Here’s your guide to Columbus-area players, coaches in national championship game
It’s harder to find a metro area more connected to Monday’s College Football Playoff national championship game than Columbus, Georgia.
Based on geography and loyalty, both Georgia and Alabama fans in the Chattahoochee Valley are emotionally invested in the outcome.
High school players and coaches are among them, dreaming of being on the Bulldog or Crimson Tide roster.
Here are the players and coaches with local connections and a chance to bring home a national championship ring this year.
Georgia
Meeks (6-foot-2, 205 pounds) is a freshman wide receiver from Central High School in Phenix City.
He has played in nine of this season’s 14 games, totaling three catches for 44 yards, including a 27-yarder Nov. 20 against Charleston Southern. He also has made two tackles on special teams.
Alabama
Mwikuta (6-foot-5, 238 pounds) is a junior linebacker from Troup County High School. His hometown is West Point.
Although he has been credited with only one tackle this season, it was a mighty substantial one. His tackle Sept. 11 against Mercer gave the Bears a 20-yard loss.
Mwikuta also has contributed on special teams. He secured a blocked punt in the end zone for six points Oct. 9 at Texas A&M.
Yep, Rias and Mwikuta share a jersey number. Rias (5-foot-9, 186 pounds) is a sophomore wide receiver from Central-Phenix City.
Rias hasn’t played this season.
Cohen (6-foot-4, 305 pounds), is a sophomore offensive guard from Central-Phenix City.
He has started 13 of Alabama’s 14 games this season. His lone absence from the lineup was due to injury.
Cohen has allowed only one sack, nine quarterback hits and 12½ pressures while notching 20 knockdown blocks during 984 plays in 2021. The coaching staff named him the team’s Player of the Week for his Oct. 2 performance against Mississippi.
Coaches
The Bulldogs and Crimson Tide each have an assistant coach connected to the Columbus area.
Georgia run game coordinator and running backs coach Dell McGee was a standout athlete at Kendrick High School. He played cornerback at Auburn (1992-95), where he helped the Tigers go undefeated in 1993.
As head coach at Carver High School (2005-12), he rebuilt the football program, leading the Tigers to seven straight seasons with at least 10 wins, including 15-0 and a state title in 2007.
Alabama associate defensive coordinator and safeties coach Charles Kelly started his coaching career at Central-Phenix City (1990-92) as an assistant on Wayne Trawick’s staff.
This story was originally published January 10, 2022 at 11:59 AM with the headline "Here’s your guide to Columbus-area players, coaches in national championship game."
