You might not be aware of it, but Greenwood turned in one of their best seasons in school history last season. The Gators opened up the season 5-0, their best start and longest winning streak in school history. Their 8 wins were the most ever in the regular season for the program, and second most in a complete season despite falling in their first playoff game. The Gators averaged more points per game than any season before. But when you play in the shadow of a team like Bowling Green, a team that you haven't beaten in 21 all-time meetings, you tend to get overlooked. The Gators are annually faced with the challenge of not only overcoming Bowling Green, but Warren Central as well, a team that they are only a marginally better 3-17 against. Their new coach will bring with him a philosophy that begins with the base thought that they must believe they can compete to then move on to beating these two teams. And if they can beat those two, a world of possibilities unlocks.

 

Chris Seabolt takes over as head coach at Greenwood from Greg Cavanaugh, who recently took a coordinator position in Portland (TN). Coach Seabolt comes from a program that knows a thing or two about entering every game believing they can and will win, having coached on the Bowling Green staff for the last three years, the last two as offensive line coach. Seabolt will bring with him two rings that are proof of what happens when you buy in to a program and philosophy. Prior to that he coached at Grayson County for 6 years, the last five as offensive coordinator and two as associate head coach. During that time, Grayson County saw a program renaissance that led to them hosting their first playoff game in 26 years and beating Warren Central twice, so he's no stranger to a program lifting itself to another level. Seabolt's goal for the season is to get the kids to buy into the way the coaches do things and to instill a blue collar, punch the clock atmosphere. Do that, and the wins will come.

 

Greenwood will have to replace several strong players from 2012, chief among them #1 tailback Tanner Thompson and the team’s three leading tacklers, LB Dakota Madison, DL Josh Cavanaugh, and LB Isaiah Thomas Turner. Most of the secondary departs from the previous season as well. The biggest returning weapon is senior QB Josh Dyer, who passed for 2,332 yards and 25 TDs in his first season starting under center. Dyer has had a strong showing in the early 7 on 7s that Greenwood has competed in, and looks to be poised for a big year. Probably the only worry is who will he throw the ball to after the loss of his top 4 receivers. Also returning is two way player RB/LB Joey Hughes, the team’s leading rusher and the second leading returning player in tackles. Other notables include the leading returner in tackles ILB Stewart Windham, who notched 56 tackles in 2012, as well as DL Marquis Cornelius who will help clog the interior in the new 50 defense Seabolt is installing. The Gators have a dedicated but small senior class, which will place some added pressure on the large junior crop to fill some leadership roles on the team.

 

Greenwood’s 2013 schedule is virtually identical to 2012. Their final seven games of the year are against the same opponents in the same weeks. 5A mate Hopkinsville moves from a third week bowl game in 2012 to the season opener in the Rivals Bowl, a bowl game jointly run by Greenwood and Warren Central that will be played at Greenwood this season. The Gators add Allen County-Scottsville back to the schedule after a two year absence, having played them previously from 2007-2010. The most significant addition is ready made rival South Warren, which was formed from roughly 40% of Greenwood’s population in 2010. This will be the first meeting of the two teams, and besides being the most exciting game of Greenwood’s non-district schedule, should prove to be the stiffest test. How serious is this game being taken? These two teams met in South Warren’s 7 on 7 tournament in mid-July and drew a very large, vocal crowd and at times moved from simple two hand touch to unsanctioned full contact. Both programs want that game, very much. The key district games remain a September 27th matchup at Warren Central and an October 25th showdown against Bowling Green at home. The Gators have not hosted a playoff game since 2009 and have had to take to the road in each of their first two years in 5A. If they hope to host one this year and avoid a potential trip to Christian County or Graves County, one of these two games is a must win.

 

There’s a lot of excitement surrounding the Gator program as we approach the season. Coach Seabolt brings a winning mentality and culture to Greenwood. They are more concerned with the process than the wins and losses right now, but make no mistake, the pattern has shown that with Coach Seabolt involved, the wins will come sooner rather than later. Greenwood has all the tools to start winning at a higher level. Now they just need to do it.

 

Players To Watch

• Josh Dyer – QB – 6’2”, 185 lbs – Senior – Dyer is the unquestioned leader of this year’s Gators. Dyer posted a 25:11 TD:INT ratio last season, and should continue to flourish in Greenwood’s spread option offense. As Dyer goes, so goes the Gator offense.
   
   
  
• Joey Hughes – RB/LB – 6’0”, 165 lbs – Senior – Joey had to suffer through a myriad of injuries and setbacks in his first two years that included a fractured back, but it was an injury to lead back Tanner Thompson that finally gave Hughes a chance to become the lead back on offense, posting a 5 YPC mark and leading the team with 8 TDs on the ground. He’s also the leading returning player in receiving yards.
   
   
  
• Stewart Windham – ILB – Junior – With the departure of Dakota Madison, Windham becomes the de facto leader on the defense, and should continue to establish a significant presence in the interior of the linebacker corps. An added bonus is that he is just a junior, which means the Gators will have a defensive anchor for the following year as well.

I heard that they barely have 30 players

I heard that they barely have 30 players

 

In all four classes? I don't think it's that low. I'm thinking around 40 though I can't swear to it. It is decidedly low for a 5A program.

I've been to a couple of Gator practices this week and they appear to have 75-80 kids.

I got my info from our intern, my goes to school at Greenwood, maybe he's just talking upper classmen :idunno:

The senior class is definitely small. They only had 10 juniors on the roster last year. They had 17 sophomores listed on Riherds for 2012. That's exactly what they have listed on their Hudl site as well for 2013 (progressing each a class), though they may not have updated that yet. They definitely haven't updated Riherds.