I’ve been to Gordon Lee a few times up in Chickamauga... 

One of those times was Oct. 9, 2009, when Bowdon beat the Trojans 33-0 for Dwight Hochstetler’s 300th career win when they were region rivals in Region 6-A. I remember taking my car to campus, shooting the highlights, and having them air on “Prep Sports+” that week.

Since then, Bowdon is now going for a four-peat in Class A, chasing championships and the deep runs into the postseason have always seemed to be a part of the normal. Gordon Lee hasn’t had the same type of success until recently. Josh Groce took over as head coach in 2019 and, since then, the postseason is the norm and the expected. 

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This season, the Trojans have already added a region title to their trophy case -- their first since 1978 when head coach Don Littleton’s team made it to the quarterfinals with a record of 9-2. They’ve run the table and have a regular season finale with Chad Cheatham and Fannin County. At 8-1, outside of Groce’s tenure, it’s the most wins since 2006. 

In May of 2019, when he was promoted to take over for the retiring Greg Ellis, he told Lindsay Young of Chattanooga Free Times-Press: "This is something I have been dreaming of and working toward for about 10 years now. The good Lord has sent me on different journeys, including a rival school (Trion), but he's brought me home. 

"I do believe there will be some pressure, just because people know exactly who I am. They know the expectations around this program, but that's a good kind of pressure because it will drive me to work harder." 

He didn’t want to talk about wins and losses going forward. He wanted to focus on the idea of a “team” winning and not the stats of individuals as a part of the discussion. 

“It’s not easy,” Groce admits. “And it’s still not easy. We’re in a stats-driven environment and you have to have your team buy into the idea that no individual can be successful about football. When you see, and they see, the successes when they all fight hard for each other it’s a great thing.”  

And the progress has been faster than incremental -- four playoff berths in the last five seasons -- which will be five in six in mid-November. But the head coach shares the roster with his son Peyton. His time as head coach is a bit of a separator on campus. One of the conditions of the two Groces -- on game day on the same field -- was Josh would not be the position coach for his son.  

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Josh Groce and son Peyton

Credit: David and Drew Photography

He wanted to enjoy the time and not be weighed down by that extra link. Josh even said going in that if he was going to be Peyton’s position coach, he was going to change positions himself. It didn’t matter if the chance was there to link up after school every day on the practice field, Josh was going to change his spot. 

“I never wanted what happens on the field to affect our relationship on the field,” Groce tells me. “I have never coached his position in football, but because of how things have lined up there are times with him at inside linebacker. I have always enjoyed being a dad and we hardly talk about football when we’re at home.” 

And good on them for that... I would find it really difficult to have non-team conversations at home about what’s going on in the day-to-day, but absolute full credit to the household on that.

Twice in program history, the Trojans won 11 games in a season -- one was all the way back in 1966. The other was when campus legend Greg Ellis was in his first term in 2002. Groce succeeded Ellis and knows what these kinds of successes mean across Gordon Lee High and northwest Georgia in general. His top-win total is 10. He’s three away from that 11-win marker. He also knows what consistency can mean for a program. He had three coaches in his time as a player -- and those teams won a total of 10 games. It makes a big difference in building those foundations we talk about so much.  

“The biggest thing, when someone parachutes into town -- whether it’s a college recruiter or a first-time fan -- you get to see what a great community we have here. And it’s not just like a week 7 or a week 8 game or even if you’re having a great year like this one. It doesn’t matter. When there is a year like this, it’s amazing. But, during the week it’s like that as well. It’s not just on Friday night. And that’s all the time.” 

Coach Groce even told me that, as they have made some renovations to the stadium area for great sight lines and experiences away from the stands. It even goes to the band interaction. The PA will pipe in music and the new band director on campus is cool with that as a way to enhance what the school band is doing and make the opposition have to think about the noise and where it’s coming from nightly.  

Coach Groce has been getting the chance to coach both extended family (by blood- nephews, cousins, and the like -- plus some old teammates’ sons in his time. So, everything is coming a bit full circle. Nowadays, the program is evolving into being the target instead of chasing after the top teams. It’s a special year for them as they prepare for Fannin County tomorrow. 

Groce admits Fannin puts you in some binds when it comes to their offense. The study halls have been a bit longer than normal and he has to make sure his team does what its supposed to do -- and have been doing all year long. 

So, keep an eye on the northwest in Class A ... not just for this season, but for a father and son separated in position groups, and an alumnus trying to add to the consistency he’s been building over a handful of years... 

Play it safe, everyone... I’ll talk to you soon...