Four downs with Calhoun County football

EDISON — Detrich Wadley doesn’t have a deep roster to work with at Calhoun County.

Calhoun County, with 198 students, is the third-smallest school in GHSA Region 1-1A playing a full region schedule. Only Stewart County (111 students) and Baconton Charter (195 students) are smaller, with Pataula Charter (161 students) playing a non-region schedule.

The bench isn’t deep. According to maxpreps.com, there were 29 players on the Cougars’ 2017 roster.

Still, Wadley has a small core group of players who could help the Cougars, who went 3-7 last year, accomplish some things this season.

Here are four questions for Wadley and Calhoun County entering the 2018 high school football season:

1. What will Calhoun County bring to the table this fall?

Wadley doesn’t avoid the issues that limited enrollment and roster size provide. He is, however, optimistic about several of his returning players, a core group that will give the team a base from which to build.

“We’re small in number, but we have some pieces coming,” Wadley said. “We have linemen, a quarterback and some receivers who are going to work well for us.”

2. Calhoun County has a bit of size going in the weight room. What will the team have up front?

The Cougars have some returning linemen, coming in around the 250-pound range, who will be counted on to give Calhoun County some time to throw the ball or to open running lanes.

“We have some good-sized tackles, offensive tackles and defensive tackles, as well as some offensive guards,” Wadley said. “We have some kids who are developing.”

3. What has Calhoun County been able to do during the offseason?

While some small schools either limit spring practice or don’t do it at all because of spring sports, Calhoun County conducted a full spring practice, complete with a spring game.

“We played a spring game against Jordan, and we had an opportunity to look at everybody,” Wadley said. “We’ve had kids come in all summer, and we’ve been working since June. The ones who have been coming consistently, I’ve seen some progress.”

4. Who are some players who could have breakout seasons this year?

Edwin Wims, Sr. DE/MLB: “He’s a real coachable kid,” Wadley said. “He’s consistently dependable. He gets here, works hard. He’s gotten a whole lot stronger over the summer.”

Contavious Hudson, Sr. OL/DL: “He has been working really hard over the summer. He has gotten a whole lot better.”

Jahmad Wiley, Jr. QB: “His arm strength has increased.”

Emory Echols, Sr. WR/SS: “He had a good spring game. He’s good on both sides of the ball, offensively and defensively.”

Da’corien Hudson, Soph. DT: “He’s been coming and working throughout the summer, a defensive tackle who has been working really hard, as well.”