JOHNSON KNIGHTS
KNIGHTS READY TO RIDE INTO BATTLE BY LAYNE SALIBA
lsaliba@gainesvilletimes.com Stan Luttrell has enough experience to take a program and turn it around for the better and that’s exactly what he plans to do in his inaugural season as the head coach at Johnson High. Luttrell, who spent eight years as the head coach at Chestatee before going to Buford, Gainesville and then Habersham Central, is back in Hall County and leading the way for a team that has a history of tough seasons. That’s not what Luttrell is focused on. “I’m really excited about the improvement that we’ve shown and (the team) understanding what my expectations are for them and my style of play and all that stuff,” Luttrell said. “I think they’ve done a really good job conforming to it.” The first order of business to adjust players to Luttrell’s style of play was to get them in the weight room. This season, he plans to have the Knights “bigger, faster, stronger, more explosive and more resilient” than ever before. And with that, he hopes to turn a team he said “a lot of people don’t believe in,” into a team the South Hall school has never seen. “One of the messages I’m sending is it can be done,” Luttrell said.”Believe it can be done. It can be done here. It can be done at Johnson.” Luttrell plans to use everything he’s learned at schools like Buford, Gainesville and Habersham Central with the Knights. He’s hoping with his coaching, the success he saw at those schools will transfer to Johnson in the upcoming season. “Of course I have high expectations because that’s who I am,” Luttrell said. “This team has a ton of potential … If they’ll continue to buy into what I’m saying and the culture and the way that I want things done, then there’s no telling how good we could be.”
11. Nolan Bullock 59. Brayden Carr 28. Elmer Chavez 45. Dylan Dunham 12. Caleb Jackson 44. Vashon Johnson 1. Deago Kelly 3. Hunter Long 52. Gabriel Quinton 30. Tatenda Sangweme 73. Andrew Scharmer 29. Bishop Spencer 72. Hunter Cain 74. Jose Flores
RB/DB OL/DL WR/DB TE/LB WR/LB TE/DL WR/DB WR/DB OL/DL WR/DB OL/DL TE/LB OL/DL OL/DL
32 | Football in Hall | 2019
Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr.
4-6 Overall, 0-5 Region, 8-5A
R E S U LT S
Oglethorpe Co. 38-0 Buford 49-0 West Hall 41-7 Walnut Grove 35-14 Cherokee Bluff 34-13 Cedar Shoals 45-20 Riverside Military 30-14 Clarke Central 55-3 Cross Keys 58-0 Loganville 27-7
5 THINGS TO WATCH
Quarterback
New mindset
Junior quarterback Justin Long is learning that new option offense. In an effort to create depth at the position, Luttrell’s son, Jack, a freshman, will be backing up Long. Luttrell said Long has been working at the position all summer and has learned what he needs to do. Jack Luttrell has been doing the same. “Justin’s doing a great job at QB,” Luttrell said. “But we are trying to develop depth.”
After getting his team in the weight room, Luttrell knew he had to change the team’s mindset. “To start winning, you’ve got to stop losing,” Luttrell said. “So we’ve got to start doing what winners do and eventually if you do what winners do, you win.” With that new mindset for his players and coaching staff, Luttrell said the team is more confident than ever. “We’ve put a really big focus on anything that’s not a winning attitude, winning work ethic, winning commitment, winning coachability, you name it,” Luttrell said. “Anytime there’s something like that, we try to address it and correct it because if you want to start winning, which is our goal, then you’ve got to stop losing.”
Option offense With a new coach comes a new offense. Luttrell said he’ll be running an option offense — split-back attack — this fall. He said it’s an offense that fits his team well, and something Johnson has tinkered with in the past, but hasn’t fully committed to doing. “It complements a young group, a learning group,” Luttrell said. “It complements a line of scrimmage that is growing and developing.” It’s a new offense that requires a strong quarterback to make decisions and a smart backfield to go with those decisions. “They have a base knowledge of option football, but we’re doing it a little bit different,” Luttrell said. “They’ve adjusted and adapted well. Not only the players, but the coaches, too … I’m training up the coaches as well as the players and everybody is doing a great job of learning and trying to do things the way I want them.”
2019 ROSTER
69. Steven Flores 16. Justin Long 10. Josh Lopez 13. Xzavior Ramsey 51. Isaiah Reddick 27. Nathan Seabolt 71. Darrion Thompson 60. Michael Vega 70. Grant Wooten 56. Juan Allen 58. Francisco Almendariz 78. Jesse Contreras 77. Allen Gutierrez 8. Tre Jackson
K QB/LB RB/LB RB/DB OL/DL WR/DB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL RB/LB
Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. So. So. So. So. So.
2019 SCHEDULE Aug. 23
OGLETHORPE COUNTY
Aug. 30
at West Hall
Sept. 6
at Cherokee Bluff
Sept. 13
RIVERSIDE MILITARY
Sept. 20
Cross Keys
Oct. 4
BUFORD*
Oct. 11
WALNUT GROVE*
Oct. 18
at Cedar Shoals*
Nov. 1
CLARKE CENTRAL*
Nov. 8
at Loganville* *region games
54. Salvador Sanchez 81. Jake Shaw 5. Dayshun Summerour 40. Alexis Velasquez 41. Tyler Caughron 17. Kevin Cervantes 6. Jud Farmer 4. Jack Luttrell 50. Brian Moreno 9. Summerour Nasir 22. Jesus Ponce 20. Noah Scott 7. Michael Thurmond 55. Mauricio Zaragoza
OL/LB TE/LB RB/DB TE/LB RB/LB K RB/DB QB/DB OL/DL WR/LB TE/LB RB/LB QB/DB OL/DL
So. So. So. So. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr.