He’s got an accurate touch on the football, he’s quick, he’s shifty, he’s just a sophomore, and he’s the starting quarterback for the Southeast Bulloch Yellow Jackets.
His name is DeArious “Dee” Odum.
Just a year ago, Odum, as a freshman, was primarily a running back for the junior varsity Jackets, but, under the circumstances, he’ll soon be starting on Friday nights.
With junior quarterback Tucker Bettis out with an injury, Southeast Bulloch needed an answer to the quarterback quandary. Head coach John Kenny looked toward the B team for help.
With Odum at running back and Bettis at QB in 2007, the junior varsity team was able to have some success with some option-based running plays, and now, the Yellow Jackets will try and use the option to their advantage on Friday nights as well.
“We ran some option last year on JV, and the reason was because of Dee,” said Kenny. “We planned to incorporate it, and (Odum and Bettis) already have experience running it. It is a new little wrinkle just to add in with our spread stuff and our power stuff.”
Sure, Odum can run. But can he throw a pass?
“We had some great spurts (on offense),” Kenny said after the preseason scrimmage against the visiting Portal Panthers on August 21. “(Odum) made some good throws and some bad throws, and he’ll only get better.”
That night, Southeast Bulloch spent the first half establishing the running game, with Tharon Davis and fullback Deion Evans getting a bulk of the carries, but Odum took advantage spreading the ball around and completing passes to wide receivers Tony Raymond and Greg Wright. He missed Raymond on a 30-yard go route, but only by a matter of inches.
In the third quarter, the Jackets went primarily to the air, to see what Odum would do.
He didn’t mind tucking the football and taking off if the pocket broke down, but he knows he needs to develop some pocket presence to become a well-rounded quarterback.
“I want to take off and run, because that’s my instinct,” said Odum. “Being a quarterback, you need to know when to stay in the pocket and when to use your eyes instead of your legs. Find the receivers that are open, score and win the game.”
His youth is apparent to the SEB coaching staff, but much of his appeal comes from his work ethic.
“We’re really excited about Dee,” said Kenny. “He’s just a sophomore, so it’s his first time playing quarterback on Friday nights. He’s working extremely hard, he’s a great leader and he’s here every day with a great attitude.”
Odum is up for the challenge of being the starting quarterback in just his second year of high school. He has embraced the role, and hopes to be the spark that begins to turn around a program that has struggled for the last couple of years.
“I feel the same way I did when we started,” Odum said. “Ready. Ready to go, ready to motivate my teammates, ready to take the team to where we haven’t been in a couple of years. I’m just waiting for that first game to come, which is (against) Dodge County. We’ll be ready.”
With 11 teams in Region 3-AA — one of the toughest Regions in the state — everybody will be in a dogfight for one of the four playoff spots. Swainsboro, Screven County and Jefferson County return squads with plenty of playoff experience, and Toombs County, Dublin, Dodge County, East Laurens and Vidalia enter the mix in 2008 because of region realignments, so each week will be a challenge for the up-and-coming quarterback.
Odum knows he’s not the first guy that has been asked by his team to step into a leadership role without a whole lot of experience.
“There’s a bunch of quarterbacks in college and in the NFL that start off young — their freshman or their rookie year,” said the sophomore. “It’s just another leap that I have to hurdle over.”
Besides, he’s got a boatload of weapons returning to help him out. The offensive line returns three seniors and two juniors; Raymond, Wright and Anthony Cope are all senior targets who provide experienced hands at wide receiver; Davis and Evans return to the backfield to ease the pressure on the passing game, and they are joined by Portal transfer Shane Northcutt, who got a bulk of the carries in the third quarter of the scrimmage.
It is year two under John Kenny at Southeast Bulloch, and Kenny is looking to return the winning tradition to Brooklet. For the next three seasons, Odum hopes he can lead the way.
His name is DeArious “Dee” Odum.
Just a year ago, Odum, as a freshman, was primarily a running back for the junior varsity Jackets, but, under the circumstances, he’ll soon be starting on Friday nights.
With junior quarterback Tucker Bettis out with an injury, Southeast Bulloch needed an answer to the quarterback quandary. Head coach John Kenny looked toward the B team for help.
With Odum at running back and Bettis at QB in 2007, the junior varsity team was able to have some success with some option-based running plays, and now, the Yellow Jackets will try and use the option to their advantage on Friday nights as well.
“We ran some option last year on JV, and the reason was because of Dee,” said Kenny. “We planned to incorporate it, and (Odum and Bettis) already have experience running it. It is a new little wrinkle just to add in with our spread stuff and our power stuff.”
Sure, Odum can run. But can he throw a pass?
“We had some great spurts (on offense),” Kenny said after the preseason scrimmage against the visiting Portal Panthers on August 21. “(Odum) made some good throws and some bad throws, and he’ll only get better.”
That night, Southeast Bulloch spent the first half establishing the running game, with Tharon Davis and fullback Deion Evans getting a bulk of the carries, but Odum took advantage spreading the ball around and completing passes to wide receivers Tony Raymond and Greg Wright. He missed Raymond on a 30-yard go route, but only by a matter of inches.
In the third quarter, the Jackets went primarily to the air, to see what Odum would do.
He didn’t mind tucking the football and taking off if the pocket broke down, but he knows he needs to develop some pocket presence to become a well-rounded quarterback.
“I want to take off and run, because that’s my instinct,” said Odum. “Being a quarterback, you need to know when to stay in the pocket and when to use your eyes instead of your legs. Find the receivers that are open, score and win the game.”
His youth is apparent to the SEB coaching staff, but much of his appeal comes from his work ethic.
“We’re really excited about Dee,” said Kenny. “He’s just a sophomore, so it’s his first time playing quarterback on Friday nights. He’s working extremely hard, he’s a great leader and he’s here every day with a great attitude.”
Odum is up for the challenge of being the starting quarterback in just his second year of high school. He has embraced the role, and hopes to be the spark that begins to turn around a program that has struggled for the last couple of years.
“I feel the same way I did when we started,” Odum said. “Ready. Ready to go, ready to motivate my teammates, ready to take the team to where we haven’t been in a couple of years. I’m just waiting for that first game to come, which is (against) Dodge County. We’ll be ready.”
With 11 teams in Region 3-AA — one of the toughest Regions in the state — everybody will be in a dogfight for one of the four playoff spots. Swainsboro, Screven County and Jefferson County return squads with plenty of playoff experience, and Toombs County, Dublin, Dodge County, East Laurens and Vidalia enter the mix in 2008 because of region realignments, so each week will be a challenge for the up-and-coming quarterback.
Odum knows he’s not the first guy that has been asked by his team to step into a leadership role without a whole lot of experience.
“There’s a bunch of quarterbacks in college and in the NFL that start off young — their freshman or their rookie year,” said the sophomore. “It’s just another leap that I have to hurdle over.”
Besides, he’s got a boatload of weapons returning to help him out. The offensive line returns three seniors and two juniors; Raymond, Wright and Anthony Cope are all senior targets who provide experienced hands at wide receiver; Davis and Evans return to the backfield to ease the pressure on the passing game, and they are joined by Portal transfer Shane Northcutt, who got a bulk of the carries in the third quarter of the scrimmage.
It is year two under John Kenny at Southeast Bulloch, and Kenny is looking to return the winning tradition to Brooklet. For the next three seasons, Odum hopes he can lead the way.
