THOMASVILLE, Ga. (WTXL) — There is no lack of tradition for the Thomas County Central football team. The Yellow Jackets are five times a state champion, and it's a history and a culture new head coach Justin Rogers is embracing.
"We're honoring the thirty year anniversary of the first state title this year with decals on our helmets," he said.
The first of five state football championships for the Yellow Jackets.
"I have to get this group of guys to understand the place they're at. Somehow the mystique and the specialness of this place has gotten lost."
In the seven months since taking over the program, he's worked to bring that swagger back.
"We've been building upon that. We've had a great offseason."
An offseason for a team that coach has fallen right in line with.
"It's been a really good transition," he said. "The kids are amazing, they're working their tails off. The administration has been so hungry and supportive and the community also."
Just as coach made the transition from Moultrie to Thomasville, the Jackets are ready to make the transition from AAAA to AAAAAA this fall.
"Football is ball. It really is," he said. "Moving to 5A to 7A, everybody asked me that, and it came down to ball is ball."
Ball is ball, and for Thomas County Central, it's just getting that ball back to where it needs to be.
"We'll tweak some things to the skill sets and we'll do some things there, but it will look very similar, those that watched us at Colquitt, it'll appear very similar to them."
Even for a guy who's been a head coach before, the excitement of starting over at a new program, never gets old.
"The first night we actually get to go to the next and we run out that banner, and the first game we get to play at Cairo Syrupmakers, big rival? C'mon. It doesn't get any better than that in south Georgia."
A storied rivalry, for a storied program, and one that looks to add a little more to the history books.
