By Steve Carter
TIFTON — Ranked No. 1 in two state Class AAAAA football polls this week, the Tift County Blue Devils will try to maintain that lofty ranking Friday night when they travel to Douglas to face a Region 1-AAAAA rival, the Coffee High Trojans.
Tift head coach Jay Walls feels like the Trojans “are the toughest team we have faced this season.”
The Blue Devils head coach started with the Coffee offense which is averaging 279.2 yards per game this season.
“Overall, they do a good job with their offense,” Walls said. “They execute well.”
Walls feels like that production is generated up front.
“They have a big offensive line,” Walls said. “They average over 280 pounds per man. They have got the biggest o-line in the region.”
That line has helped Melvin Loving have a strong start rushing the ball for Coffee. The 215-pound sophomore has rushed 89 times for 538 yards. He has also scored six touchdowns.
“He is a good back,” Walls said of Loving.
Quarterback Daniel Anderson “does a good job” for Coffee, Walls said.
Anderson has completed 36-of-68 passes for 504 yards. He has thrown five touchdown passes and has been intercepted five times.
His favorite receivers have been Demario Bennett and Demetrius Williams. Bennett has seven catches for 142 yards, while Williams has eight catches for 130 yards.
“They set up their pass very well with play action,” Walls said.
On the other side of the ball, Coffee leads the region statistically on defense.
The Trojans have allowed 503 rushing yards and 371 yards through the air for 874 total yards. That 145.7 yards per game average is nearly 34.3 yards less per game than the Lowndes High Vikings allow, 180.0 per game.
“Defensively, they have got nine seniors,” said Walls. “A lot of those guys from last year are back and they were pretty good on defense last year. But this year they are better.”
On both sides of the ball, Coffee also has a lot of speed, Walls said.
“They are a solid team everywhere,” said Walls. “They don’t have a weakness.”
With all of that, the Tift head coach said, “We are going to have to play good to beat them. We can’t have a weakness either. We have got to play solid also.”
The game will be held at 8 p.m. at Douglas’ Jardine Stadium.
