Moving parts

Published 8:46 am Friday, July 21, 2017

CAIRO — Walter Grant, Jahsari Patterson, Jahseari Patterson and Jamal Thomas were just a few of the cornerstones of Cairo’s defense in 2016.

The Syrupmakers’ Region 1-4A championship came in large part because of the success of that unit, mostly comprised of seniors. With all of them gone, there will be some new names blasting from the loudspeakers at West Thomas Stadium this year, and candidates looking to fill those roles are now battling in camp.

“We lost nine really good football players,” Cairo defensive coordinator Tony Graziano said. “The parts are changing. It’s a work in progress.”

Cairo returns a total of two starters from last year’s defensive unit — Tahj Vicks and Jamel Chin. Both seniors, they will be taking up leadership roles, but from different spots. Chin will move from cornerback to safety while Vicks is transitioning to inside linebacker.

“All coaches have to deal with this when you lose that many players,” Graziano said. “You’ve just got to get the right people in the right spots with what you have coming back.”

Other than those two, everyone else on the Syrupmaker defense will be starting for the first time. Scheme-wise, there will be no change, but getting the players ready will take some time.

“We run a multiple defense, we’re always going to do that,” Graziano said. “It’s just going to take a little longer to get it like we want it. That part of it, we’ve got a lot of work to do on. By the time we play Thomasville, we should be ready.”

On Thursday, the Syrupmakers’ new defensive role players had a chance to show their progress against Jones County, who visited South Georgia for a camp Cairo hosted.

Graziano said he had a better idea of who could play and start coming out of the camp. 

“Makaylah Gurley stepped up today and played a lot more physical on the defensive line,” Graziano said. “Our cornerbacks gave up a few but you’re gonna do that.”

A teaching moment came as the camp came to a close. During two minute drills, Jones County scored in just two plays after a couple of busted Cairo coverages. That kind of start did not make the Syrupmakers get down on themselves.

“We got the ball down on the two-point conversion,” Graziano said. “(The offense) scored and that put us in the lead, so you never stop playing if something bad happens to you. Every coach preaches that, and I was real proud of the guys for that.”