With a new head coach arriving in July and less than two months to prepare for the opening game against the school’s arch rival, Chattahoochee County Panthers quarterback Marquis Thorton summed up his last six weeks as tough — with a lot of practicing.
Thorton comes into the 2011 season as the leader of the team and will not only play quarterback, but outside linebacker as well.
Panthers head coach Russell Morgan said he believes Thorton will make a solid dual-threat quarterback under his offensive scheme this year.
“I expect him to be level-headed,” Morgan said. “When things go wrong, I expect him to be the one to step up and calm everybody down. You’re not going to play a perfect ballgame. As a quarterback, he’s got to be the leader … and the one that makes things happen.”
The Panthers return from a disappointing 4-6 season, but are eyeing the playoffs this year after bringing in Morgan, who has never missed the playoffs in six years as a head coach.
“He’s calm,” Thorton said about Morgan. “That’s one thing I really like about him. He’s brought a lot to the team. He’s made us believe we can be successful this year.”
The Panthers’ season will begin Aug. 26 on the road against defending Region 4-A champion Marion County, a team the Panthers are 2-3 against overall in five years.
“That’s definitely our biggest ballgame,” Morgan said. “It’s a chance right off the bat to prove ourselves. If we can go out and beat Marion, everyone’s eyes may open up and discover Chattco is better than they thought.”
One of the areas the Panthers will be lacking in is depth. Morgan said he thinks he has the starting talent, but an injury or two could cause trouble.
The Panthers have already lost starting center Ulysses Dice for the season due to an off-field injury. Dice, who missed his junior year because of injury, will have to forgo his senior year also.
“He’s a great leader and we want him at practice every day and be part of the team even though he can’t play,” Morgan said. “It’s part of our team attitude to overcome adversity. When something like that happens, someone else has to step up. They’ve … got to take his place and get the job done.”
On the defensive line, Morgan said he is confident in his starting front four, especially in senior defensive end Eric Zeigler, who the coach described as “a bruiser.”
Still, any injuries on the defensive line could affect a Panthers defense that will be geared toward applying pressure.
“We just don’t have the numbers to rotate guys as much as we’d like,” Morgan said.
Thorton said the difference between this year and last has been working with a full coaching staff, something the Panthers lacked in 2010.
“With more coaching you get a lot more done,” Thorton said.
“Everybody is disciplined. We might be the smallest team in the region, but we’ve got a lot of heart.”
