Year two of the Joel Harvin era for the Putnam County High School football program kicked off earlier this week.
The War Eagles started summer football Tuesday morning, with more than 40 players attending practice. They’ll hit the practice field 27 more times this summer before their fall camp begins in early August.
Harvin told The Eatonton Messenger that he’s excited to get year two underway. The War Eagles’ head coach said he and his staff have set goals for the summer and “want to get better every day” before the start of fall camp.
“We’re looking for consistency this summer. Last summer, it was about getting the kids to buy in, but this year, we want to see more guys step up and lead,” Harvin said. “We’ve got great kids and are excited about this year.”
Putnam County will hold practices Tuesday through Thursday this summer. The coaching staff is trying to get their players conditioned and help prepare them for the season, which begins Aug. 16 at rival Greene County.
Harvin also wants his players to get accustomed to a pair of new coordinators: Todd Cooper and Derrick Arrington. Cooper will be the team’s offensive coordinator, and Arrington will lead the defense.
“Each of them brings in a wealth of knowledge, and it’s great to have them on board,” Harvin said. “Coach Cooper came to us from Fitzgerald, which has been an excellent program the past few years, and he was also at Peach County when they were on the run. And Coach Arrington knows the program well.”
Later this summer, Putnam County will visit several camps, including an important one at Jeff Davis High School in Hazlehurst. There, some of the best teams in the state will be working to get better—just like the War Eagles.
Harvin believes competition against the best statewide will help his players improve on and off the field. The second-season War Eagles’ coach wants them to grow as teammates and individuals, as much as players during the summer practice period.
“It might sound cliché, but we want to get better every day we’re out at practice or in the weight room,” Harvin said. “We’ve got a great group of kids, but I want to see us improve as a team overall. Some kids have stepped up and become leaders, but I want to see more of that as the summer goes on. Consistency is key.”