Putnam County and Morgan County will meet on the gridiron for the first time since 2021 this Friday in Eatonton.
The ‘Dogs lead the all-time series 31-18-1, but the War Eagles have won the last two games by a combined 42-2 score.
Putnam County head coach Joel Harvin is happy the rivalry is back. It will be his first time facing the ‘Dogs.
“Morgan has a good football program, and they’ve done well over the past few years,” Harvin said.“It was a big rivalry at one time. Putnam and Morgan quit playing for a few years, but to get the rivalry back, especially early in the season, means a lot to our fans and kids. We look forward to it. Friday is our home opener.”
Putnam hopes to rebound after falling to rival Greene County 28-20 in last Friday's season opener. Meanwhile, Morgan is coming off a 48-16 win over Warren County.
Despite making a few critical mistakes, the War Eagles’ offense hopes to keep its momentum alive against Morgan. Last week, the tandem of quarterback Jamarion Robertson and running back Rashod Daniel was difficult to stop.
They combined to rush for 228 yards and two touchdowns against Greene County, including a 56-yard touchdown connection through the air.
Morgan head coach Clint Jenkins has prepared his team for defending Robertson, Daniel, and the rest of Putnam’s playmakers.
“Their running back (Daniel) sticks out on film. He’s a really good, physical player, but he breaks away from people, too, when he gets a chance,” Jenkins said. “They do a good job up front with their offense when they get in their single wing [formation]. They’re a downhill and physical team.”
Jenkins said he’s also aware of how Omarion Butts, Elijah Dunn, and Brannan Griffin, among others, can significantly impact a game, too.
“They’ve got several guys who can make plays. They like to spread it out,” Jenkins said. “They’re a good team.”
Morgan’s offense totaled 617 yards against the Screaming Devils, with 342 through the air and 275 on the ground. The Dogs will face a Putnam defensive unit that gave up 349 yards of total offense to Greene County.
Junior quarterback Davis Strickland passed for 342 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception. New transfer senior running back Jasper Cason led the charge on the ground, totaling 150 yards on 18 carries with a score. Senior wide receiver Jaylen Elder also hauled in seven receptions for 178 yards and two touchdowns.
Harvin acknowledged Morgan’s high-powered offensive unit will challenge his team’s defense.
“They are very explosive, and we have to do a good job limiting the big play,” he said. “They have a great running game with running backs that run the ball hard, so we have a tremendous challenge ahead of us.”
The 51st installment of the Morgan-Putnam rivalry will kick off at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Al Reaves Field in Eatonton.