GAME DAY 2024: Warner Robins looks to build new championship streak in 2024

Last year’s playoff loss to Creekside ended a six-year streak of championship appearances for the Warner Robins Demons.

During that stretch they won back-to-back championships for the first time ever in 2020 and 2021.

Some people may be asking, “What’s next?” But for Demons football coach Shane Sams, standards never change.

“We talk about, ‘standards remain the same at Warner Robins.’ We want to win region, win state and we want to have an undefeated season,” Sams said. “We talk about legacy. What kind of legacy do you want to leave when you’re done? When you graduate, what did you leave behind, what did you do, and how did you do those things?”

So, with that being said, what’s next for Warner Robins?

Offense — Through the air

With Judd Anderson, Isaiah Canion, Cam Flowers and Jah Avilez gone, the Demons will have to rebuild their offense.

The air attack revolved around getting the ball to players in space, and Flowers and Avilez in particular were great at making defenders miss to get extra yards.

Now Warner Robins has a completely different set of personnel, and a room full of unproven receivers.

Junior Ezra Goings is a big possession receiver at 6-foot-3 and freshman X’zavier Cannon shows flashes of elusive running. Daymond Batts, Jacoby Parsons and and Jacobi Watkins are other names Sams mentioned.

It will take time to determine which of these players can be productive night in and night out.

North Murray transfer Skyler Williams will help get the ball where it needs to be as the Demons’ new signal caller.

Williams loves to throw the deep ball, and if the Warner Robins receivers can create separation it should make for some explosive plays.

Offense — On the ground

While the offense revolved around going through the air last year, the personnel for this year’s Demons team will likely dictate a different style of play.

“We gotta adapt the offense to the players we got. That’s what we always do,” Sams said.

Sams did say after the preseason scrimmage against Peach County that the offense may be conservative this year, and that as a unit, offense usually takes the longest to gel.

The positive news for Warner Robins is that they have some serious threats running the ball.

Williams’s best weapons are his legs. He rushed for 1200 yards and 17 touchdowns last year and had five games of over 100 yards on the ground.

At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds he’s a physical runner who can take contact and keep going, but he also has good change of direction to make defenders miss in space.

Da’veon Latimore adds another physical wrinkle to the Demons’ ground attack. Latimore, a Northside transfer, hits the pile hard for an extra couple of yards.

Kelsey Perkins and Travis English Jr. are two other names to keep an eye on in the running back rotation.

Defense — The front seven

Unlike the offense, the defense (particularly the guys in the trenches) has many returning faces.

The biggest name is EDGE Isaiah Gibson who is committed to the University of Georgia.He was selected to the 2023 Region 2-5A First-Team Defense.

Gibson has explosiveness off of the line, and many high school tackles just aren’t able to handle him. Quarterbacks don’t have much time to make the decision to scramble or throw before they’re on the ground when he breaks through the pocket.

You’ve also got Jakai Woodford, a 2023 Region 2-5A Honorable Mention. He’s aggressive getting through blockers, and if they don’t get him by the numbers it won’t be long before he gets by.

Tyquan Brewton is another defensive tackle to watch this season.

At linebacker Khaedric Edwards holds down the middle of the field. He has good lateral movement and can keep up with faster players in the backfield.

Jhayden Jones is an outside linebacker who has good burst off of the edge, and good reach for making tackles.

Defense — The secondary

Safety Rasean Dinkins anchors the secondary, and can do just about any job asked of him. He was also elected the Region 2-5A Defensive Player of the Year.

He’s great in man-to-man coverage and can jump routes to make a play on the ball. He’s also good sitting back in zone coverage, where he has good play recognition and doesn’t over pursue when he comes down. Dinkins is also a great tackler.

Out there with him Warner Robins has J’Korian Rumph, who’s a solid run support safety.

Northside transfer Nick Linder, elected to the Region 1-6A Second-Team Defense, can play either cornerback or safety. He’s best in run support, but has showed an ability to stay with an assignment in man coverage.

Demarquis Cooper is good at keying the quarterback at safety, and is a solid tackler.

Aydan Howard is another cornerback to watch this year.

The schedule

Warner Robins, like Perry, has moved into a new Region 1-4A.That includes three recent state champions in Perry, Ware County and Benedictine, as well as a couple of solid programs in Wayne County and New Hampstead.

The non-conference schedule is no cakewalk either, but it’s not as difficult as last year switching out Valdosta and a region opponent for Fayette County and Veterans.