The Dragons went 13-1 all the way to the Semifinals last year, coming just shy of making it to a title game. Sammy Brown moves on to Clemson, but Jefferson has a team that is just as much capable of having another such campaign. They’ll move down from 5A to 3A, and should make another big run.

Head Coach: Travis Noland (3rd Season)
2023 Record: 13-1; State Semifinals; Region Champions; #1 State Ranking

“Expectations in our program are the same day in and day out. Give maximum effort, focus, and toughness each day and put ourselves in a position to win games on Friday night.” 

2024 SCHEDULE – JEFFERSON

AUG 16 – @ Marist
AUG 23 – @ Jackson County
AUG 30 – vs Clarke Central
SEP 6 – vs Stephens County
SEP 13 – @ North Oconee
SEP 20 – BYE
SEP 27 – vs West Hall*
OCT 4 – @ Monroe Area*
OCT 11 – vs East Hall*
OCT 18 – BYE
OCT 25 – vs Cherokee Bluff*
NOV 1 – @ Oconee County*

*Region 8-AAA

Personnel & Schemes

Key Departures: Sammy Brown, Skyler Zimmerman, Brian Senter, Zay Minish

Returning Starters: 6 on offense, 6 on defense

Key Returning Players: Gavin Markey, Kelan Butler, Max Brown, Rett Hemphill, Jayden Yang, Dallas Russel, Talan Childress, RJ Hinton, Ty Oglesby, Ashley Eckert, Mickell Pittman

Up & Coming Players: S Da’Shaun Keith, RB/LB Dallas Russel, OL Vince Ledbetter, DL Tyleek Ruker, CB Chance Payne, LB Max Brown, PK/P Taylor McCall, OLB Darren Pinkard

Offense: Pro-Style

Gavin Markey is back under center, and the All-State QB holds offers from VMI, Murray State & UT Martin. Dallas Russel and Mickell Pittman will be the featured backs, and Talan Childress and RJ Hinton will lead the receiving group.

Defense: Multiple 4-3 / 3-4

The defense will include 4-star recruit DL Kelan Butler, All-State LB Rett Hemphill, 3-year starter at LB Jayden Yang, and DB Avery Lynch, who put in major performances vs power 5 WR/TE’s from Alpharetta, Loganville, Hiram in 2023.

Trenches: The OL returns 3 of 5 starters, led by 3-year starters Ty Oglesby and Ashley Eckert. The DL returns Kelan Butler, Lex Belin, Tyleek Rucker, and Tripp Porter.

Strengths & Areas of Focus

Strengths: “Experience. We return 12 starters and a number of contributors from a team that went 13-1 in AAAAA last season.”

Focusing On: “Same as it is every season, every week, every day. Working to improve what we do as a team. Finding a way to get better each time we get on the practice field.”