A new era begins for Jackson Prep this Friday night as, for the second straight year, they have a new head. Coach Doug Goodwin takes over the helm with an impressive college and high school coaching resume. Goodwin is an Alabama native and Auburn University graduate. Goodwin come to Prep after spending the last two years at Ole Miss as a special teams analyst. He also coached at Auburn for five years from 2014-2019 in several roles that included Director of High School Relations.
Goodwin’s high school coaching record in Alabama is impressive with a 234-91 record, took three different teams to state championship games and won one title. He was also inducted into the Alabama High School Athletics Association Sports Hall of Fame in 2015. While it’s an impressive resume, Goodwin knows he starts with a clean slate with the Patriots.
“Every program wants to be the top dog and this one (Prep) was for a very long time,” said Prep Head Coach Doug Goodwin. “The landscape of the league has changed a little bit with teams catching up. I tell our team to go out there to win as many as you can possibly win.”
Offensively, Goodwin believes the offense is talented and will ride the arm of senior quarterback Paxton Thompson. Thompson was the full-time starter as a junior and played in all 13 games averaging nearly 300 yards a game. He completed 66 percent of his passes for 2,249 yards, 20 touchdowns and just six interceptions.
Through spring and summer practices Coach Goodwin says the offense has shown flashes of brilliance but needs to be consistent. He describes Thompson as very competitive, very conscientious and wants to learn and run the offense the right way. Goodwin says his quarterback throws well and sees the field well but needs to work on not forcing the ball when a play isn’t there.
“All good quarterbacks think they can throw a ball through a car wash and it not get wet. You just have to be confident, not reckless,” said Coach Goodwin.
Thompson should have two reliable targets to make big plays. Senior wide receiver Will Upton returns after posting a single season school record of 61 catches for 1,018 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior. Senior Will Laird also returns with experience after posting 27 catches for 558 yards and three scores last season.
The Patriots will look to a pair of running backs to take some pressure off of Thompson. Junior Lake Womack and senior Owen Ishee will lead the back field attack. Womack led the team in rushing as a sophomore with 591 yards and eight touchdowns. Ishee, as a junior, was not far behind with 500 yards and seven touchdowns. Goodwin says the plan is to continue to rotate both backs to keep them fresh as the Patriots will run a varied offense with the true strength to be determined. “What we end up being is what we’re good at,” said Coach Goodwin.
The offensive line is a work in progress that will be anchored by junior center Allen Rebich who Goodwin says has excelled in the early going.
Defensively, Goodwin wants the Pats do just focus on the basics right now. He asks just three things of his players. Don’t give up big plays, run to the football and tackle.
While Prep is not very big up front, Goodwin says they are fairly quick. He’s counting on senior nose guard Luke Harrigill at 5’8” 180 lbs. to disrupt the middle. Senior Sam Watts will lead a small but aggressive linebacker corps. and senior safety Josh White should pace the defensive backs.
This week’s opponent, the Greenville Christian School Saints, is the two-time defending MAIS 3A Champion, but is shell of what they were. The Saints lost 22 players off last year’s title team, 18 of which signed college scholarships. In their season opener last week at Madison Ridgeland Academy, the Saints got trounced 48-6. They trailed 34-0 at the half and never recovered.
Greenville Christian’s only touchdown came late in the 4th quarter when sophomore quarterback Aaron Lee threw a 66-yard score to junior wide receiver Darius Williams. The Patriots will have to make a concerted effort on special teams to neutralize senior kick returner Tae Myles. Myles had plenty opportunities with MRA kickoffs and had 131 yards on five returns.
Prep does have a slight advantage of scouting video of the Saints since they were the first to open their season already, while Prep and some new schemes will be the first time anybody gets a look at the new Patriots.
Prep Nation is excited to see the Doug Goodwin era open with high hopes of seeing the glory days return to Lakeland Drive.
“We’d love to get this program back to prominence, it’s really up to how hard the kids are willing to work.”
That work begins Friday night on Lakeland Drive at Patriot Field.
Keys to Victory for Jackson Prep:
On offense: Mix it up. Greenville Christian had a hard time stopping anything against MRA last week. Quarterback Pax Thompson has the opportunity to have a huge game if the offensive line can give him time. Mixing in the running duo of Lake Womack and Owen Ishee will really keep the Saints off balance.
On defense: Greenville Christian is still trying to find it’s quarterback as the Saints played two in the season opener with nobody really taking command. The Saints are quick but so are the Patriots. Prep has a great chance to prevails if the defense can keep the ball in front of them with a bend but don’t break philosophy.
Last Meeting: Greenville Christian won 48-13 last season on August 20.
The Series: Greenville Christian leads 1-0.
AT A GLANCE
Jackson Prep:
Class/Division: Class 6A, District 1 (MAIS)
Record: Season Opener
Head Coach: Doug Goodwin (First Season)
Assistant Coaches: Nick Brewer, Rusty Burke, Matt Butts, Graham Eklund, Derek Rang, Zander Romano, Marcus Thompson, Marcus Canoy, Brent Heavener, Les Triplett.
Greenville Christian:
Class/Division: Class 3A, District 1 (MAIS)
Record: 0-1 overall, 0-0 in District
Head Coach: Jon Reed McClendon
