Firebirds to close season out against Lions

ALBANY — Though in the midst of a four-game skid, the Georgia Firebirds will try to end the season on a high note tonight as they host the Columbus Lions in their season finale.

The Firebirds are coming off a 51-26 loss to the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks to bring them to 2-8 on the season. It was a game that still left head coach Antwone Savage optimistic as they were able to hang with the No. 2 team in the league well into the fourth quarter. He said his team ran out of gas down the stretch.

“They played hard for three-and-a-half quarters,” he said. “We had one big play, which was a touchdown that was taken back from us on defense, and the defense got tired, and we went downhill.”

They regroup to face a Columbus team that Savage said will keep them on their toes but is still beatable if his team is able to carry out their assignments as instructed.

“If the guys come out hungry and play for four quarters and do what they’re coached to do, then everything will work out,” he said. “A problem we had last week at the end of the game is guys started trying to do their own thing instead of doing what they were coached to do. … If we come to play like we’ve been coached to do, then we’ll be OK, but when we start reinventing the wheel, that’s when things kinda get hard for us. Columbus is a real disciplined team. They’re a beatable team, but they’re good. You can’t come out and make mistakes.”

The Firebirds have seen a couple shake-ups in the roster during the season, and Gregory Hankerson will be under center to close out the year. Savage said he’s shown promise.

“He’s real smart. He’s an athletic quarterback,” he said. “He’s able to read defenses before the play happens. He actually accounted for four touchdowns last week. He ran in three and threw for one. He brings a lot to the table as a quarterback. We just hope our O-line holds up for him because that’s where it starts.”

Kickoff will be at 7 p.m. at the Albany Civic Center.