SPRINGFIELD, Ga. – Effingham County football coach John Ford says “potential” is a pretty way of saying you haven’t done it yet.
Quarterback Tucker Perkins made his first varsity start against Houston County a year ago amid high expectations. Perkins had shown his arm strength and accuracy in competitive 7-on-7s throughout the summer.
No doubt, the potential was there. But could Perkins run the Rebel offense as smoothly as Nate Hayes, who earned the region’s Player of the Year honor in 2023?
“We knew Tucker and the offense had potential, but you still have to put the work in, live up to that potential, and then execute on the grass on Friday nights,” Ford said.
Despite a 44-41 loss to Houston County, Perkins’ debut served as a springboard for the season. He threw for 378 yards and three touchdowns against the Bears, who finished in Class 5A’s elite eight at state.
Perkins, now a senior, gets a chance to even the score when Houston County comes to Springfield for the season opener Friday night at 7:30.
Record-Breaking Season
“You have to have confidence at the quarterback position,” Perkins said. “For me and the team, getting yardage and putting points on the scoreboard are what we were shooting for, and that’s what we got.”
A year ago, the Perkins-led offense averaged a school-record 35 points per game. He completed 67% of his passes while accumulating 2,619 yards through the air with 32 touchdowns and only six interceptions during the regular season as the Rebels advanced to their fourth straight state playoff appearance.
ECHS (6-5 in 2024) has high hopes for a repeat performance or better in its opener against Houston County, coming off a 31-24 win over Brookwood at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday. The Bears serve as a 2025 barometer.
“Last year, Houston was big up front, so they made it difficult to run,” Ford said. “We knew we’d have to get the ball to our playmakers in space. Tucker did a good job being the point guard that night, and he did a good job as the year went on.”
Receiver Changes
Attention again will fall on Perkins and a mostly new stable of receivers to keep up with the Bears. Three of the top four Rebel wide receivers in receptions and yardage graduated.
Trayvis Hunter, the younger brother of Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, now with the Jacksonville Jaguars, will be the leading returning receiver. Trayvis, a junior, caught 36 passes for 496 yards and six touchdowns. Newcomers Malik Letman and Isaiah “Zeke” Brown played well during summer scrimmages. Jmere Doe-Davis (20 catches, 393 yards, four TDs) is a threat out of the backfield.
“Last year against Houston County, we were stopped in the red zone a couple of times, and if we score there, we win by nine,” Perkins said. “Those are things we’re working on.”
