Putnam County (4-3, 2-1) will take the field on Friday for another region game, hosting Towers (3-3, 0-2).
The Warriors are coming off a 27-0 loss to Lamar County and are 34-point underdogs entering this game, per the On3.com Massey Ratings.
Putnam County didn’t face much of a challenge against Utopian Academy this past Friday. Although the War Eagles are heavily favored to win this game, they will need to keep playing well.
Putnam County head coach Joel Harvin doesn’t want his players to overlook Towers.
“They’re obviously very athletic and are 3-3 coming into this game,” Harvin said. “They’ve got a lot of confidence, and they’ve got a lot of good players. If they touch the ball, they can really score on you, and we’re going to have to do a good job of covering on the back defensively.
“And then offensively, they’ve got some big guys in the box. They’re aggressive and get after you. We’ve got to sustain drives on offense and stick it in the end zone, and then limit big plays on defense. I think we will be alright if we do those things.”
The War Eagles minimized their mistakes against Utopian Academy. Still, they struggled against Social Circle in September. They led the Redskins 28-14 entering the fourth quarter but gave up 24 points and lost 38-28.
Turnovers, failing to convert first downs on offense, and allowing explosive plays on defense contributed to that loss.
Harvin wants his team to avoid repeating the same mistakes and saw progress last week. The third-year coach mentioned that players were playing out of position, and they are just now getting used to those roles.
“They’re hitting their stride and they’re getting a little bit more comfortable in what they do,” Harvin said. “We’ve been able to create competition at each position as well, and it makes them play a little harder and respect their job. I think all those good things combined have paid off for us, allowing us to improve each week and reach the point we’re at right now.
“I believe we will continue to grow. We’re not exactly where we need to be yet, but guys are getting valuable reps on Fridays that will help carry us through the rest of the season,” he added.
Putnam County and Towers will kick off at 7:30 p.m. at Al Reaves Stadium on Friday.