FOOTBALL ‘10
Friday, August 27, 2010 — The Times-Herald — 7B
NORTHGATE VIKINGS
REGION 3B-AAAA HEAD COACH : TOMMY WALBURN
Photo courtesy of Karen Cascone
THE 2010 NORTHGATE VIKINGS
VIKINGS HOPE CHANGE IS FOR THE BETTER First-year coach settles into new surroundings
NORTHGATE 2010 ROSTER
By CHRIS GOLTERMANN cgoltermann@newnan.com
I
t’s been said that the first step toward change is awareness. The second is acceptance. The 2010 football season will be a great test to see just how well the Northgate Vikings accept that change this fall. So far, the Vikings have been ready, willing and able to adapt to first-year head coach Tommy Walburn’s philosophies since he arrived on campus in January. Following the departure of coach Bill Luckie, an influx of new assistants, and a reshuffling of many of last year’s position players, the Vikings may look – Walburn and play – like a much different team when they hit the field tonight at home against Alexander. But it’s still all about the basics. “You want to play with a lot of discipline and have the players play with tremendous effort,” said Walburn. “Those are things that we can control.” Change has been a natural theme for the program. It hasn’t been as much a conscious decision from Walburn to do things oppositely from the past, as it has been simply a natural progression of any new head coach to bring in his own systems and methods and then adapt them to the surroundings. “When you come in somewhere, each place has got different dynamics. The dynamics at Troup were different at Crisp County and the dynamics at Crisp were different than here and so on,” said Walburn. “You’ve got to be intuitive enough to know the landscape you’re working in. Over 10 seasons as a head coach, first at Troup and then at Crisp County, he’s understood that winning is as much about creating the right chemistry not only among his lineup, but his staff. “A couple of weeks ago, we just took a long weekend and went to West Point Lake, got a lodge and spent some time together,” said Walburn. “We not only talked about personnel and how we wanted to practice, but we all got to know each other on an individual level . The coaches are a team just like the players.” If the Vikings hope to succeed in a new Region 3BAAAA alignment that includes many of the same rivals as their previous division, they’ll have to adapt to the football philosophies of Walburn and his staff, some of which differ from those of the previous five seasons under former Vikings coach Bill Luckie. “My philosophy is to find eleven different guys on offense and on defense and not have to play everybody both
Photo by Jeffrey Leo
Northgate has several returning players in new positions this year. First-year head coach Tommy Walburn and his staff have continued to evaluate their roster heading into tonight’s 2010 opener. kids, although we had a couple of coaches back from last year. We figured out after spring practice that we put kids in positions that really weren’t theirs (from last year),” said Walburn. “We tried to look at what kids fit what we needed to run our style of offense and our style of defense. Even after the Troup scrimmage we’ve made some changes from some kids who under the lights, played really well.” The evaluations expect to ■ Northgate first-year head coach Tommy Walburn continue even after tonight’s opener and through the season. But Northgate fans might have ways. This is Quad-A,” said That helps. They know the been pleased with their first Walburn. “Those are philotype of things that I want sophical changes than before. done,” said Walburn “(But) I’ve look at the Vikings through an impressive defensive win over It’s not right, wrong or whatev- had several that remained on Troup in the preseason. er.” the previous staff.” “Defense is usually a step of Making the transition from From that point on, however, the offense at this time of the Crisp was as much a new the task has been centered season,” said Walburn. “So I’m opportunity for the Northgate’s since the spring on evaluating new coach since arriving in talent and trying to put players not as concerned about that. We still had to work on some January. But before he could into positions to fit the needs things, though.” even evaluate his players, of his system. Sometimes that Both sides of the ball are Walburn needed to work on meant moving a linebacker to essentially new groups of finding some ‘executives’ to fullback, a lineman to linestarters, with only a few of last help carry out his plan. backer or a quarterback to “People don’t understand offensive guard. that the head coach, especially “We practiced in the spring See VIKINGS, page 10B at a Class AAAA school, is only and we really didn’t know the as strong as his staff,” said Walburn. “The head coach has to be the CEO, but my philosophy is to hire good people and let them do their job. Even though as a head coach I need to know what’s going on, you need to let those guys coach whatever their expertise is. Defensive coordinator Bubba Jeter and Walburn were colleagues while he was head coach at Troup. Walburn also has brought in offensive coordinator Kesley Dalrymple, who ♦ ERSONAL NJURY worked as an assistant both at AUTO ACCIDENTS, SLIP & FALL, WORKERS’ COMP, Troup and later Crisp before MEDICAL INJURY, DOG BITES, MOTORCYCLES taking over the offense there. It hasn’t been a prerequisite ♦ RIAL TTORNEY either. Offensive line coach Chris Rippy played at the old FEDERAL, SUPERIOR, STATE, MAGISTRATE & CITY COURTS Hogansville High when ♦ Walburn was there as an assisRIMINAL EFENSE ♦ AMILY AW tant. FELONIES, MISDEMEANORS DIVORCE, CONTEMPT, Others, like quarterbacks AND DUI CHILD CUSTODY coach Justin Crews, who had been a graduate assistant under Tommy Tuberville at Auburn, came from word of mouth. And at least three coaches from ATTORNEY at LAW Luckie’s former staff, including Marcellious Johnson and Derek 27 East Broad St. 770.251.1289 Rials, stayed on board. “I’ve been fortunate enough Newnan, GA 30263 770.251.2629 fax that Ive been able to hire several coaches that have been able E-mail: gward@numail.org to work with me in the past.
“I try to play as many people as we can without hurting performance because I feel like if kids feel like they’re a part of something on the football team, that the morale of your squad is much better because everybody then says, ‘I’m a part of it,. “They have an investment in it. And anytime you have an investment in something, it means more to you. “
Name Pos Wt. Yr. 1 Alex Lakes FB/DB 190 Jr. 2 Brandon Facyson WB/DB 160 So. 3. Bret Misutka QB 165 Jr. 4. Tony Williams RB 170 Jr. 5. Drew Swinney WR 170 Sr. 6. Brad Swinney QB/P 180 Sr. 7. Austin Hatney WR/DB 150 Jr. 8. Kyle Kovacs LB/FB 185 Jr. 9. Julian Britt OLB/RB 175 Sr. 10. Lance Poole DB/WR 145 Sr. 11 Jake Peterson LB 230 Sr. 12 Scotty Gaston WR/DB 190 Sr. 13 Aaron Stargell WR/DB 150 So. 14 Jonovan Cotton OLB 175 Jr. 15 Gabe Bennett OLB/RB 170 Sr. 16 Devonte Lablanc DB/WR 173 Sr. 17 Rex Evans OLB/WR165 Sr. 18 Josh Harrison QB 210 So. 20 Robbie Carter DB/RB 155 Jr. 21 Courtez Glenn LB/RB 210 Sr. 23 Conner Usher OLB/FB 150 So. 24 Trey Ledford OLB/RB 150 So. 25 Payton Usher RB 150 Jr. 26 D’lonzo Harris DB/RB 160 Jr. 27 Isaiah Riddle RB/DB 220 Sr. 28 Kyle Henderson DB/RB 145 So. 29 Gordy Duncan OLB 175 Sr. 30 Josh Barber LB/FB 200 Sr. 31 Amir Hoti WR/DB 155 So. 32 Cory Hart WR/DB 175 Sr. 33 Kain Elliott DL 170 Jr. 34 Dalton Lane OLB/FB 135 So. 35 Andrew Gibson DL 225 Jr. 36 Anthony Dorsey DB/RB 160 So. 38 David Higgins DL/FB 150 Jr. 145 So. 39 Blake McCammon DL 42 Shaun Byron WR/DB 140 Jr. 43 Cole Carter DB/RB 150 So. 44 Chad Garner OLB 160 Jr. 45 Andrew Schexnayder DL/TE 200 Sr. 46 Sylvester Johnson DB/RB 140 So. 47 Chris Johnson DB/RB 135 So. 48 Matt Kindle DL 177 Jr. 49 Gage Pierson DB/WR 145 Jr. 50 Leon Sapp OL/DL 175 Jr. 51 Jonathan Rice DL 190 Sr. 52 Brian Fleenor OL/LB 195 Sr. 53 Eric Freeland OL 200 Jr. 54 Dillion Pittman OL 185 Jr. 55 Ryan Rabern OL 230 Sr. 56 Jake Slagle OL 205 Jr. 57 Adam Rabern OL 260 Sr. 58 Mike Stower OL 210 So. 59 Justin Carlock OL 150 So.
60 Matthew Luke OLB/OL 170 Jr. 61 Samuel Teal OL 185 Jr. Name Pos Wt. Yr. 62 Frank Demayo OL 185 Sr. 63 Buck Forsyth OL 160 So. 190 Sr. 64 Brandon Handley OL 65 Chase Smith OL 180 So. 66 Shane Dabbs OL 175 Jr. 67 Gage Wozniak OL/DL 175 So. 68 Andrew Welchel OL/DL 185 So. 69 David Pyle OL 230 So. 70 Nic BlankenshipOL/DL 180 So. 71 Cody Weaver OL 235 Sr. 72 Brad Stiles OL 185 Jr. 73 Alex Heavner DL 145 Jr. 74 Dustin Foley OL 175 So. 75 Zach Brewer OL 235 Jr. 76 Sean Spencer DL 235 So. 77 Cullen Margeson OL/DL 170 Jr. 78 Austin Green OL 270 So. 79 Mason Stender OL 220 Sr. 80 Blake McCollumDL/TE 165 So. 81 Andrew Brady DB/WR 150 So. 82 Will Lutz K 145 Jr. 83 James Carter DB/WR 145 So. 85 Mitch Bemister DL/TE 195 Jr. 87 Tevin Gripper DL/TE 175 Jr. 88 Adrian Fisher DL/TE 180 Jr. 90 Jonathan Fleckenstein OL 165 So. 91 Brandon Ganey OL 185 So. 92 De’Andre Johnson DL 290 So. 93 Charlie Kelly OL 160 So. 94 Zach Burrell OL 160 So. 95 Alex Dunson OL 130 So. 96 Kyle Kirby OL 193 Jr. 97 Zack Braun K 120 So.
NORTHGATE VIKINGS 2010 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE (all games at 7:30 p.m. Tonight Alexander Sept. 3 at Jones County Sept. 10 Ola Sept. 17 Fayette Co.* Sept. 24 at McIntosh* Oct. 8 Upson-Lee* (Homecoming) Oct. 15 at Harris County* Oct. 22 Starr’s Mill* Oct. 29 at Whitewater* Nov. 5 Region playoff * Region 3B-AAAA Game
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