After losing 20 seniors South Gibson plans to reload, not rebuild
JACKSON, Tenn. — The South Gibson Hornets will have a new look when the 2018 season rolls around. After being bounced in the second round of the playoffs by Raleigh Egypt, the Hornets saw 20 seniors leave their program. But like every season, head coach Scott Stidham expects his group to make another playoff run.
“Well I think we always do, I hope everyone’s teams goal is to do that,” Stidham said. “We are in a unbelievably difficult district and our schedule is brutal as always but yeah we like to first try and get into the top four in your district, get a playoff game then if you can get in the top 2 host a playoff game, so those are always our goals.”
While replacing seniors is something every high school is faced with yearly, the Hornets will be looking to replace their work horses from the previous years, running backs C.J. Sharp and Dre McAllister. Both were threats to score every time they touched the football and coach Stidhamn knows they’ll be hard to replace.
“I don’t think you can, those are two special football players that are getting ready to go play college football,” Stidham said.
But in front of every good running back, is a great offensive line and South Gibson is happy to have some of their big guys up front returning.
“We return three lineman, you know that’s one of the reasons we don’t get to hung up on 7 on 7 because we run the football and those three lineman that are coming back don’t get to play,” Stidham said.
With the loss of those two running backs and 18 other players, Stidham said the goal remains the same. Get to the playoffs and run the football.
