some stiff competition standing in their way.
5. Which new area coach will have the most success in 2023?
With the number of new coaches in the area in 2023, it might be hard to believe one in a high-profile program in a high-profile region will have the most success. Well, that's where I'm going. While he's new to Burke County (as a coach), Bears alum Franklin Stephens comes in with 160 career wins and a championship pedigree as a coach and a college football player in his Georgia Southern days. While Savannah-based Benedictine is still the favorite in the division, Burke County will be in play for the title and have a chance to knock off several notable programs around the state along the way.
6. Will Harlem take a step back with a younger roster?
Conventional wisdom says graduating 21 seniors means a team will regress. That may not be the case for the Bulldogs. While those seniors played a huge role in the best season in program history, it's not hard to see the ingredients for a winning culture at Harlem. The Bulldogs are returning a plethora of underclassmen that earned all-region honors last year and coupled with the identity instilled in the program from Mark Boiter and staff, there are no one-hit wonders in Harlem. They'll once again be in the thick of it for the Region 4-AAA crown.
7. Is Aquinas junior Jim Franklin the area’s next elite quarterback?
As a sophomore, Jim Franklin played with his hair on fire until an injury cut his season short. The quarterback completed 64 percent of his passes for 1,545 yards and 17 touchdowns in just seven games. A healthy Franklin, combined with the offensive weapons at his disposal and coach James Leonard's willingness to get creative with the playbook, means the sky is the limit for both the 6-foot-4 quarterback and the Fightin' Irish. It's important to note then-freshman Jack Rhodes stepped in and played brilliantly, almost creating a quarterback situation like Benedictine faced with Luke Kromenhoek and Holden Geriner a few years back. Not a bad problem to have.
8. Can Thomson’s Anthony Jeffery fill Jontavis Curry’s shoes?
We said last season that if Jontavis Curry didn't exist, Anthony Jeffery would be considered the best running back in the area. I stand by that. Even in a backup role, Jeffery cracked 1,000 yards and one could argue the fact he was able to take the workload off Curry during the regular season directly translated to Thomson's state championship. Without disrespecting Curry's heroics down the stretch (the likes of which may never be seen again), it's possible to think Jeffery could come in as a feature back and be an immediate game changer for the Bulldogs. He already has a Division-I offer from Arkansas under his belt and that number will likely see a jump during his junior season.
9. Which Columbia County team from Region 2-AAAAAA has the most to prove?
Grovetown was on the outside-looking-in when the state playoffs rolled around last year, but it feels like the Warriors are due. The quarterback play from Amare Clark took this offense to another level in 2022, which was basically a run-only offense the two years prior. They've also seen continued growth on the offensive line. While losing key linebackers Zaidon Gunn and Joseph Jean to graduation leaves a noticeable hole in the middle of the defense, the ability to sustain drives can take some of the pressure off that unit. If a few things go right for Grovetown (getting over the hump against Evans included), a state playoff berth is within reach.
10. Which transfer will have the biggest impact on his new team?
While an argument could be made for North Augusta's Beans Hunt, the choice here is linebacker Wesley Michaelson at Aquinas. Michaelson is a tackling machine and the thought of him playing next to Clark Jackson easily makes up the best linebacker tandem in the area. Aquinas coach James Leonard didn't name them the "Bash Brothers" for nothing. Jackson has dealt with injuries in the past, so another dependable enforcer on the defensive side of the ball can pay dividends over a long season.
11. Which two-way player is primed for a breakout season?
Westside’s Jeanarion Kamga was quietly one of the better two-way players in the area last season. The 2025 running back/linebacker produced on both sides of the ball, carrying the rock 90 times for 303 yards and racking up 72 tackles (nine for a loss) and a pair of sacks. What makes this season for the junior so intriguing is the fact that he’s doing so while competing in two varsity sports. Kamga was one of the top wrestlers in Class AA as a sophomore and that success on the mat is likely to directly translate to the gridiron.
12. Can Augusta Prep overcome the loss of Sam Connell?
Sam Connell spent his career at Augusta Prep playing all over the field, proving to be one of the most versatile athletes around the area. After tearing his ACL over the summer, however, the senior leader will be sidelined for the rest of the season. It leaves the Cavaliers with a plethora of underclassmen in key roles. That’s where the experience of Tood Booker and his staff comes in. It’s also noteworthy that their roster features 27 players, the most Augusta Prep has had since 2018. The Cavaliers open the season Friday at Bethlehem Christian.
13. Which player will be most irreplaceable to his team in 2023?
Augusta Christian senior quarterback Wilson Donnelly is the guy for the Lions. With a new coach and relatively young roster, his experience under center from a year ago will be that much more important. No other player on the roster has taken a varsity snap at quarterback He completed 55 percent of his passes for 1,341 yards and 12 touchdowns (nine passing) as a junior. He also had eight interceptions; a number will need to shrink if Augusta Christian is to compete in the region. While Donnelly is a Division-I prospect as a punter, his quarterback play will carry the Lions in 2023.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Here are 13 burning questions for Augusta high school football in 2023
