Putnam County head coach Joel Harvin learned a lot about his team over the past two weeks, as the War Eagles scrimmaged West Laurens and Washington County before hosting the team’s 2025 season opener at 7:30 p.m. Friday against Greene County.
The War Eagles lost both scrimmages, but Harvin and his coaching staff weren’t focused on the score.
A significant area of concern heading into Friday’s rival contest versus the Tigers was Putnam’s defense.
“We struggled a little bit defensively the first couple of games, just still trying to learn where to fit,” Harvin said. “Again, we have several guys on defense who haven’t played on that side of the ball, but we’ve moved them to new positions that we believe will eventually be a good fit for them and will also help them reach the next level.
“So, you still have a lot of rookie mistakes in that area, where just the small things that can be fixed will come with some experience. And obviously, you’re going to make mistakes, and we’re just going to iron out those mistakes, make it simple for them, and learn from the mistakes.”
West Laurens and Washington County moved the ball effectively. The two opposing offenses also limited mistakes and took advantage of the War Eagles’ miscues, including players out of position and missed tackles.
Harvin believed that offensively, especially against Washington County, the team performed well. Overall, the third-year Putnam coach said the two scrimmages also provided his players plenty of opportunities to get reps.
“We have a new offense (with a new coordinator) that we’re running, and we’re trying to add some new wrinkles,” Harvin said. “So, we used the scrimmage games for those. We’re also just trying to give our guys as many reps as they can get and gain the necessary experience before we start the regular season this week.”
As far as players who stood out, Harvin said senior quarterback/linebacker Branan Griffin played well. Griffin managed to keep the chains moving consistently on offense and made several big-time stops on defense.
“He’s just a really good athlete, has a nose for the football, and understands schemes,” Harvin said of Griffin. “He’s been an All-Region player, and we’ve been relying on him to help lead us on offense and defense.”
Harvin also mentioned senior fullback/linebacker Christian Farley delivered outstanding performances. Farley particularly shined on defense, making several tackles and helping his teammates close gaps in the run game.
“He is another one who has been pretty solid as far as being a leader on both sides of the ball,” Harvin said.
Putnam’s coach said he hopes some of the players who gained invaluable snaps during the scrimmages step up this Friday.
“We’ve got some guys stepping up and being playmakers,” Harvin said. “We’re just working on getting everyone else on board so they can trust each other when they play and be able to perform well together.”