Houston County ready for healthy Hunnicutt, Jones County

GRAY -- The records are similar, and most of the faces and numbers are familiar.

But Houston County will line up against a different Jones County team this year than a year ago because Bradley Hunnicutt is healthy.

"Feeling great right now," the junior quarterback from Jones County said. "Ready to go."

When the Bears welcomed the Greyhounds to McConnell-Talbert Stadium a year ago, Hunnicutt was anything but ready to go. He had taken a major hit to his lower back two weeks earlier in a 35-16 loss to Lakeside-Evans, didn't practice during the off week and took minimal snaps during game week.

He didn't start the game but took the field soon enough. Still, without him able to be remotely comfortable throwing the ball, thus preventing the Greyhounds to do what they had been doing and allowing Houston County to tee off, Jones County struggled in all phases and was thumped 45-15.

"Offensively, we put our defense in a very bad position last year," Jones County head coach Justin Rogers said. "Just kept sending them back there after three-and-outs. The game got away from us.

"But we didn't play well. Simple as that."

Now, Hunnicutt is healthy, as are most of his teammates, and the close game that didn't develop last year is expected when No. 6 Jones County hosts No. 2 Houston County on Friday in another GHSA Region 2-AAAAA tussle.

"It's going to be crazy," Hunnicutt said. "Everybody's ready."

Both teams have better records than a year ago, Houston County at 6-0 overall and 5-0 in GHSA Region 2-AAAAA, while Jones County at 5-1 and 4-1.

Both avoided the stumbles of a year ago that followed some big wins, Houston County by 32 points over Warner Robins and Jones County's attention-getting upset of then-No. 1 Northside.

With all hands on deck offensively, the pressure is again on both defenses, especially in pass coverage. Houston County's Jake Fromm is 87-of-146 for 1,521 yards while Hunnicutt is 68-of-103 for 1,108 yards. On the other hand, the Bears and Greyhounds have been more balanced this season than a year ago. Jones County has three more rushes than pass attempts, and Houston County two more.

Chris Brinson, a transfer from Savannah, has 520 rushing yards for the Bears, 7 more than Jones County's Chandler Ramage. The Bears have an edge in depth with Jaeven West, who has 302 yards and six touchdowns. Houston County displayed an impressive running game -- and powerful blocking -- in its 34-14 win over Warner Robins.

"It was a great confidence-booster for us," Fromm said. "That's the first time since I've been here and the three years that our coaches have been here where we really just lined up and ran the football down somebody's throat."

Likewise, Rogers has tried to get the Greyhounds able to sustain some longer drivers rather than go for the big play quite as much.

With a week off and both teams more familiar with each other, the playbooks were certainly tweaked, and it'll be surprising if at least one wrinkle isn't thrown out there. But the game will still come down to fundamentals on defense, with both teams boasting stronger units on that side of the ball.

"Oh, lights out," Houston County linebacker Bennie Steadman said of his unit's play this year. "We're really playing well. I'm really happy the way our defense is playing this year."

The Bears will no doubt get a stronger challenge from the Greyhounds and a healthy Hunnicutt.

"We prepared a lot better than we did last year," said Hunnicutt, part of that preparation. "We had a better bye week than last year. We just feel a lot better because we prepared a lot better this year."

This story was originally published October 15, 2015 at 7:54 PM.