Jeff Hood, radio play-by-play announcer
Today’s interviewee is Jeff Hood, the play-by-play announcer for Bostwick radio station WMOQ 92.3 FM, which broadcasts a game each week from Clarke, Morgan, Oconee or Walton County. Hood also is a high school football official. He’ll be announcing tonight’s game between Harlem and Morgan County in Madison. It will decide the Region 4-3A championship. Harlem would claim its first region title since 1974 with a victory, but Morgan County is a three-point favorite, according to the computer Maxwell Ratings.
1. Why did the station pick the Harlem-Morgan County game, and what are you looking forward to seeing? “We’ve had this Region 4-3A showdown circled on our calendar for several weeks with the belief these two teams match up well. Harlem has the stingiest defense in Class 3A, yielding just 10.4 points per game. Morgan County’s high-flying offense [39.4 points per game] is, arguably, the best in school history. Second-year Morgan County coach Clint Jenkins has a strong playoff pedigree. He led Dacula to two region titles and semifinal appearances in three seasons at the helm of the Falcons before taking the Morgan County job in 2021.”
2. Unlike most Georgia play-by-play broadcasters, you're not the voice of any one team. What is your radio station's strategy in covering different schools instead of just one? “Because we don’t cover a single team, we choose the game we feel will be the most captivating to our listeners each week. For instance, our last two games were one-point thrillers. Clarke Central edged Eastside in overtime, and the following Friday night Stephens County took the lead for the first time with 35 seconds remaining to defeat Oconee County. We expect this trend to continue tonight at historic Bill Corry Stadium in Madison.”
3. What are some of the memorable games and/or players you've seen this year? “Monroe Area, despite its 4-5 record, is loaded with playmakers on both sides of the ball and, with a few breaks, could easily be 7-2 or 8-1. The Purple Hurricanes could prove to be a dangerous playoff team. Two players that have caught my eye are Oconee County linebacker Whit Weeks and North Oconee defensive back Khalil Barnes. [The best game?] The Eastside versus Clarke Central matchup on Oct. 21st at Billy Henderson Stadium was an absolute war. Clarke Central scored the tying touchdown in regulation and the winning touchdown in overtime, both on fourth-down plays.”
4. You're not only a broadcaster, but also an official, meaning you spend quite a bit of your time devoted to high school football. What do you enjoy about high school football? “I had spent the past six years officiating varsity football on Friday nights. Because I have broadcasting experience, WMOQ asked me to come out of retirement in August and work their Friday night game each week alongside Jon Wilson. I have remained active this fall as an official working junior varsity and middle school football. I did officiate one varsity contest this fall when most games around the state were moved to Thursday night the final week of September due to the threat of Hurricane Ian. There’s nothing quite like high school football. It has the power to bond the players, coaches, officials, student body and community.”