Wolfpack begins with new coach, new plan

Since former Greenbrier athletic director and football coach Mickey Derrick announced his intentions to retire after the 2005-06 school year, things have been different for the Greenbrier football program.

In February, the team got a new coach. Scott Chadwick, an unknown name in Georgia high school football, came from Maryland with two state championships under his belt.

Although the new coach and players got along well, the transition to a new leader wasn't easy.

"It's very different," sophomore Dylan Turner said. "We had to learn all new plays. He does a lot more passing stuff."

Instead of last year's I-formation, senior Freddie Jones said, the Wolfpack is now running somewhere in the neighborhood of 12 different offensive formations. As a team that primarily ran the ball in 2005, it took some time to adjust to Chadwick, who said that with the current players he's got, passing would most likely come first.

"It is different, but it's good," Jones said. "It's taken some time to learn the new offensive system, but we've got smart kids."

When the Wolfpack begin the season Sept. 1, Jones will be the starting tailback - a position key to Greenbrier's wins last year with then-senior Reggie Rice running the offense. Jones will replace Rice this year with a 4.28 40-yard dash time and plenty of confidence.

"In our offense we've got to have a good ball carrier," Chadwick said. "Freddie's going to have a very solid year for us."

While Jones saw limited action at the tailback spot last year, teammate Nick Richards saw even less at quarterback. However, the junior will take over as the starting signal-caller this season. Although he's never taken a snap in a varsity game, the report coming from the coaches and players that saw him in action during summer passing camps is impressive.

"He's got the strongest arm of any quarterback I've ever coached," Chadwick said.

Richards' targets this year may be even less familiar to the football field than the junior quarterback. Chadwick said Tyrone Bonds, a senior who saw limited action last year, will be the go-to receiver while Anthony Williams, a senior basketball player, will suit up as a wide receiver on the football team for the first time in his high school career.

"I wanted to get more of the athletes to come out for football, and he's the best athlete in the building," Chadwick said.

Greenbrier will kick off the 2006 season with three straight road games starting Sept. 1 at Westside. The Wolfpack's home opener will take place against Evans on Sept. 22.