Football Fridays In Georgia: Goes Coastal To Visit A Private Powerhouse

Caption

Benedictine Head Coach Danny Britt addresses his team after a loss to Miami's Christopher Columbus High School on August 28, 2021

Credit: Facebook/BC Communications Noell Barnidge

 

TRANSCRIPT: 

 

Jon Nelson: Welcome to another round of the Football Fridays in Georgia podcast here at Georgia Public Broadcasting. Thanks for accessing us however you are doing so, large device or small, GPB, gpb.org, the GPB Sports app. You go on the website; you can hang with us there. However, you're hanging out with us, it's another week of the Football Fridays in Georgia podcast. This week, Danny Britt, the head coach of the Benedictine Cadets down in Savannah, we get to catch up with him and find out what life is like on the coast for one of the more storied and successful programs, Hannah, over the last decade.

Hannah Goodin: Have you caught your breath yet?

Jon Nelson No, no, no, no. And this is where I guess this is where we're peeling back the curtain as to why I was late to taping? We're going to...

Hannah Goodin: We had to fix Jon's hair. We had to...

Jon Nelson: That was no help…

Hannah Goodin: We had to get him a cold rag.

Jon Nelson: Ok, so here's the deal. We have a set time every week where we're supposed to record the show.

Hannah Goodin: Supposed to...

Jon Nelson: Supposed to record the show, and yes, I just used air quotes for those who are just listening to it. So are you know, I'm keeping in contact with Coach Britt and saying, "I might be a little late, might be a little late." There was an accident on the downtown connector as it's my normal route to come in here to the studios at 260, 14th Street, NW, Atlanta, Georgia, 30318.  And there was a wreck on the connector literally that stopped traffic for almost a half an hour. And I did the math as I was driving past it after everything had cleared. Nine cars, three cop cars.

Hannah Goodin: Wow.

Jon Nelson: Two, well two of them were state troopers, one was the Atlanta Police Department. You had three hero units and two wreckers.

Hannah Goodin: Wow.

Jon Nelson: And a lot of damage! It was a nine-car insurance seminar and it was not pretty. And you had a lot of folks who were wet because I think they got stuck out in the rain.

Hannah Goodin: And Jon coming into the studio hot today!

Jon Nelson: Yes, I came in at a high rate of speed just to make sure that everything was going to happen in on an almost timely fashion. So, it's good to know that that I kept you awake during this process about my APB. And so. Yeah, so Commander Sandy.

Hannah Goodin: I just love calling you out.

Jon Nelson: Yeah, exactly. So, Commander Sandy was, you know, trying to make sure that everything was going to happen. King James and the outlaw Jesse James, too. So, I mean, it was it was everybody was sitting there. And I could just sense all of you looking at your watches, sitting there going, like, is Nelson here yet? I'm hungry. I want to go to lunch. Is Nelson here yet?

Hannah Goodin: It's what I ask every week though.

Jon Nelson: What?

Hannah Goodin: How was your Labor Day?

Jon Nelson: I labored.

Hannah Goodin: Why did you labor on?

Jon Nelson: Let's see. Patty was rearranging the displays because of the change of holidays. She's the one that does the calendar.

Hannah Goodin: I haven't gotten to that yet.

Jon Nelson: So, she was doing a lot of that. I stayed out of the way, which I'm very, very good at.

Hannah Goodin: Yes. Good job.

Jon Nelson: Yeah. She has an idea ...

Hannah Goodin: When the decoration boxes come out, men get away. Yes. You can carry the boxes down. Yeah, but that that's it.

Jon Nelson: And then she was looking for something that she couldn't find. It was apropos to this particular part of the calendar. And so, we were doing that, and I was staying out of the way. And then one of the other Me’s, the soccer me. We had our show at six o'clock on Monday nights. So, we talked about soccer from six to eight. So no, it was a day of just trying to look at the men's national team and what didn't happen and them not getting full points and then talking about it later and staying out of Patty's way. She was reorganizing the house.

Hannah Goodin: We put together the cribs yesterday.

Jon Nelson: Yeah.

Hannah Goodin: Yeah. In the old man cave. In the ex-man cave.

Jon Nelson: And you see now, I got to talk to John about this. But let me let me ask you this. Did John put them together and you stay out of the way or was this a two-person effort here?

Hannah Goodin: So, I supervised the first effort. Ok, so my husband did read the directions because I told him to read the directions. I just figured it would save us some heartache.

Jon Nelson: I'm guessing the answer was it did not.

Hannah Goodin: It did not. We had to redo the first one, I'm guessing there were parts left over. There were red stickers on the outside of the curb that said this is the inside. So, we had to flip it around. Anyways, I assisted with the second one.

Jon Nelson: Ok, because, I mean, is John left-handed to?

Hannah Goodin: No.

Jon Nelson: Ok, so traditionally for me, it's having to do something in reverse.

Hannah Goodin: He just doesn't pay attention.

Jon Nelson: I mean, it's like when I'm when I'm opening a can with a can opener, I have to flip the can around and do it left-handed because I mean, you know, because I'm left hand dominant. And so, it's like you turn the can't you turn the can in the can opener around and you do it with your left hand.

Hannah Goodin: No.

Jon Nelson: I didn't know if just because vision was reversed, everything was to the outside.

Hannah Goodin: He just wasn't looking.

Jon Nelson: Ahh.

Hannah Goodin: So, he did the first one.

Jon Nelson: So, you're calling out your John also, in addition to calling out every guy named John that she knows on the show.

Hannah Goodin: Of course. It's my job here. It's my job here.

Jon Nelson: You want to toss to the interview?

Hannah Goodin: I do want to talk about what happened in week three football. Ok, so people want to know what happened in the footballs of Georgia.

Jon Nelson: Ok, so what's your question?

Hannah Goodin: Week three is in the books, guys, and according to the Maxwell ratings projections, forty-one underdogs got the big W's.

Jon Nelson: That is true.

Hannah Goodin: All right. Here are the top five ones. Yeah. Union Grove pulled off the upset of the week after beating Starr's Mill 21-14. The Panthers were a twenty-four-point favorite in that one, Jon.

Jon Nelson: Well, and this is once again, this is what you're going to see early in the year. You're going to have these non-region games and these rivalry games. And you're going to end up with some surprises, and once again, if you're talking about young teams, which we've seen a lot this year, when it comes to young teams, it's going to take a while for them to get the full song. Colquitt County is another example that we talked about them and they're rough and tumble schedule that they've had this season, too. So don't be surprised with these young teams if either, A, your defense gets their first or you end up with a result like we've seen in non-region games these last these first couple of weeks.

Hannah Goodin: Woodward beat Marist 14- 9. And the win comes with a big congratulations to Eagles head coach John Hunt got his 100th victory on Friday. His record is now 130. That's pretty good.

Jon Nelson: One zero zero dash three zero.

Hannah Goodin: Yes.

Jon Nelson: Ok, because you said his records 130.

Hannah Goodin: A 100 dash or/and 30.

Jon Nelson: Ok.

Hannah Goodin: Making him one of the 40 fastest coaches to 100 in GHSA history.

Hannah Goodin: Yeah, they, Marist was down 14 to 9 late fourth quarter came down and we're in position to score as time was running out. And it took a game saving play by Woodward's defense to preserve that win in that one.

Hannah Goodin: Creekside was a 14-point underdog to Westlake. Pulled it out 27 to 20 to go 2-0 on the year.

Hannah Goodin: We all know what we're seeing from Westlake and head coach Bobby Maye. That one is a bit of a surprise, but you know what? Once again, we'll get into it and talking about it with Coach Britt. Sometimes, you know these teams are going to come up and they're going to, they're going to get bit and it's coming off of a big game last week. And it's like, how do you respond to a big game? And so, now it's that's the new question for Westlake, how do you respond after this week, having two big games in a row, going different directions?

Hannah Goodin: In Marietta, my old stomping grounds, Pope beat Kell 30 to 24. The Greyhounds will now face Lassiter.

Jon Nelson: Oh, here we go.

Hannah Goodin: Who I might add, was not a top five upset but it's still one of my top five games. Who got their first win of the season against South Cobb? Pulling out 43 points.

Jon Nelson: Wow.

Hannah Goodin: Against the Eagles. The final score I was, I got ahead of myself, the final score. 43 to 28. Forty-three points, baby.

Jon Nelson: And Lakeside scored 36 less in their 12 to 7 loss to Redan. And so, I figured you were going to bring that. I figured I was going to bring it up before you were going to ask.

Hannah Goodin: But I was still basking in the Lassiter win.

Jon Nelson: I see how this goes. She's going to sit there and play up a Lassiter win and so. Well wait a sec. Wait, wait, wait, wait. You know, you know, there's somebody...

Hannah Goodin: There's another team.

Jon Nelson: There's somebody that we have yet to discuss here and their rankings in the GPB top ten in their particular class. Commander Sandy......

Hannah Goodin: Is sneaking in... sneaking in.

Sandy Malcolm: I’m just waiting patiently.

Jon Nelson:  Waiting patiently. Since when. Your team, the Decatur Bulldogs, is ranked in the GPB poll and

Hannah Goodin: 3-0.

Jon Nelson: You're waiting patiently.

Sandy Malcolm: How about those bulldogs?

Jon Nelson: Who are you? Waiting patiently to chime in. You are undefeated and you're in top ten in the poll, and I'm waiting patiently, and no one should wait patiently when they poke into the pole.

Hannah Goodin: I'm just excited about a win.

Sandy Malcolm: First time since 2004, I think if I remember right.

Jon Nelson: See, Commander Sandy is all fired up.

Hannah Goodin: What was the final score in that one?

Jon Nelson: What was the final score?

Sandy Malcolm: Oh man, you put me on the spot.

Jon Nelson: See, all right.

Hannah Goodin: Oh, Oh, hold on. I've got it. I've have already got it pulled up.

Sandy Malcolm: The offense went crazy, though. 

Jon Nelson: As we sit here.

Hannah Goodin: 48 to 14 against GAC.

Jon Nelson: Wow.

Hannah Goodin: Look at these numbers. 55 to 7 against Dunwoody, 13 to 6 against Wesleyan, 48 to 14. That's like an Alabama score.

Jon Nelson: But I mean, seriously, you guys have been putting up some big numbers against some high-quality opponents, Greater Atlanta Christian, then you beat Wesleyan, first time in like a decade. I want to say something like that, beating a ranked team in the private school rankings or something like that. And so, you know, three and 0 out of the blocks in your offense has really been putting the pedal down. I'm being patient. Why? No reason whatsoever.

Sandy Malcolm: Now they're going to take a week off.

Hannah Goodin: Week off. And then you got my boys at Arabia Mountain.

Jon Nelson: Then my next question...

Hannah Goodin: That game might get out of hand.

Jon Nelson: And initially, and this will be the last thing we talk about before we toss to the interview with Coach Britt, initially Commander Sandy you were not going to be here for the taping today.

Hannah Goodin: She made it so.

Jon Nelson: Yes, she made it. So... But my question is, does anyone in Commander Sandy's family have any eligibility that can help Georgia Tech, considering that they lost to Northern Illinois this past week?

Sandy Malcolm: No, unfortunately, no.

Jon Nelson: I just thought I would ask.

Sandy Malcolm: It's more of an academic thing than a…

Jon Nelson: Yes, Sandy's daughter is taking some big-time visits. Yeah, smarty pants.

Jon Nelson: Yeah, she's getting those big visits to those power five schools. That's right. And we'll keep an eye on that as we go. But,

Hannah Goodin: Hey, quick question. You had some other big games on your list. We've missed some. What are some other teams that you had your eye on?

Jon Nelson: Oh, a lot of them. I mean, you had.

Hannah Goodin: The Colquitt Cedar Grove game, right?

Jon Nelson: Colquitt and Cedar Grove was a part of it. Trinity Christian knocking off Fellowship Christian and single A private 56 to 20, Tim McFarlin in his first year at Fellowship. But with what we're seeing with Coach Dallas right now at Trinity Christian, you're seeing a lot of firepower there. Jeff Davis now 3-0, knocking off Jenkins, getting a home game for the first time this year. Last week's column with Lance Helton, 39 to 7 over Jenkins. Dodge county is 3 and 0 a Bleckley county is at 3-0. Thomasville and Cairo. That was another one of the top five that I had in the lower classifications, 26 to 21 Thomasville coming back to win over Cairo. And they've got Bainbridge, Thomasville and Bainbridge it is going to be huge.

Hannah Goodin: It is going to be a good game. All right.

Jon Nelson: That's just a short sample of all of the games that I have seen, as I say, I always love all of my children equally, and there are great storylines all across the state.

Hannah Goodin: We don't have enough time,

Jon Nelson: You know, we don't really. So go ahead and toss to the interview.

Hannah Goodin: All right. Like you said, our guest today is Benedictine Head Coach Danny Britt. We break down pretty much everything from last season to this season to the future of the school. Let's bring him on.

Jon Nelson: First off, coach, thanks for hanging out with us this week on the podcast. I know that it was different, and I'll just use that word last season when it came to putting schedules together. And I know that you were a master of emails and cell phones and getting your schedule pieced together. What did you learn about yourself last year as a coach and as a program there at Benedictine?

Coach Danny Britt: Certainly, it was very different in the way things continued to fall out. I guess, to say we were resilient and steadfast in and wanting to play football. And, you know, thankfully, I had the support of my administration. They let us travel all over the state to find games and we did and got the boys as many games as we could.

Hannah Goodin: A lot of teams in South Georgia have been struggling again with COVID this year, any scares? Are you guys being you're being safe, obviously. But how is the team's health?

Coach Danny Britt: Yeah, it's been pretty good. We were actually a vaccination site back in the spring. Yeah, so a lot of our older kids were vaccinated all the way back in April. And so, we were in better shape than most because of that. Now we've had some younger freshmen come in and, you know, most of which have since gotten vaccinated. But, you know, we've been in pretty good shape this entire time.

Jon Nelson: When you look at your schedule and the way that Hannah and I talk about it, I always say that there are the regions that are the standard size and then there are regions like the one that you're in that I just refer to as a mini region. And I mean by that is that you only have a handful of games. It is a sprint and it's an adventure to get through having the schedule 37 non-region games to get into a sprint where you're trying to be as healthy as possible for that sprint to get a good one seed to get into the playoffs. How difficult is it for you in a normal year to schedule games?

Coach Danny Britt: It's become very difficult for us. Like I said, we've only got three region games. So, you know, finding all of those other games has been pretty, pretty hard in the fact that we've been good for a number of years makes it makes it a little difficult. The other fact is, let's be honest, we're in Savannah, Georgia, which is, you know, not close to a lot of places. So, we've had to be able to travel and do different things. And we you know, obviously, the first game of the year, we played Christopher Columbus out of Miami and we'll travel to them next year. So, you know, fortunately of people who are supporting that, especially playing other Catholic schools and kind of seeing how other people do things. So, it has been it has been pretty difficult to get those games. And unfortunately, we've had to schedule some really, really good football teams and hopefully we can make it out of this thing alive.

Hannah Goodin: Seven non-region games. You also played Beaufort South Carolina. What was it like traveling up there?

Coach Danny Britt: Yeah, it's really cool, you know, to get to play these other really good programs out there in a similar situation that they you know, that the teams around them, you know, don't necessarily want to schedule unless they have to. So, they're a good football program and, you know, brought it to us Friday night. Definitely just being completely honest. Christopher Columbus team was better than us. And you know, that's just the way that it goes. I don't know how much better Beaufort was than us, but they were Friday night, so they definitely deserved to win.

Jon Nelson: What have you learned about yourself as a team in these first two games as you're going through this non-region? That's going to include Jesup and Ware and a lot of other heavyweights down the line, because I know that you've never been one to shy away from scheduling up in class. You know, you'll play somebody that's got 13 A's next to their name if you know, if you can line up a game with them. What have you learned about yourself with these first two playing quality opponents and knowing that you've got these others coming down the line?

Coach Danny Britt: Yeah, well, we you know, we had a pretty big heart to heart after the loss on Friday with the kids yesterday morning and even some of the leaders of the senior group that called call the team meeting before we even came in as coaches and learned that we weren't quite as good as we thought we were. And I think that's across the board. When I was talking to the to the team, first thing I did is go through about ten things that I had done wrong to start this season, a season both some and the ways we practice and just mentality. So, to help them understand, hey, when you know I'm getting on to you, it's not just use me. It's we. We're family and we're going to stick together like families do. But we got to get some things right. So, you know, we learned that, you know, you do things for a long time. You know, I've found we've been we just have not been disciplined the first two games and just that we typically are known to be a disciplined football team for the most part and just have not been that way. And I said, well, gosh, I've been doing everything the same way. I've been doing it for a decade here, you know, and why would that not make it disciplined? And so, we're changing it up. Figure out, you know, one thing that worked for one group kids doesn't always work for the next.

Hannah Goodin: You come back home to play North Oconee this Friday. You talked about some of the adjustments there. What about personnel wise? What's the game plan? What changes are you making?

Coach Danny Britt: Well, I'll tell you, we have always run our practices kind of in between a big school style and a small school style. In other words, everybody, at least from the beginning, plays an offensive and defensive position.

Jon Nelson: Right.

Coach Danny Britt: And, you know, I think that helps make better football players. It certainly helps the young guys because we have a, you know, a three-team program, a varsity, a JV, and a freshman team. But the same coaches run all of it. So, we kind of have to work practice a little differently. Well, what we're doing now is we've poured a lot of time into the younger guys. We've got to really focus in on this, the senior group. And we're going to 2 platoon type mentality and practicing that way. So, you get more practice time, you know, on both offense and defense and in what you're doing there. So, you know, we're changing some things up there. You know, we're still going to have a couple of guys go both ways and cross over, you know, Justin Thomas and Zaquan Bryan. But other than that, we're going to have to have some younger guys step up and fill those number two spots.

Jon Nelson: All right. So, Hannah flip a coin? Do you want to you want to talk about the quarterback or do you want to go to make that kid an offer, considering what we just heard from coach about making sure that they're going to be?

Hannah Goodin: QB! QB!

Jon Nelson: All right. So, here's your quarterback question. And in my household, coach, full disclosure, my wife is an Auburn alumna. And so when I told her about Holden Geriner.

Hannah Goodin: My husband is also an Auburn alumna.

Jon Nelson: That is true. Full disclosure. There was a great deal of excitement in both of our households when it was where Holden is heading to Auburn at the moment. What have you seen in him over the last handful of years? What's it been like to see him grow and evolve into the quarterback that he is?

Coach Danny Britt: Definitely it has been awesome to watch. He is a super talented young man. He has an odd arm talent. Sometimes he just makes throws it just kind of scratch your head on. So Auburn is getting a great quarterback. What I've seen him really grow in, you know, from the sophomore to his junior years, he really learned to take what is given and realize, you know, hey, if he can throw an easy go out route, you know, one of these guys takes 60 yards is the same as thrown at 60 yards down the field. So, he's become really patient with that understanding that. And I think he's also really got a lot better at understanding the defensive schemes and seeing, you know, seeing what's available to it.

Hannah Goodin: What sort of things does he need to work on this season in preparation for the next level? And in general?

Coach Danny Britt: I think continue to do what he's what he's done with that reading progressions and all because to get more difficult, obviously, at the next level, certainly versus the SEC defenses, you know, and continue to improve is his athletic ability. And he's really changed that as well over the past couple of years or is what he's done in the weight room and how he how he looks. So, continue to do both of those things and he will do just fine.

Jon Nelson: Was there a moment in his progression? Could have been a game, could have been at practice, could have been a conversation that the two of you had had off the field. But was. Was there a moment when you sat there and said, ok, he's really developing into someone who could be very, very special at the quarterback position?

Coach Danny Britt: Yeah, definitely, I mean, we knew that coming in what kind of talent he was going to be, but it's funny we're talking now our ironic last year against North Oconee. So, one year ago, he really just stepped up and went to the next level. We were running him and got him involved in that. He did a really good job. And then he made some unbelievable throws, I think he threw for like 350 yards that night. So really, it's about a year ago that he did that and we just really went, wow, he's going to be special.

Hannah Goodin: On the flip side of that, you said you're looking for some of the younger guys to step up. We do this segment on our Recruiting 2021 show called Make That Kid an Offer. He obviously has an offer. Lots of offers. Is there a kid on your team that's under looked that you think deserves an offer or deserves a shout out?

Coach Danny Britt: You know, definitely. I think we have a few kids like that. You know, Zaquan Bryan, people he does have offers and, you know, he's really, really special, really special kid. So, I think, you know, he definitely is one. And then. You know, Cole Semien, as a defensive lineman, as really, you know, got a lot of potential and I think, you know, some colleges really need to pay attention to him.

Jon Nelson: When it comes to what you and the staff have been able to build their Benedictine over the last decade, one of the cool things has been to see the evolution to where you now have your own stadium as a part of the whole growth of the process. What has it been like since day one to now to see where Benedictine has come from to where you and the staff and the administration have been able to take it to where it is?

Coach Danny Britt: Yeah, it's exciting, definitely. You know, from when we got here and I was an athletic director, as well as a football coach, and I remember kind of walking out and going honestly being a little overwhelmed, like, oh, well, this is going to be a job, you know, and we've really put a lot of things together. And we do have our own field and the beginning of a stadium, we're still playing at Memorial because we've got a lot to do. But it's completely changed in athletics as far as facilities and what we have back there. And just it has been exciting, and it's been a pretty tough journey as well. And so, it's but, you know, going back to that as almost 11 years ago now, looking back to where we were at, it's been pretty, pretty incredible.

Hannah Goodin: How involved are you in the stadium design? I feel like that would be that would be something really cool because, you know, it's going to be there for years and years and years to come.

Danny Britt: Yes, I am very, very adamant about it being just right, just like we want it. Not necessarily how I want it, but how.

Jon Nelson: Oh, come on.

Danny Britt: Well, yeah, I'm going to have a lot a lot to say about it. But my biggest thing is I want it to be completed. And just right before we ever play a home game here, I don't want it ever. I don't want 25 years from now, people look back and go, gosh, what was Britt thinking? He should have should have put more thought into this. And it happens all the time. Right. Well, why did they make that press box so small? They you know, they knew they would be bigger than that. Or we need more outlet. Is there only one female restroom, you know, those sorts of things?

Hannah Goodin: Oh, that's a big one.

Jon Nelson: What's the ETA on the completion of it right now?

Danny Britt: I would say I mean, it's tough to say, but I would say five to six years.

Jon Nelson: Ok, and then there'll be the big ribbon cutting and all of the pomp and the circumstance that goes because there's been a lot of effort that have been put into the facilities there at Benedictine. And I mean, when you and I started catching up with each other there on campus and seeing how things were and now seeing how things are continuing to grow, I mean, obviously, it's an exciting time to see all of this growth happen. And obviously, I would think that there's also an anticipation, considering how well Benedictine and does not just in football, but in all the other sports across the board to get to where it really can be a showcase for what schools can be if they invest in themselves.

Coach Danny Britt: Definitely, and the base is excited about that, what we've done is on the football field, the stadium aspect of it is what was in the original plan and the then we had to kick over and finish up a bunch of academic stuff. Right. Which, you know, they say is important to, you know,

Hannah Goodin: That whole thing.

Coach Danny Britt: So, we're about literally wrapping up the fine details of that. And then we can go back to raising funds for the stadium, which honestly, there's some people with some big checkbooks that have already said, hey, as soon as you get back to that list, we're ready. So, you know, when I say the five or six years, I mean, if we started today, it would take two years to build everything. Right. So, I think it's going to come quick. It's just, you know, when you're talking about the size of what you're doing there, it's going to take a number of years.

Hannah Goodin: So, you've been a coach there since 2011. You haven't missed the playoffs since that year. Two AA championship wins, 2014 and 2016, made it to the semifinals last season in 4A and kind of worked your way up to a 3A 4A, I guess, you know, what do you want to see out of your team this year, building on this resume that you've created there?

Coach Danny Britt: Well, I think, you know, what we set this year is, you know, kind of set the standard. We're going to another level, you know, gone up to 4A and made it to the semis. And, you know, part of that was playing Christopher Columbus out of Miami, playing a semi national schedule. That's what we're starting to do. And being able to tee it up with those type of guys and see where we're at and play and, you know, other out of state teams like Beaufort and just really going  another level. So that's what we are, you know, wanting to see from this year to take it to the highest level that we possibly can and compete and, you know, hopefully win a lot of games, you know. But like I said, we've kind of struggling with that right now. So, we've got to find a way to get back to the winning part of it.

Jon Nelson: You've gone up in class or to a three A 4A over the years, because of reclassification. And that has been a topic that has come up in the last handful of weeks about the new round of reclassification and where things may shake out there. What's your thoughts on the early conversations and the possible separations of some of the more successful private schools? What are some of your early takeaways from these early talks about the new round of reclassification?

Coach Danny Britt: Well, from what they're talking about is going to be really, really difficult on Benedictine because there's no way we are talking about isolated. Yeah, there's other private schools around us, but there all single A smaller schools. But the big private you know, the region, our region would be made up of Atlanta. So, you know that is four hours. Yeah, at least. I mean, that would be Woodward would be the closest. And that's for 4 hours 15 minutes. So, you know, it's really, really going to be a major struggle for us. And then with football, we can make it work. We can make whatever work we can. We can get the money. And it's one game a week. What isn't going to be able to work is basketball, baseball. You know, all the other sports are playing on a Tuesday night. You can't go to Atlanta on Tuesday night and be back at school the next morning. So, this is going to be a major struggle. You know, I won't get into all the politics of it. Because obviously you can imagine my opinion. But it just it's just going to be very difficult. We're going to have to really, really figure out some things to make it make it work.

Jon Nelson: Well, my last question for you. You mentioned, you know, you can get the funds for football and the community rallies around football. What makes South Georgia football so special?

Coach Danny Britt: I think it's just that that it truly is important to everybody, you know, even though obviously it's important when you have children at a school or whether they play or a part of the band or the cheer team or just go to school there and want to go cheer on their friends. But when in South Georgia, it becomes a part of everybody, you know, Benedictine's is great because the alumni base, you know, you get people showing up, you know, their kids, you know, graduated 20 years ago. They're still showing up supporting. And it's important to them and it means something to everybody. So that's what makes it different.

Jon Nelson: Well, Coach, thanks for letting us come and visit with you down there on the coast and let everybody see what's going on with one of the great programs that you've been able to build over the last decade. Thanks for hanging out with us here on the Football Fridays in Georgia podcast. Good luck. The rest of the season, we'll be keeping an eye. We'll catch up with you real soon.

Coach Danny Britt: Thank you so much for having me.

Hannah Goodin: Do they have a name for their new stadium?

Jon Nelson: I don't know. But I would imagine that when those who are willing to invest in the stadium, you know, you finally get that squared away. I'm sure that there will be some it might be a name of one of the old alums or something like that that's integral to a part of that process. But I would anticipate something like that happening when the stadium comes online. Going to be really cool.

Hannah Goodin: Coach Britt has got to put his name on it, Britt field,

Jon Nelson: It might be it might be Danny Britt Field at insert Benedictine Stadium here by the time it's done that now, he's done a lot of great things there at Benedictine and has helped grow that program in the last decade. And yeah, not afraid to play anybody any place, any time when you're playing Christopher Columbus and Beaufort as your first two games out of the blocks that is big.

Hannah Goodin: Even if you are 0 and 2. The teams you're playing does not show for that now.

Jon Nelson: Yeah, they will be ready by the time we get to season three, trust me.

Hannah Goodin: All right, Jon, guess what this Friday is.

Jon Nelson: What's this Friday?

Hannah Goodin: I told you to guess.

Jon Nelson: And so, I'm asking it's like, what is this Friday?

Hannah Goodin: It is the very first Football Fridays in Georgia broadcast of the season.

Jon Nelson: Yes, that is true. Yes. So, details.  

Hannah Goodin:  Don't give me singing, by the way. I'm not thrilled. I'm just in a great mood.

Jon Nelson: Yeah.

Hannah Goodin: It's game week.        

Jon Nelson: Yes, it is.        

Hannah Goodin: And I'm singing on the podcast. 

Jon Nelson: As you should. It's game week and it's the season premiere of Football Fridays in Georgia, Recruiting 2021 will be the lead in at seven o'clock with the interviewer of the stars. This lady, this lady to my left for those who are watching on the YouTube version. But the lady to my left is interviewing whom this week?

Hannah Goodin: My interview will be Collins Hill, senior QB Sam Horn. I actually just got off the Zoom interview with him. Cool kid committed to Mizzou. He's going to play baseball and football. Got into a really good interview about why he decided to pick Missouri over many, many offers. It's a rebuilding year for them.

Jon Nelson: For Missouri, yes.

Hannah Goodin: For Missouri. Yes, for Missouri. Not Collins Hill.

Jon Nelson: No, no, no.

Jon Nelson: For Missouri. And a lot went into it. So, you have to check that out on Recruiting 2021 before our game of the week. But it is, our game of the week, drumroll, please. It a pair of the state's top 5A teams, Creekside vs. Cartersville. Number 5, Creekside is 2-0 with impressive wins over defending class 7A champion Grayson and class 6A number three Westlake. No.7 seven. Cartersville is also 2-0 with wins over Morrow and West Forsyth. Cartersville won last year's game 21-18, and the very first meeting between the two schools kick off once again is set for 7:30 on GPB.

Jon Nelson: There you go. You winked right at the camera.

Hannah Goodin: Pointed wink right...

Jon Nelson: Point wink into the actual camera on the YouTube version. You knew which camera you were pointing at too.

Hannah Goodin: I finally figured the cameras out.

Jon Nelson: The one with the red light.

Hannah Goodin: I know it's only the fourth time we've done this.

Jon Nelson: Yeah, I know. So, it's going to be great to be out there at Weinmen Stadium. And it's a great atmosphere traditionally when we get to go out and see everybody there in Cartersville. But two great coaches Conor Foster and Maurice Dixon. And it's going to be an interesting game for our premier here for Football Fridays in Georgia. And let's see, we've got the postgame show after.

Hannah Goodin: Brand new. So, I'll be joining you for in-game hits as normal. But halftime show presented by Regions and a brand-new post game show where we recap games all across the state. Yeah, we'll be missing you, though, Jon. Jon's missing the very first game. I know.

Jon Nelson: I know. It's going to be weird,

Hannah Goodin: But you're being honored.

Jon Nelson: Yeah, I am one of 13 or 14. I believe that it's being.

Hannah Goodin: Silver Circle.

Jon Nelson: Well, yeah, there's ten of us that are going into the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Silver Circle. And then there are three that are actually going into the Gold Circle for 50 years of service now. So, Friday night I will be watching once we're allowed to have devices outside of the hotel where we're having the big luncheon and the banquet, the presentation, everything. It'll be on this device right here. As I'm leaving the hotel. 

Hannah Goodin: On the GPB sports app watching the game. We've got Wiley Ballard filling in for you.

Jon Nelson: Called the bullpen, bringing in Wiley, right?

Hannah Goodin: Yeah, I know.

Jon Nelson: But no, it's going to be really weird.

Hannah Goodin: It's going to be weird.

Jon Nelson: But I'll be watching.

Hannah Goodin: Wiley will do a great job. You know, but if anyone is wondering where Jon is...

Jon Nelson: The velvet fog. Wiley Ballard? No question.

Hannah Goodin: He's good.

Jon Nelson: No doubt.

Hannah Goodin: He might be the future Jon Nelson. Maybe he, well, you're never going to retire, so never mind. He's going to be like 80 by the time you are even done, so. Anyhow...

Jon Nelson: Uh huh, I see where that's going. All right, she's got the giggles, so tell you what, you keep giggling and I'll just toss to the close of the show.

Hannah Goodin: You know what? It's time.

Jon Nelson: Yeah, it's time for you to keep giggling. So, for Commander Sandy, for Jahi The Magnificent who's having car problems, which seems to be a theme this week with this particular show, for the outlaw Jesse, and for King James, for Hannah Goodin. I'm just Jon, thanks for hanging out with us on the Football Fridays in Georgia podcast. Played it safe everybody. Enjoy your games.

Hannah Goodin: See you Friday.