2022 Westover Patriots Football Preview

ALBANY — More than 100 players are scheduled to dress out for the Westover Patriots for Friday night’s football game as Coach Adam Miller begins his third season as the team’s head football coach.

Miller and his team have a tall task Friday night against crosstown rival Dougherty, which comes into the game with a No. 9 ranking in the state and a win over Westover and Miller, 53-34 last season. That game was the first time Dougherty had beaten Westover since 2009.

“It is great to have so many players,” said coach Adam Miller. “We have so many that we don’t have enough helmets for all of them. But that is a good problem.”

Westover graduated 26 seniors from last year and has only 12 this year, but the Patriots have plenty of manpower with the largest team of more than 100 boys, many of whom are young and do not have varsity football experience. They have spent the summer in the weight room, watching film and getting ready to try and improve on last season’s record. However, the Patriots will be starting a freshman at quarterback — Keyon Thomas — and only two offensive starters from a year ago are back.

“Keyon and the offense have made great strides since the spring,” Miller said. “We looked much better in the scrimmage, but we will have to lean a little on the running game as we start the season and try to get the ball into the hands of our playmakers such as Kavon Johnson and Aiden Griffin.”

Griffin is a senior running back that missed last season with an injury but seems to be fully recovered and ready to run. Johnson made the one big play that gave the Patriots a touchdown in last week’s scrimmage against Mitchell County when he leaped over the defender and raced 50 yards into the end zone for six points.

“Our defensive line is the strongest area of the team and those guys are led by Ryan Jenkins and Deandre Chatmon,” said the coach. “They are both big guys, quick, and have some playing experience.”

Miller believes his team has a shot at making the playoffs this year in the new Region 1 that has seven teams — Westover, Cairo, Bainbridge, Shaw, Spencer, Hardaway and Northside-Columbus. The region stretches from the Florida line where Bainbridge and Cairo call home all the way to middle Georgia for the four Columbus schools. Fortunately for Westover, they are in the middle of the region. Bainbridge is the only school in the region that garnered a preseason ranking in Class AAAA at No. 7.

Miller is also excited about his staff at Westover this year that includes Associate Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator Matthew Garris, Assistant Head Coach/Director of Sports Performance/WRs Jon Dones, Co-defensive coordinator/DL Kasey Smith, Defensive Backs/Special Teams Cecil Brown, Running Backs Keith Powell, Tight Ends Cleatus Hopkins, Offensive Line Chadwick Pope, Offensive Assistant/Director of Operations Willie Odom and Director of Video Don Mills.

Joe Whitfield