Devils begin summer football practice

Published 4:00 pm Tuesday, June 7, 2022

TIFTON — Summer football gets going this week and Tift County High is on the move.

The first of the two Georgia High School Association-mandated “dead weeks” ended May and started June. Before the second one hits July 4th, head coach Noel Dean’s Blue Devils are at work. They are not the only movement taking place.

Dean said a handful of new assistants began working with the squads Monday. “Five new coaches coming to town,” he said. “We’re excited about that.” Retirement and offseason motion of coaches had left some openings on the staff.

The Blue Devils be doing some traveling this summer. Among the 7-on-7 camps they will visit is one at Auburn, Dean said. At least one 7-on-7 date will be in Tifton.

“We’re young,” said Dean, reflecting on the two weeks of spring football. “We have a lot of work to do, but we have kids [that] football matters to them.” He loves the Devils’ character.

Tift graduated many of its top players from 2021’s 6-5 team. Among the losses were Tyre West (who will suit up for the University of Tennessee this fall). Jackson Strickland, who quarterbacked the team for the second half of the season is another loss, as is leading rusher Zach Carter. Seniors populated many other skill positions. Ross Tanner, Liam Gray, Bubba Ellis, Bernard Tindall and Lucky Smith were all first team All-Region last season. All graduated.

Development will take time with Tift. “We have the right people,” Dean assured. Hope for the future is bright. The 2021 eighth grade Blue Devils won their conference.

Spring ball was hampered by injuries, he said, as well as some holes on the coaching staff. Tift wrapped up spring practice with a scrimmage at Lowndes. “Our experienced folks were pretty banged up,” he said.

Carlton Brannon was under center during the scrimmage, with Damion Moate as the primary running back. While Tift focused on rushing, Brannon became more comfortable in the pocket, with Titus Beauford and McKyler Horne as his main targets.

JaCoiley Nathan was back in action after suffering a leg injury in the state playoffs against Marietta last year. Jonta Strozier and Za’morian Brown both continued their excellence in the secondary.

The junior varsity Blue Devils had Hagan Sliimp as their quarterback.

Besides the spring game, Tift is also slated to take on Lowndes in their August scrimmage.

The scrimmages are all Tift will see of Lowndes in football in 2022. The Blue Devils were moved down to Class 6A in last year’s reclassification — Lowndes remains in 7A — and the two did not schedule a regular season contest. Tift also won’t be seeing Camden County, but will travel for their rivalry game against Colquitt County.