Bryan Co. football preview: Here are four reasons the Redskins will challenge for playoffs

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No one is making any predictions but there is a quiet optimism in the air as Bryan County readies to start its third season under Coach Cherard Freeman.

A break-even season and a spot in the Class A playoffs for the first time since 2015 are possibilities but the focus is on simply getting a win and from there think about getting another one.

There’s nothing in Bryan County’s recent football history to make anyone take anything for granted but since Freeman’s arrival the talent level and the numbers have reached a point where losing is no longer acceptable.

The Redskins open at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Lincoln County, a game which may – with the possible exception of Metter – be Bryan County’s toughest outing of the season.

Here are four reasons why Bryan County expects to make a playoff push in 2022.

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1. It's a numbers game

When he got the Bryan County job in July 2020, Freeman took over a program that finished the previous season with 21 players and on a 16-game losing streak. He will take 51 players to Lincoln County.

Due to coaching upheavals, there had not been a spring practice and summer was a wash, too. After putting together a coaching staff Freeman and his assistants spent the rest of the summer contacting kids and convincing them it was cool to be a Bryan County football player.

There was promise, too, with an incoming group of talented freshmen and Freeman did not hesitate to play them. In a game late in an 0-7 COVID season Freeman started 18 first year players.

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Some of the losses were severe but Freeman was unfazed as was his coaching staff. They had a plan and patience in place.

“Two years from now we’re going to get some people,” Freeman said at the time. “These kids are good players and after we’ve had them in the weight room for a couple of years we’ll be okay.”

The Redskins won three games last year including a 38-12 thumping of Butler in the opener to snap a 23-game losing streak. There were still some bad losses but a 27-20 win over Portal in the season finale was a tremendous morale boost.

Those freshmen are now juniors and coupled with seven seniors who have also stuck it out has the Redskins looking at themselves in the mirror and liking what they see.

2. Reclassification should make Redskins more competitive

The GHSA’s reclassification plan this spring has also added to that optimism. Bryan County is now in Region 3 Division I with Metter, Savannah High, Screven County and Claxton. Freeman believes that will be a great equalizer.

“I think it will help us,” Freeman said. “It puts us with schools our size. It’s a smaller region with smaller schools.

“We have a lot of kids that go both ways and also play special teams. Those teams go through the same thing we do. All we want is a level playing field and I think we’ve got it now.”

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Metter was 13-1 last year losing in the Class A state semifinals for the second straight year but none of the others had a winning record. Screven was 3-7, Claxton 2-8 and Savannah High was 3-8 competing at the 3A level.

3. A defense to reckon with

Tarrell Singleton, a senior offensive and defensive lineman, was a second-team all-region pick last year on the defensive side of the ball and he is the anchor of what Freeman believes will be the team’s strength.

“Our defense should be good,” Freeman said. “Tarrell, Tanner Ennis, Austin Clemens, Konnor Leggett…they’re all good players. John Good is a good lineman and Sean Kelly Hill does a good job at linebacker.

“We’ve got some guys who can play and they’re hungry. Those guys have been playing together the last two years.”

Ennis, who was an all-region defensive back as a freshman and made the all-region teams in basketball and baseball this past school year, led the team in tackles last year with 121.

Clemens, who plays middle linebacker, is the Redskins’ top returning rusher with 398 yards. While Clemens runs with power juniors Jacari Carney and Eric Greene provide the speed. Carney picked up 211 yards last year and Greene had 183 while playing in only six games.

4. A quarterback looking to prove himself

A key will be how well sophomore quarterback Trevor Lanier plays. He became a starter late in the season last year and showed flashes of potential. Bryan County will continue to emphasis the run but Lanier is going to have to avoid turnovers and when called on to pass must be effective.

The offensive line will be anchored by Singleton, senior Carter Tapley, Good and Luke Holcombe.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Bryan County high school football to make GHSA Class A playoff run