Podcast Topics Include 1996 State Title, Corky Kell Classic, and More
This week’s guest on our Next Take Georgia podcast is Dave Hunter, the former Brookwood head football coach and athletic director. Hunter was recently recognized for his longtime involvement with the Corky Kell Classic by having his name added to the annual Georgia high school football season kickoff showcase event. It is now known as the Corky Kell Dave Hunter Classic.
In this week’s episode, coach Hunter talked about one of the most memorable games of his storied career, which in addition to his time at Brookwood also included coaching stints in Cobb and DeKalb Counties. He also discussed how the showcase event bearing his name and coach Corky Kell came together, and he shared his thoughts on the number-one issue players and coaches are facing in Georgia high school football.
Brookwood Wins State Title Without Completing a Pass
Dave Hunter spent 20 years at Brookwood High School, including 15 as the Broncos’ head football coach. After he retired from coaching, he stayed on as the Brookwood athletic director.
Hunter won 149 games a Brookwood, and there’s one in particular that he and I discussed. That was the 1996 state championship game against Valdosta. The game was played at Valdosta and is remembered not only for the Broncos’ win, but how they achieved it. Hunter says his team’s offense was primarily a run-first team, but against Valdosta they tried to throw the ball four times in the first half, and things didn’t go so well.
“We threw it four times and had a quarterback sack, two interceptions, and an incomplete pass, so we didn’t do that again,” Hunter said with a chuckle. Brookwood would run the ball on every remaining possession en route to a 45-24 win and the state title.
Corky Kell Dave Hunter Classic: How It Started
Hunter talked about how the showcase event bearing his name started. He said it all began with a conversation between himself, the late Corky Kell, McEachern principal Ralph Williams, and coach Jimmy Dorsey, along with representatives of the then-brand new Georgia Dome. Hunter said the men all discussed playing the GHSA state championship game at the Dome, which was still under construction at the time. That led to a discussion about having a high school football doubleheader be the very first event in the Dome.
McEachern and Brookwood agreed to play as part of a four-team event. The other game would include Southwest Dekalb and Newnan. That was in 1992, and that four-team event would grow to what it is today, the premier kickoff event that signals the start of each GHSA football season, including this year’s showcase, which will play host to 22 teams over four separate venues.
Hunter said despite the event being perceived as a Metro Atlanta/North Georgia-only event, the committee charged with organizing the matchups each year always invite teams from South Georgia and other parts of the state. But he admitted that it is tough due to the travel and expense involved.
“We will always invite South Georgia teams to this event,” Hunter said. “We want them to be here.”
The Number One Issue in Georgia High School Sports
Coach Hunter said the No. 1 issue involving Georgia high school coaches and players is the increase in head injuries sustained in the sport each year.
“We have to address that,” he said. “We must take the head out of the game as far as tackling is concerned. People get in trouble when they duck their head when making a tackle.”
Hunter said that when he played and coached, players never wanted to use their head.
“It hurt,” he recalled. “It was bad technique.”
The veteran coach said improvements in the durability of helmets has been a great thing, but it has proved to be troublesome, too.
“These helmets today are built so well that the players tend to use it as a weapon, and it’s dangerous,” he said.
Hunter advocates teaching the players to “see what you hit. These players need to have their head up, with the face in the chest.”
For the entire conversation with former Brookwood football coach Dave Hunter, be sure to listen to this week’s edition of the Next Take Georgia podcast, presented by ITG Next.
