Dalton Must Replace State’s Leading Rusher in Jahmyr Gibbs

Georgia high schools still have one more week before they jump into the fray, including the Dalton Catamounts. Dalton still has the National High School Coach of the Year on their sidelines this year. But they won’t have their go-to guy on the field.

The Dalton Catamounts have a Power-5 sized hole to fill on their offense this year. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs was the state’s leading rusher last year — making him one of the most sought after prospects in North Georgia.

Said head coach Matt Land: “You ask yourself, ‘How do you replace 90 percent of your offense, 92 percent of your offense?’ And the way you do that is with 92 people because there’s not another Jahmyr.”

Said free safety Parker Adams: “Obviously Jahmyr Gibbs is Jahmyr Gibbs, but we have Maurice Howard. He’s going to fill the gap pretty well. He’s a monster in himself, and we’ve got plenty of people to back him up.”

Said Land: “There’s a void there, and it’s either 1 times 50, or 50 times 1. We’ve got to find the 50 that can fill that void and take up that space. And we will.”

After graduating 17 seniors for the third straight year… Dalton is preparing to use every Catamount available to meet that need.

Land: “This is one of those years where if you have a red helmet with a white D on the side, you’re going to have an opportunity to play.”

Junior quarterback Ashton Blackwell is getting a *second* opportunity to lead the offense. Blackwell broke his left clavicle early in last season.

Said Blackwell: “If anything I feel like it made me stronger because I worked out more to heal it back up.”

Just in time for a new region, a newer playbook, and fresh motivation.

Said Blackwell: “I just like how we’re the underdogs this year. People think we’re not going to be good, that we lost our whole O-line. We lost Jahmyr and Landen, but I feel like we’ll compete in the new region.”