Will Huff, Thomasville Times-Enterprise sports writer
Today’s interviewee is Thomasville Times-Enterprise sports writer Will Huff, who will be covering his first Thomasville-Thomas County Central rivalry game tonight at the Jackets’ Nest. Both teams are ranked, and Thomasville leads the series 28-27. Huff is a Mississippi native and 2020 Mississippi State graduate who joined the Times-Enterprise staff this year.
1. How long have you been in Thomasville, and how are you describing the place to friends and family from elsewhere? “I’ve only been in Thomasville for around five months, but I can already feel the football culture. I am the sports writer here, and before the season started all anyone wanted to talk to me about was who would win the Rose City Rumble and what did I think of the teams this year. There’s not as much tension surrounding the rivalry as much as it is excitement. The community is more brought together over the game than ripped in half like other rivalries. I grew up in Mississippi where Ole Miss and Mississippi State football is all we care about. It can get pretty heated and divisive. But the feeling around the Central-Thomasville rivalry is a very refreshing one. It’s a rivalry with heat, intensity and history, and it is built around a community that loves football.”
2. How are you feeling attending your first TCC-Thomasville game, and what are your expectations? “I’m extremely excited. I think it will be a high school football game that could match some college football atmospheres. I was at the Cairo-Thomas County Central game last week, and it was really intense and the fans were fantastic. I’m expecting this game to be twice what that game was. The coaches, players and the entire community are excited. I don’t know a single person who won’t be there.”
3. What’s the mood in the Thomas County Central camp now? “Well, their defense looks fantastic. They shut Cairo down last week, but if you paid attention to their summer that’s no surprise. Their offense was more interesting to me. New quarterback Jaylen Johnson struggled to connect with receivers in that Cairo game. Part of that is a credit to Cairo’s secondary, but there were a number of dropped passes and underthrown balls. However, when Johnson did connect with his guys it was magic. I’m excited to see if, after getting a varsity start under his belt, Johnson will be more consistent. Their run game was really good against Cairo. Trey Brenton couldn’t be stopped after he got going, and Johnson showed some solid ability with his legs. That offensive line is stout, and they will be really important in this game against the Bulldogs.”
4. What vibes are you getting from Thomasville? “Physicality. I’ve talked to coach Jonathan DeLay several times in the last couple of weeks, and that has been his word every time. He wants his team to go out and be the most physical team on the field. And honestly, they will need to be if they want to win this game. That Central offensive line is going to be tough, but Thomasville has to be able to get into the backfield and slow down the run and make Johnson uncomfortable. On offense, Thomasville looks really good. They racked up over 500 yards of offense, and quarterback Cam Hill looked fantastic. [The sophomore was 16-of-21 passing for 266 yards last week in a 42-20 victory over Brooks County.] They also ran out four different running backs who did some serious damage. I think they will need to trot out a similar balanced attack to beat Central. I don’t think you can beat this Central defense by trying to run it down their throats or throwing it over their head. You have to have a balance, and that’s what I expect the Bulldogs to do.”