Despite another lopsided defeat, the goals remain for the Statesboro football team. The Blue Devils lost 51-0 to No. 1 ranked Coffee County Friday at Womack Field as they fell to 2-5 overall and 1-1 in region play. Head coach Matt Dobson knows the players are disappointed with Friday’s outcome but is confident they can respond this week. 

“Our response to the players before our bye week before we started region play was to find a way to be one of the four teams that makes the playoffs from our region,” Dobson said. “That message has not changed as we sit here 1-1 in region play right in the middle with Ware County and Coffee County on top. We have a big game this week at Bradwell and I think our guys are in good spirits and up for the challenge.” 

The Blue Devils don’t have to only contend with preparing for Friday at Bradwell, but with fall break once again coming during the week of the Kiwanis Ogeechee Fair Dobson knows it can be a distracting week, or possibly a week to get better. 

“Having the week off of school can be a huge advantage if we choose for it to be,” Dobson said. “It gives us more time to watch film and get rested up. We get to spend more time with or players in meeting and we have talked about using it to our advantage and trying to find a routine in a not normal week. You obviously worry about what players may be doing when they are not at school, but you hope they are mature enough realize the importance of this week in getting a win Friday.” 

Friday the Blue Devils head to Bradwell and the Tigers come in 2-5 overall and 0-2 in region play. Last year Statesboro won at home 41-14 and secured a state playoff berth which would also be the case if they won Friday in Hinesville.  

Bradwell is coming off playing the top two teams in the region and lost by a combined 114-26. They have been able to manage to score 24 points per game, while the Blue Devils haven’t found the end zone since the Wayne County game on Sept. 15. Dobson knows the Blue Devils will have to generate some offense in order to be successful Friday night. 

“They have an explosive offense with a really good quarterback in Christopher Garrett who has 16 touchdown passes,” Dobson said. “They also have some receivers who can really go up and get the ball. They can score on basically any play and we have to be sound on defense. The majority of the teams we have played have been much more running teams and this will be the first team who are pass oriented so we have to change our mindset, and our gameplan will be much different than it has been. We know it will be important to get into the end zone on offense and take some of the pressure off the defense” 

Statesboro and Bradwell Institute are scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. start Friday night in Hinesville.