Marietta info….2/24/19.
Their Head Coach Richard Morgan is known as the guy to turn programs around, doing as much at Alcoa, TN, going 38-6 in three years and at Oscar Smith in Chesapeake, VA, taking them from a mediocre team to one of the best in Virginia from 2002 to 2015, going 164-20, the winningest team in 8A at that time. In 2009 he began scheduling state and national powers including Venice-FL, Pickerington Central-OH, Gilman School, Byrnes-SC and Booker T. Washington-FL. He did the same last year at Marietta in his third year going 0-4 against state powers Rome (13-1, 5A, 41-51 score, state champ 2017, 2016, runner-up 2018) and Grayson (10-3, 7A, 31-38, ¼ finals loss to Lowndes), Good Counsel-MD (6-4-1, 28-40) and St. Johns-DC (9-1, 14-21, won Washington Catholic regular season, lost to Zaga in final). No one shut them down with a super young group that really got it together the 5th game of the year against St. John’s on the road, showing real improvement and almost winning. Games/highlights are on Youtube.
Coach’s record to date is 3-7 in 2016, 8-5 in 2017 and 5-6 last year, with a stated goal of becoming a national power.
For 2019, key returnees are Qb Harrison Bailey (6-4, 220, sr, 64%, 2809, 29/6, Tenn), TE/DE Arik Gilbert (6-5, 250, sr, 88/1210, 64 tackles, AL, GA, Clem, MI, FL, everyone has offered), WRs Taji Johnson (6-3, 210, sr, 51/661), Kobe Stewart (6-2, 180, sr, 33/473) and running back Kimini Vidal (5-9, 200, sr, 152/954), OT Jake Wray (6-5, 300, sr, Ohio St), OL/DE BJ Ojulari (6-2, 230, sr, 104 tackles, UGA), OG/DT Labarron Kennedy (6-1, 215, sr, 37 tackles) and OL Will Pieroni (6-0, 250, sr). Other starters are LB/SS Peter Warrick (6-3, 190, sr, 63 stops), LB/CB Andre Stewart (6-0, 175, soph, 24 tackles), FS Rashun Bass (6-0, 180, sr, 49 tackles), SS/CB Daniel Martin (6-1, 170, sr, 31 stops), Davarian Harvey (5-9, 170, sr, 15 tackles). They played a lot of sophomore and junior lineman; Matt Castaldo (5-11, 280, jr) and Clay Doyle (6-1, 220, jr). Graduations of note are LBs Kareem Hobbs (6-0, 225, 42 stops), CJ Swan (6-0, 220, 64 stops) and DT John Dollar (6-1, 215, 17 tackles). Bottom line on bodies, they appear to return the entire offense and seven starters to the defense, both DEs and a DT, the entire secondary and one backer.
Once again Marietta was selected for the 2019 Corky Kell Classic against Rome in the opener despite going 5-6 last year, albeit against a
National schedule. The CK is in its 28th year, viewed as a prestigious classic featuring powers like Colquitt County 14-1, Rome 13-1, Walton 10-2, Milton 13-2, North Gwinnett 10-3 et al. Go to
http://www.corkykell.com/ for more. Some of my Georgia cousins need all the help they can get!
About their quarterback Harrison Bailey, he’s committed to Tennessee but everyone is after him including LSU, Bama, OSU, OU, Fla, UGA, Michigan and others. Coach Richt (UGA, now retired from the U), offered him a scholarship
as a freshman where he completed 57% for 2812 with a 21/7 Td to Pick ratio in 10 games. In 2017 in only six games he completed 62% for 1824, 20/5 ratio, missing the last seven games with a shoulder. Last year he played in ten games, was injured (upper body?) vs Hillgrove (Week #9, now 100%) yet completed 63% for 2809 yards with a ratio of 29/6. 247 Sports has him at #4 nationally at Pro Style, behind DJ Uiagalelei (6-4, 240, St. John Bosco, CA-Clemson), Jay Butterworth (6-6, 190, Liberty HS, Brentwood, CA-Stanford) and Jack Miller (6-4, 210, Chaparral, AZ-Ohio St).
Marietta is going to air it out vs St. Joe’s and
will have a game up on them playing Rome Aug 22nd (Thursday) in the CK opener. But the Hawks have a veteran front returning with three of four defensive lineman and two linebackers. Both Corners, Zach Bouggess and Michael Alexander will have graduated plus Safety Nicolas Rios. Almost the entire offense returns. See the SE PA Final Power Ratings for more. Marietta’s defense was sieve-like last year allowing 30ppg. But it was against a SJP like National Schedule (Rome, OLGC, Grayson, St. Johns). Otherwise they were 5-2 against teams with a combined 44-35 record scoring 35ppg while allowing 25. Against the very best played they were 0-5, losing to Rome (13-1) 51-41, Good (6-4-1, tied AB Spaulding) 40-28, Grayson (10-3) 38-31, St. John’s (9-1) 21-14 and Hillgrove (12-1) 48-24 by an average score of 40-28. They’re not there but were close last year.
Linkage: Here are linkage games meaning results of teams Marietta played that link to SJP. Eg, Marietta lost to Good Counsel 40-28 who lost to St. Joe’s 34-27. As a point of comparison to surmise how they
may tie in to other teams
Nationally, OLGC also beat Gonzaga 38-31 while losing to St. John’s 31-10 and DeMatha 32-2. Another team Marietta lost to is Grayson 38-31, who lost to Bergen Catholic 34-22, who lost St. Peters 34-7 who lost to SJP 35-27, etc, etc, etc. Marietta also played St. John’s who don’t link directly but played a brutal
National Schedule to give you other comparisons, beating Johns Creek-GA (9-2) 49-0, Hoover-AL (9-4) 42-14, Central-Miami (11-3) 37-35 5 ot and Christian Brother’s-MO (13-1) 59-49. Hawks should take this one unless they misfire offensively in their game #1 against an explosive team at home who is one up on them.
