Grayson High School

Grayson Football

Coach Mickey Conn has a good thing going at Grayson High School. He’s the only coach in the Gwinnett County school’s history and has led the powerhouse program to a record of 110-39 over 14 seasons. The Rams haven’t lost more than three games since 2007, the same year they began their current streak of reaching at least the second round of the state playoffs.

But this season may provide Conn with one of his biggest challenges since he walked on campus. The 2011 team won the state championship and last season’s team was flooded with top-level college prospects including the nation’s most sought after recruit, defensive end/fullback Robert Nkemdiche. The Rams cruised to the Region 8-AAAAAA title in 2012. While Nkemdiche will terrorize SEC quarterbacks this fall at Ole Miss, the Rams also lost 20 starters.

Replacing 21 starters won’t be easy, but if any program is up to the task, it’s got to be Grayson. At one point last season, the Rams shut out four consecutive region opponents while never scoring less than 40 points in any of those four games. It’s safe to say that Conn was able to build depth through substitutions throughout the majority of the season.

“We’ve got a lot of good players that have waited their turn, and I’m anxious to get them on the field,” Conn noted in a recent interview with Score Atlanta.

Grayson employs what Conn describes as a hybrid Wing-T offense. He’ll turn the reigns of the offense over to junior quarterback Hunter Schuessler this fall. The strength of the team is expected to be the playmakers at the skill positions and athletes behind the line of scrimmage. Conn will employ a 4-3 defense that should provide plenty of power to attack opposing quarterbacks. Big things are expected from running back Aares McCall, speedster Kartez Hall and linebacker Daniel Fennell.

The Rams begin their season in the Corky Kell Classic against Region 1-AAAAAA power, Colquitt County. Grayson has some history in the fall showcase with a 4-1 record in their previous appearances. The Rams are 1-1 against Colquitt County but have never faced the Packers in the Corky Kell Classic.

Grayson is young, but seems poised to be successful once again in 2013. As Conn noted, “It’s not where you start, but where you finish.”