GAME DAY 2024: Perry football starts title defense in Kevin Smith’s seventh year

There are not many winning coaches in Perry football’s history.

Herb St. John, for whom the Panther Pit is named after, led the Panthers to an 83-64-7 record over 15 years in 1954. Bob Morrow’s teams from 1971-1978 posted a 44-36-1 record.

From there coaches at Perry didn’t stick around for more than four or five years at most, and many left with below .500 records.

The program seemed to hit a new low from 2013-2016 as the team went 9-31 and went through two coaches. But then Kevin Smith took over.

Smith took up the mantle in 2017, and won as many games in his first season than the previous two combined as the Panthers went 5-5 but missed the playoffs.

In his second year Perry went 6-5 and made the playoffs for the first time since 2012; Though they were blown out by Baldwin in the first round.

The Panthers saw increased success for the next several years, until finally in 2023, Smith brought a state championship home for the first time in school history.

Region 2-4A Co-Player of the Year Dakarai Anderson, and a team loaded with Region 2-4A First and Second-Team players helped push them to these new heights.

Many of those players are gone now, but, some return:

Offense — Through the air

Quarterback Colter Ginn led a loaded offense in 2023 as he was nominated to the Region First-Team Offense, along with eight other players.

But Ginn is now in Athens as a preferred walk-on at the University of Georgia, and Cullen McDaniel has taken the starting job.

When Ginn went down with injury in 2023, McDaniel was the one who took most of the snaps. He was 71-of-101 for 634 yards, four touchdowns and eight interceptions. Three of those interceptions came as the Panthers attempted to come back in their loss to Spalding.

One of the strengths McDaniel brings to the offense, according to Smith, is his game management.

“Cullen is very intelligent, he doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. He manages our offense well, he knows we gotta spread the ball around,” Smith said. “[He’s] very intelligent on reading defenses, trying to take what the defense gives us. He throws the ball well enough for us to throw it if we need to.”

McDaniel can take what the defense gives him, but sometimes his arm strength seems to limit him on big plays. Most of the time he can get the ball where it needs to go, but there are times where he’s not able to hit his receiver in stride. That can make or break a big play.

Luckily for McDaniel, Perry still has a loaded receiver room who can make the most out of short and intermediate routes, as well as attack the secondary deep.

Kory Pettigrew and Kiel Sparks were elected to the First-Team offense last year, and Rodarious Lewis is a great complimentary piece in the slot.

Pettigrew was WR2 behind Anderson last year and posted 44 receptions for 702 yards and six touchdowns.

Pettigrew stands at 6-foot-2 and 170 pounds, and can play anywhere on the field. He lined up both outside and in the slot last year, and fiercely attacks the secondary on go, corner and post routes.

He was also used a good amount on curls and bubble screens to get yards after the catch; He’s likely the best receiver for yards after the catch.

Sparks is similar to Pettigrew, but is a bit bigger at 6-foot-4 and 180 pounds. In 33 receptions for 392 yards and five touchdowns last year, Sparks had similar assignments.

While not attacking deep as much, and not being quite the runner after the catch Pettigrew is, Sparks was productive in those situations. When he wasn’t the receiver of a screen pass, he blocked very well against defensive backs to make those plays successful.

Lewis caught 15 passes for 175 yards and one touchdown last year. With Anderson and Khalid Miller graduating, this is the perfect chance for him to step into a larger role.

At 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds with a 4.52 40-time, Lewis is perfect to attack from the slot.

Lewis is shifty with the ball, explosive and dangerous at top speed.

Offense — On the ground

While the passing attack is very important, the bulk of Perry’s offense comes on the ground. Rushing touchdowns accounted for 50 of the Panthers’ 72 total.

School record-breaking running back Ahmad Gordon is the biggest part of that attack.

Gordon broke several school records in his 2023 season where he carried the ball 313 times for 1811 yards and 34 touchdowns while being elected to the Region First-Team offense.

Here are the season records he broke in 2023:

Most points scored with 204 (previous record was 144), most total touchdowns and rushing touchdowns at 34 (previous record was 24 and 18 respectively), most rushing attempts at 313 (previous record was 267) and most rushing yards at 1811 (previous record was 1379).

Gordon has good agility, change of direction and speed. He follows his blockers and can run through contact, and also provides a passing threat from the backfield.

Corrion Daniels is another threat out of the backfield, but has more breakaway speed than Gordon.

Daniels ran 106 times for 742 yards and nine touchdowns in his sophomore season; His longest run went for 80 yards.

You can’t have a good run game without a great offensive line. The Panthers had that last year as three of theirs were elected to the First and Second-Team offenses.

Two of those are gone, but Jukorin Thomas (First-Team) returns and there are still several solid lineman.

Xavier Gary is stout and athletic as centers should be. He gets good angles on defenders and clears them out of the running lanes. He consistently gets his assignments “in the numbers” and doesn’t allow them to make a move.

Thomas is strong and a great run blocker. At 6-foot-2 and 198 pounds, he benches 300 pounds and squats 425. He flattens just about any defensive lineman you throw at him, especially undersized ones if he’s out at tackle.

He’s solid in pass protection, shuffles his feet well and doesn’t seem to get overwhelmed much. He’s also extremely aggressive getting to the second level and taking defenders out of the play.

Stephen Gore Jr. is another interior offensive lineman at 6-foot-2 and 325 pounds, and was a Honorable Mention in last year’s region teams.

Defense — The front seven

Seven of the Panthers’ front seven were elected to the region’s First-Team Offense last year. Four defensive linemen and three linebackers.

Of those seven, four members return: Ashlon Ashley (DL), Chayden Barber (DL), Jordan Donald (LB) and Devon Smoot.

Ashley is an extremely disruptive player on the end of the defensive line. He’s quick out of his stance and blows by tackles, but is also able to use a variety of moves to get out of a block. He did record five tackles for loss and four sacks, but he does more than chase those as he bats passes and recorded a blocked punt.

Barber is stout and strong at 6-feet tall and 235 pounds. He benches 350 pounds and squats 500, but also runs a 4.71 40-yard-dash time. He sheds blockers with ease, but rarely gives them a chance to hold on to his numbers. He tallied six tackles for loss, led the team with six sacks and recorded 55 tackles (13 solo).

Sophomore Theo Paez is a young name to watch, he was used as an interior defensive lineman during the spring game against Jones County.

If a player does manage to get past the defensive line, Perry has some great options at linebacker to clean up the mess.

Donald is the primary middle linebacker who is great in coverage and run support. He keys the quarterback well while covering the middle of the field, and will track down balls thrown over the middle for deflections or an interception (he recorded two in 2023). He’s also very quick to dive into the box to stop the run.

In 2023 he led the team in tackles with 123 (34 solo), had seven tackles for loss, three sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles.

Kyle Jones is another linebacker to watch. He spent most of his freshman season on the freshmen team (go figure), and put together a few highlights in run support.

At 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds with a 4.74 40-yard-dash time he’s got good size and speed for the position, but needed help to make a lot of tackles. With experience and strength Jones should be a big help to the Panthers.

Defense — The secondary

Perry will miss All-Region defensive backs Trejean Day, Tavares Simmons and Maurice Hayes after their graduation. But, the back line of the secondary will still be a strength for the Panthers this year.

Devon Smoot was selected to the Region First-Team Defense at linebacker last year, and though he’s listed as a strong safety, it’s easy to see why he was nominated as a linebacker.

Strong safeties can essentially act as another linebacker, and Smoot was constantly in the box or brought down as a blitzer off of the edge to help against the run. He did have some man-to-man and curl/hook zone responsibilities (essentially the middle of the field, but not deep), but anticipate him to be used more as a tool for run support.

One of the reasons Smoot is able to be aggressive in the box is because Elijah Joseph is sitting behind him. Joseph was elected to the Region Second-Team Defense last year, and is an incredibly hard-hitting tackler. That does mean he doesn’t usually bring down the ball carrier on his own (76 tackles, 23 solo), but they don’t go much farther after his first hit.

Cornerback is still a work in progress, but there are some names to keep an eye on.

Andrew Battle is a junior who lacks size at 5-foot-8 and 145 pounds, but he is able to come in and make plays on the ball in zone coverage. His tackling also needs work, but the linebackers and safeties will be able to help with that.

Trishaun McKenzie struggled one-on-one in the scrimmage against Northside, but did pull down an interception.

The schedule

The Panthers didn’t have many slouches in their non-region schedule last year, and the same is true for 2024.

They still face Houston County, Peach County and Veterans.

Houston County’s offense looks to be as potent as ever, and with a developing secondary that could be trouble. Peach County also looks to take a step up this year.

They add East Coweta to the slate, who’s been a solid 7A program for the last several years now.

The region schedule, though, is much more difficult.

Howard, Westside, Griffin and West Laurens aren’t programs that have been exceptional recently. Replacing those opponents with New Hampstead, Ware County, Benedictine and Warner Robins will make the battle for a top region spot a challenge this year.