The Houston County Bears have won only one region championship in school football history. They are winless in their last six quarterfinals appearances. Under head coach Jeremy Edwards, though, a history-making 2023 campaign may be in store.
It starts at the top with quarterback Antwann Hill, Jr. The sophomore sensation passed for an otherworldly 3,663 yards and 40 touchdowns last season, with only three interceptions. Hill is a smart passer, and he maintained a completion percentage over 70% throughout 2022. The four-star prospect holds offers from all of college football’s biggest names.
Hill won’t lose any of his top five receiving targets to graduation, either. Kale Woodburn and Ricky Johnson combined for more than 1,850 receiving yards last season and will return as experienced seniors. The duo also totaled 24 touchdowns, all while averaging over 15.5 yards per reception.
The offense is bolstered by the return of running back Ryan Taleb, who often goes unnoticed in the shadow of Hill’s passing heroics. Taleb added 1,720 yards and 19 scores on the ground for the 2022 Bears to complement a furious passing attack. He posted five 100-yard rushing performances in the last six games of the season, including a 286-yard, 3-touchdown night against North Atlanta in the playoffs. For a Houston County offense that averaged nearly 43 points per game last year, the prospect of more than 50 points per contest in the 2023 football season appears within reach.
The Houston County football team’s greatest improvements in 2023 may come on the defensive side of the ball. Despite losing leading tackler Arthur Brown, Houston County returns Ryan Mackey, EJ Nobles, and Brandon Walden in the front seven. That trio combined for a whopping 217 tackles, 36 tackles for loss, and 12 sacks in 2022. All five sack leaders from last season’s Houston County football squad return as seniors as well. Expect an improved rush defense from the Bears this season.
The secondary proved to be Houston County’s Achilles’ heel last year, not in terms of yards allowed, but rather in turnovers forced. The Bears struggled to find consistency all season and forced only 10 interceptions in 13 games. With a surplus of rising seniors at that position for next season, the Bears should have more depth and stability.
Houston County has all the pieces necessary to make a deep run within the Georgia Class 6A playoffs. A four-win team just two years ago, the Bears now have a plethora of senior talent and experience that sets them up for a stellar 2023 campaign. There may be no greater opportunity to win a state championship in Houston County football history. Can the Bears rewrite the record books this season?
