GHSF Daily asked Georgia head coaches to answer these four questions. We'll report from a different head coach each day.
Gordon Powers, Model
1. What is the real difference-maker in winning and losing in Georgia high school football? "Athletes! There is a reason good coaches don't apply to openings at many schools, regardless of the pay. Make football the school's No. 1 priority. Almost all winning programs have this in common and still have a great academic reputation. Being able to hire and pay assistant coaches. Apply the above to the feeder programs." [Powers retired from coaching on Thursday. He led Model to six consecutive playoff seasons and two other programs to state-championship games over a nearly 40-year career.]
2. Which player that you've coached is memorable mostly for his character or inspiration? "Hunter Hays is one of the players that had great character and was a great inspiration. In the eighth grade, Hunter could barely run, he was weak, basically very non-athletic. He worked so hard to become a starter for us his junior and senior years. He also went out of his way to help others, whether it was academic, emotional, spiritual, etc. He does this on a daily basis." [Hays was a lineman at Model and now is a long snapper for Missouri State.]
3. What is the best atmosphere for a high school game that you've experienced away from home? "Fitzgerald. Starting as we entered the field to warm up ... a large group of adults meet you acting like wild teenagers. It is awesome!"
4. As a player or coach at any level, which game do you wish you could play again? "The overtime loss to Darlington in 2014 that would have made us region champs. I also want to play all the big wins over again, like beating Pepperell for the first time since 1987. The playoff win at Union County, beating all the rivals, etc."
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