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Corky Kell Classic preview: Calhoun vs. Ridgeland

The Corky Kell Classic's 27th year of wall-to-wall action, covering three different venues, launches with Calhoun and Ridgeland meeting Thursday night.

RIDGELAND VS. CALHOUN

WHERE: Rome's Barron Stadium

WHEN: Thursday at 5:30 p.m. EST

TV: The ATL

WEB: 11Alive.com | Facebook Live | YouTube

CALHOUN YELLOWJACKETS

Head Coach: Hal Lamb (three state championships this decade—2011, 2014, 2017)

Status: Defending state champions (3A Class—defeated Peach County in title game)

Preseason State Ranking: No. 1 in 3A (Georgia High School Football Daily)

2017 Record: 14-1

2017 Legacy: After suffering a 55-8 loss to Cartersville, Calhoun rebounded for 12 straight wins—with an average victory margin of 28 points.

Long-lasting legacy: According to the Georgia High School Association, Calhoun boasts the longest winning streak against regional opponents--at 90 consecutive victories.

BASE OFFENSE

**4 wide receivers for the majority of offensive snaps

**3 wideouts, along with an H-back supporting the run or pass

PLAYERS OF INTEREST

#11 QB GAVIN GRAY

**A 2 1/2-year starter at quarterback

**Coach Lamb on Gray, who exhibits great accuracy and a rare knack for getting the ball out quickly on passing plays: "(Gavin) knows the game, and he knows what we want to do offensively."

#3 WR/DB BRANNON SPECTOR

**Already committed to Clemson for the 2019 season

**Coach Lamb says Spector would be a "perfect fit" at receiver for Clemson in the short term ... but he'd also make for an "unbelievable" safety down the road.

#24 RB/LB ZACK FULLER

**Coach Lamb on Fuller: "He's a tough sucker. He'll run through a brick wall, if you ask him to."

COACH LAMB ASSESSMENTS

**Last year's title was "probably the most gratifying state championship we've had" at Calhoun.

**Creating a tough early schedule was "by design." Regarding opponents like Ridgeland and Cartersville, Lamb says "They're powerhouses ... it'll be a good gauge of where we are" as a team.

**On making Ridgeland's defense work on Thursday: "We're going to have use all the field," in terms of executing on long passes, bubble screens and side-to-side attack plays.

**On finally landing a Corky Kell invitation: "I've been trying to get in the Corky Kell for a while." Translation: Calhoun's ecstatic to be part of this year's three-day extravaganza.

**On taking on a Ridgeland team that's won 20 of its last 23 games: "We know they're going to be athletic, they have a lot of kids who can run." ... "They're fast and athletic, it'll be a really good test for us."

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RIDGELAND PANTHERS

Head Coach: Cortney Braswell (1st year running program)

Status: Lost in the state finals

Preseason State Ranking: No. 10 in 4A (Georgia High School Football Daily)

2017 Record: 11-1

2017 Legacy: First undefeated regular season in school history

PLAYERS OF INTEREST

#1 QB TANNER HILL

**The field general of the Panthers' offensive attack

**Braswell tags him as a "phenomenal kid," with off-the-charts character

#3 RB/LB JORDAN BLACKWELL

**Blackwell only focused on defense last season, but he'll be a dual contributor in 2018.

**Braswell: He's an "electric runner," with home-run potential on every carry.

**Braswell: His passion for football is palpable, "(Jordan's) one after my own heart."

#52 OL FRED NORMAN JR.

**Size: 6-foot-7, 300-plus pounds

**During the offseason, the incredibly nimble Norman plays on Ridgeland's tennis team

**Braswell: If Norman wasn't wearing jersey #52, "we'd probably throw to him in the red zone." Has great hands and quickness for someone of mammoth size.

**Norman directs every change and calls every protection along the O-line.

COACH BRASWELL ASSESSMENTS

On speedy receiver Azavier Blackwell: "He's the fastest kid I've ever seen (wearing) a helmet ... it's just explosive play after explosive play."

On linebacker Terrance Roberts: "He's an absolute man ... he's as physical as a football player that I've ever been around ... we go (on defense), as he goes."

On opponent Calhoun's legacy: "When you talk about the history of Georgia (HS) football, you can't (anything) without saying Calhoun."

On his program's excitement level for taking on a powerhouse, like Calhoun: Braswell channels his inner-Ric Flair for a moment, claiming, "If you want to be the man, you have to beat the man!"

On the low-pressure aspect of playing tough opponents before regional play begins: "We feel like we're playing with house money" in the Corky Kell.

BASE OFFENSE

**A noticeable shift to the spread offense, after running a modern variation of the Wing-T in 2017

**That said, "I can't help it, I love to run the football ... it'll be a ball-controlled (spread) offense, for sure."

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