Dodge County Indians start their redemption tour

The Dodge County Indians open their season down the road in Cochran against Bleckley County in The End Zone Game of the Week.

EASTMAN, Georgia – (41NBC/WMGT) – The Dodge County Indians open their season 18 miles down the road against the Bleckley County Royals (1-0). These two old border county foes renew their rivalry this Friday as region opponents, since they are now both in Region 2-A Division One.

First year head coach Phillip Brown is not only in his first season with Dodge County, but also in his first season leading any high school football team as head coach. Coming to Eastman from Valdosta, he served as an assistant to coach Shelton Felton, winning 16 games in the last two seasons.

Coach Brown brings a spread offense and “3-4” defensive scheme to the table, hoping to help a team that has had three different head coaches in the last three seasons.

The Indians lead the all-time series against the Royals 32-16, and behind one of the best players in the nation, senior linebacker Darrell “Duke” Johnson, they hope to start the year off right by not only getting a region win against a rival on the road.

Bleckley County has won the last five meetings.

“Rivalries are great,” Brown said at Tuesday morning’s practice. “They bring out an awesome opportunity to compete. When you play a big rival, it doesn’t really matter what the records are or what the past is. Everyone is going to give their best shot. But, also with a rivalry comes a lot of things involved with that, and it’s all about your focus. What is your main focus for that? We have a plan and we’ve been working our plan. The biggest thing, and the difference in a rivalry game, is who focuses on their plan and who executes their plan is going to win that game.”

Johnson is among the top recruited players in the nation. He knows as a senior who has never beaten the Royals that this is one of the most important games of his life.

“This rivalry means everything,” Johnson said after practice at Memorial Stadium. “Just go out and compete. Be successful on offense and defense. Our coaching staff put a lot of work in for us being prepared to win this game, so I’m pretty ready to win. What motivates me is that this is a rival and my pride is pretty big, so for us to be going out there and losing six years straight I think, [we] can go out there and flip the script right now. Coach Brown always say go out there and flip the script, so go out there and flip the script.”

The Indians the Royals in Cochran Friday night at 7:30 p.m. 41NBC will have live pregame coverage from Royal Stadium during 41NBC News at 5, 5:30 and 6 p.m. Catch the highlights from our Game of the Week, along with other games, on Friday’s edition of The End Zone during 41NBC News at 11.