Kevin Martin (11) led the N. Fulton area in receiving last season. If teams start double teaming Martin, Matt Kirstein (27) could find himself getting a lot more touches.

­­by Phillip Giltman

Coach Terry Crowder admits the last four years have been a roller coaster ride for his Chattahoochee Cougars. Despite a 2-8 season in 2005, Chattahoochee made consecutive playoff appearances in 2006 and 2007. And just when they had momentum on their side, they went 3-7 in 2008.

“It can get frustrating,” said Crowder, who enters his sixth season as Chattahoochee’s head coach.

But Crowder is not to blame for the team’s inconsistency; neither are the players. Chattahoochee only had 10 seniors play last year and is still feeling the effects of all the new high schools in the area: Centennial (1997), Northview (2001), Alpharetta (2004) and Johns Creek (2009).

“The old Chattahoochee used to have 3,500 kids,” Crowder said. “We are down to 1,900 now. But we feel our kids are our kids now, and we can build some consistency.”

Since 1997, Chattahoochee has won six region championships and to celebrate their seventh, the Cougars will have to do it without graduated quarterback Brendan Cross.

Cross, a Wake Forest signee and son of former San Francisco 49er Randy Cross, recorded 24 total touchdowns last year and threw for over 1,600 yards.

“Everyone understands he was a great high school quarterback, but they don’t understand how good he really was,” said Crowder. “I’ve never been around a kid that could take over a game the way he did. He never got frustrated and he never complained. I look for him to do big things at Wake.”

Taking the snaps in 2009 will be junior Timmy Byerly, Cross’ backup last year. At 6-feet, 200 pounds, Crowder said Byerly has wheels, intelligence and the wherewithal to know what to do with the football.

OFFENSE

With 18 total starters returning on the team and nine on offense, the Cougars are looking to make some noise this year in the perennially tough Region 7-AAAAA.

Crowder said he will stick with his spread offense while incorporating some hurry-up to keep opposing defenses on their heels. With Byerly’s speed, Chattahoochee will probably incorporate additional run plays in their offense. Crowder says he will maintain a balanced attack with the opposing defense dictating what type of plays they are going to run.

“With the spread offense, we have to do what the defense gives us and if they are going to defend the run then we are going to look downfield,” he said. “I have confidence in Timmy that he will be able to do that.”

Crowder is pleased to have rising senior Justin Williams back in the tailback position. Williams started the first three games last year and missed the last seven with a torn meniscus.

Crowder also takes pride in his receiving corps. “That is the strength of our team,” he said. All five receivers are returning for the Cougars, including Kevin Martin, who set a school record last year with 60 receptions and 700 receiving yards.

Up front, Crowder has all upperclassmen in Matt Kiefer, Baron Dixon, Nick Amat, Travis Skillingstad and Matt Mills. Kiefer and Dixon, both juniors, have already received offers from Arkansas and Ole Miss.

DEFENSE

“If there is one area the Cougars are going to improve it is their defense,” Crowder said. Last year, the Cougars gave up 30 points per game. But with only one defensive starter returning and Crowder and his coordinators working on defensive techniques at every practice, Crowder insists that this team will be better tacklers. “Defense comes down to tackling,” he said. “You have to tackle.”

What’s more important is Crowder switching from a 3-3-5 to a 4-3 defense.

“When I coached at Camden County, our team was better suited for the 3-3-5 because we had a lot of speed and athleticism from our defensive backs,” he said. “At Chattahoochee, we are bigger, so it makes sense to put another body on the line.”

Crowder said the switch has “rejuvenated” the defensive unit and coaching staff. Especially excited about the switch is linebacker Zach Hipes, a three-year starter who recorded 122 tackles last year. Crowder said Hipes will move to the strong side and Jonathan Ke will play the middle.

“Ke played defensive back last year, and we want to move him up to get more speed at the linebacker position,” he said.

Crowder said there are several athletes vying for multiple positions and he will most likely have four or five kids play on both sides of the ball.

“We are going to put the best 11 out there – on both sides,” he said, adding that Martin and Dixon will be two likely candidates.

Crowder feels confident about his defensive line. Juniors Stephen Frankiewiez and Baron Dixon will play at the ends and Michael Trissy and Alex Risman will plug the middle.

“We have some depth up front,” he said. “We can always put some offensive lineman in there if we have to.”

SPECIAL TEAMS

The Cougars will be without All-Region kicker Connor Coons, but Crowder said he is “fortunate” to have another soccer star in junior Ammon Lakip. “He has a great leg, and he might be able to fill the shoes left by Connor,” he said.

Crowder, however, is still looking for a punter. Crowder says the quarterback, Timmy Byerly, punted for the junior varsity team and will likely be their fourth down specialist.

“I have been known to run a few fakes though,” Crowder joked.

Kevin Martin will be returning punts and kickoffs. He returned three kickoffs for touchdowns last year. “We feel comfortable with him taking punts and kickoffs for us,” Crowder said.

Chattahoochee Trey Hart, Cody Britt, Andrew Jones, Osei Bello, Timmy Byerly, James Hazelton, Stephen Frankiewicz, Jon Bailey, Hunter Thomas, Kevin Martin, Grant Wruble, Shaunak Godkhindi, Nick Neighbors, Steven Fullerton, Kevin Hady, Shawn Derck, Christian Sutherland, Regis Kurcikevicius, Zach McGreevey, Phillip Shanklin, Jordan Lyon, Steven Bode, Justin Williams, Conner Winn, Stephen Graham, Austin Shadoan, Matt Kirstein, Marcus Sayles, Devin Vancia, Jonathan Ke, Ammon Lakip, Travis Marshall, Ben Blanks, Taylor Harris, Josh McMahan, Doug Phillips, Blake Storm, Kyle Johnston, Cooper Campbell, Tanner Rice, Juan Gomez, Luke Wagner, Denzel Carter, Zach Yates, Neal Nozsuch, Michael Crissy, Jake Kingree, Alex Risman, Zach Hipes, Barron Dixon, Nick Amat, Matt Kiefer, Callan Gillison, Matt Manwell, Daniel Tyson, Forrest Bohannan, Austin Hecht, Brandon Keith, Travis Skillingstad, Matt Mills, Austin Campagnolo, Igor Leao, Myles Brown, Kirk Dumont, Corey Blome, James Clerveau, Matthew Bates, Jonmarc Washington, Myles Hill, Dexter Rogers, Noah El, Tyler Ohnemus, Jacob Potts, Hunter Krenek

Giltman’s Guess on Chattahoochee

PREDICTION: With 18 of 22 starters returning, Crowder and the Cougars can definitely make a run at the playoffs. However, the recent realignment of Region 7-AAAAA has Chattahoochee playing some of the powerhouses of Gwinnett County, including Collins Hill, Norcross and North Gwinnett. However, thanks to the region’s peculiar scheduling Chattahoochee will not have to play Peachtree Ridge this year. The Lions are ranked as high as number eight in several national preseason publications.

“There is not one team we are playing that we haven’t beaten before,” Crowder said. “That’s our attitude going into every game.”

The return of senior tailback Justin Williams, who showed promise before his season-ending injury last year allows the Cougars to open up that spread offense. Expect Timmy Byerly to have a breakout year in Brendan Cross’s footsteps.

Switching to a 4-3 will also help the Cougars defense. They are deep up front and they have a veteran linebacker corps. This team will certainly be an improvement over last year. But the lack of depth and tough schedule portend a challenging season.

The Cougars rebound from last season, but still finish 5-5, fifth in Region 7-AAAAA.