Brookstone School will have a familiar face coaching on the sidelines this fall. Blair Harrison has returned to the Columbus school as head football coach. This season marks 10 years Harrison has coached the Cougars football team, but it is the first season in five years.
Harrison was Brookstone’s head football coach from 2003 to 2012. His career record while at Brookstone was an impressive 73-29. The Cougars won Region Titles under Harrison’s tenure in 2006, 2007 and 2008. He left the school to take a coaching and athletic director position at Kingston High School in Tennessee. When he was announced as the new head coach at Brookstone, Harrison had most recently been the Offensive Coordinator and an assistant baseball coach at Hardaway High School in Columbus.
The newly returned coach is inheriting a program that was 4-7 last season and 3-4 in the region. The Cougars have had some bright moments during the past few seasons, but Brookstone’s football team has had two head coaches since Harrison’s departure.
Despite the losing record of 2016, the Cougars have reason to be hopeful this fall. In addition to the re-hiring of their most successful coach in recent history, Brookstone will be returning some very capable athletes for the offense and defense.
Returning offensive starter Josh Alford (OL), 6’0” and 226 pounds will be a leader for Harrison’s 2017 team. Alford is joined by veteran players Banks Massey (OL), 6’1” and 210 lbs., and Jeremiah Burgess (RB), 6’ and 165 lbs. All three of these athletes are considered college prospects. Ethan Martin (OL), 6’1” and 205 lbs., and Russell Blanchard (QB), 6’0” and 180 lbs., are the other two returning starters on offense who should be major contributors for the Cougars.
On defense, Harrison will have four returning starters. Josh Fernicola (ILB), 6’1” and 185 lbs., is a top college prospect in the Cougars program and will be a player to watch this season. Fernicola was the interception leader for the team last year, snagging two for the Cougars and is also the top academic player on the 2017 team with a 4.65 GPA. He probably will see some time on the offensive side as a wide receiver, too, as he was the leading receiver last year with 14 receptions for 171 yards. Another college prospect, Richard Hill (DL/FB), 5’11” and 195 lbs., is returning and may be seeing time on both sides of the ball. Chris Edmonds (DB), 6’0” and 160 lbs. will also play a big role this fall on defense. Helping out defensively will be Jeremiah Burgess in the position of defensive back.
Since Harrison was only announced as head coach at the end of May, he didn’t have much experience with his Brookstone team nor have a coaching staff lined up until this summer. Harrison does know, however, that his 2017 Cougars are hard workers and coachable.
“Not sure how we will play this season, but I know we will find 11 players that will play hard and be very disciplined,” said Harrison.
Now in his 21st year of coaching football, Harrison has developed a certain approach to both the offense and defense. He will have his Brookstone team using the Wing T with modern day passing principles on offense. For the defense, he favors multiple fronts.
It can be hard to set goals for a team you only just started coaching, but Harrison wants the Cougars to get stronger and learn the offense to win more games than last year.
How will Brookstone fare this season? Losing some valuable seniors and three head coaches in five years does have some effect. The excitement over Harrison’s return, the team’s strong work ethic and the efforts of some very talented players may just put the Cougars on the prowl again for winning seasons and region titles.
Columbus Valley/Fall Football Preview/August 2017
Brookstone School
Columbus, GA
By Beth Welch
