We tell you everything you need to know about the 2023 Brooks County football team, including roster changes and what fans can expect from the Trojans this season.
2022 Stats
- Overall Record: 7-3
- Points Scored: 340
- Points Allowed: 148
Key Losses
The Brooks County Trojans must replace 12 starters from last season’s team. Many of those come from the defensive side of the ball, including standout OLB Kamari Blankumsee, who also spent time on offense at running back. But it was on the defensive side where he made the most impact, finishing with 182 career tackles, including 3 sacks.
Fellow LB Jeremiah Henderson will also be missed, as will his 139 career tackles and 4 sacks while at Brooks County. Defensive tackle Jailyn Sparkman is another defender not returning this season.
On offense, the Trojans will miss the production of quarterback Jamal Sanders. Despite missing the final three games of the season last year due to an injury, he still threw for 2,600 yards during his career as the Trojans QB. Sanders and Blankumsee both signed with Fort Valley State in the offseason.
Who’s Back
Returning to play QB will be senior Javen Watts, who took over late in the season for Sanders. Despite the limited time behind center, he’ll open the season as the teams starting QB in 2023 and he’ll be surrounded by a lot of talent to help him. That includes his backfield mate, RB Chris Cole, who got better and better as the season went on, and finished with just over 800 yards rushing.
“We are expecting big things from Chris this year,” said Brooks offensive coordinator Josh McFather.
Amar Thomas, who has been a three-year starter for Brooks County at safety, will return there for his senior season, but he will also see additional time this season on offense, at RB.
“He hasn’t played much offense for us here at Brooks, but he will this year,” McFather said.
Sophomore DT Tamarrion Kimbrough will return there after starting his entire freshman season in 2022.
What to Expect
The 2023 Brooks County Trojans will be young, but the loss of Blankumsee and Sanders could hurt.
“That’s a lot of speed and experience we have to replace there this year,” McFather said.
How fast Javen Watts catches on will be one of the keys to how Brooks County does this year. McFather said he’s more of a pro-style QB than the dual-threat Sanders was, so it’ll be interesting watching how that position plays out as the season gets going.
One of the things you can expect with Maurice Freeman as the head coach is that the 2023 Brooks County Trojans will be right there at the end, like they always are – regardless of who or how many players they lost to graduation.
Prediction
I see the Trojans finishing with an 8-5 record, and once again making a push in the later rounds of the Class A state playoffs
Game to Watch
The season opener on August 18 at Thomasville.
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