Devils will have to slow McGill

TIFTON — During the course of the 2006 football season, the Tift County Blue Devils contended with the speed and elusiveness of running backs along the lines of Houston County’s Eric O’Neal and Coffee High’s Melvin Loving.

When the Devils open the state Class AAAAA football playoffs Friday night at home against the East Coweta Indians, another good back will be on the opposing side. But unlike O’Neal and Loving, East Coweta’s Tim McGill wows opponents with a combination of size and speed.

Even though he appears bigger, the junior is listed at 6-foot-1, 240 pounds. He also has a 4.7 time in the 40-yard dash.

Running in East Coweta coach Danny Cronic’s wing-T offense this season, McGill has put up 1,519 yards on 201 carries, an average of 7.6 yards per carry.

In East Coweta’s 17-14 loss at home against Newnan in the Indians’ regular season finale, McGill rushed for 179 yards and two touchdowns. One of those was a 66-yard scamper that saw the junior burst through the line and outrun the Newnan secondary.

Besides McGill, the East Coweta backfield also features Michael McRae. The senior has rushed for 401 yards on 43 carries this season, an average of 9.3 yards per carry. He has scored seven touchdowns, including an 80-yard run against McIntosh on Sept. 8.

The Indians’ other leading rushers are Nico Fowler, 270 yards on 14 carries, and Henry Dixon, 14 carries for 114 yards.

Dixon broke his arm during preseason workouts and has only played in three games during the 2006 campaign.

The running game is key for East Coweta as quarterback Doug Saylor has thrown less than 50 passes this year. His favorite target is tight end Rob Marrs, who has 12 catches for 189 yards. Fowler also has eight catches for 125 yards.

Junior Ryan Gates has converted all 41 of his extra points this season and has also made 3-of-4 field goals. As a punter, Gates has a 35-yard average.

Ma’Derrius Robinson handles most of the punt returns, while Jeric Woodall is the main kickoff returner.

There are 67 players on the East Coweta roster and with the limited numbers, many of the offensive players also line up on defense.

The most notable of the two-way players are Fowler, who lines up at free safety, and lineman Jamel Strickland.

Game time Friday is at 8 p.m. The winner of the contest will play the Union Grove-Windsor Forest in the second round.

NOTES: The Tift County Touchdown Club wants members of the community to paint their businesses and vehicles blue and white to show support for Friday’s game.

Also, the review of the Tift County-East Coweta game film will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Tift field house.

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