South Effingham football preview: Here are five reasons the Mustangs will improve on 2021

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GUYTON – The rebuild of South Effingham football is ongoing.

The program hasn't been the same since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet heading into Friday's season opener at Vidalia, that old Mustang mojo is being felt around campus.

Here are five reasons why South Effingham expects to improve in 2022.

1. Schedule, schedule, schedule

South Effingham, 2-8 in 2021, should feel a little more encouraged with a schedule that includes seven teams with records under .500.

The past two years, the rebuilding Mustangs have been overmatched. The outbreak of COVID-19 created scheduling havoc. SEHS had several opponents opt out of travel in 2020, leaving the Mustangs scrambling to find two-year, home-and-away contracts for non-region foes to fill 2020 and 2021 schedules.

Eventually, SEHS’ non-region schedule included heavyweights Metter, Appling County and Benedictine. Apparently, the Green Bay Packers weren’t available.

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Last year, Metter (13-1), Appling County (12-2) and Benedictine (13-2) all advanced to at least the semifinals of the state playoffs and BC was the Class AAAA state champ.

This year, South’s non-region schedule looks like this: Vidalia (3-8), Islands (4-6), Screven County (3-7) while keeping old region favorite Bradwell Institute (0-9). SEHS recorded one of its two wins against the Tigers in 2021 and its only win in 2020 came against Bradwell.

With region realignment, the Mustangs added 3-8 Grovetown and 4-7 Lakeside (Evans) while saying goodbye to Richmond Hill and Statesboro.

2. New day, new offense

If you can’t overpower your opponents, trick them. It worked for Paul Johnson and Georgia Southern with a triple-option offense.

SEHS is taking a similar approach and will add some Wing-T concepts to an offense that averaged less than 15 points a game last season.

Coach Pat Collins, a Wing-T guru, joined the Mustangs’ coaching staff last spring to direct the running backs. He used the deceptive offense to turn around programs at Southeast Bulloch and Bulloch Academy.

Using the Wing-T, Collins led SEB to a 5-0 mark and first place in Region 1-AAA Division B play in 2014. At Bulloch Academy, he had 9-3 and 7-4 seasons and his teams averaged about 35 points a game.

3. QB competition pushes players

Coaches will tell you competition in practice is never a bad thing and the duel for SEHS’ starting quarterback job between juniors Kaden DeGenaro and Aubrey Heath is pushing both players to be better.

SEHS head coach Nathan Clark said DeGenaro is a more skilled passer while Heath is more athletic. Both started games last season. Clark said the two are even on the depth chart, a deadlock he doesn’t expect to be broken until the days leading up to Friday’s season opener with Vidalia.

“I think if you polled all the assistant coaches, they’d be 50-50 (in choosing DeGenaro or Heath as a starter),” Clark said.

4. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger

SEHS was beaten soundly in seven of its first eight games during the 2021 campaign, but displayed some resolve during the final two weeks of the season.

In Week 9, the Mustangs played competitively against Richmond Hill, the region’s No. 2 seed at state, outgaining the Wildcats 293-284 in total yardage despite the 27-13 loss.

The next week, SEHS produced 307 yards in a 28-22 victory over Bradwell to end the season.

5. Returning stars bolster defense

South will have five honorable mention all-region performers back on defense – linebacker William Christmas, defensive linemen Tanner Hughes, Matthew Moore and DaMyon McFarlin and defensive back Tyrik Guyton.

Rakeam Williams, a senior linebacker, and Christmas were second and third on the team last season with 41 and 36 tackles respectively.

Clark said freshman lineman Dylan Ward could be a starter at nose guard. Senior Justin Martell is a leader in the secondary.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: South Effingham Mustangs football expect improvement in 2022 season