ATHENS, Ala. (WHNT) — The Athens Golden Eagles have big shoes to fill in 2025.
The Golden Eagles will have to replace Brogran Gross, who started at quarterback the last couple of years and was a leader of the program.
Coach Cody Gross said that Grady Sullivan will be the starter for the Golden Eagles when they kick off against Mae Jemison on Aug. 22.
“He started for us at receiver last year and really tough kid, throws the ball well, moves well,” Gross said. “Been really, really pleased with the spring that he had; he’s had a tremendous summer.”
The Golden Eagles have hopes of winning a region championship, but they’ll have to get past the hurdle that is Muscle Shoals and Hartselle. Athens lost to these two teams last year, but both teams will travel to Athens this season.
“We’ve had pretty good road stretches, so getting them at home will be important. I think we’ve won 14 games in a row at home, feel really good about playing at our place, but you know Muscle Shoals and Hartselle are the ones at the top of the region every year,” Gross said. “I don’t like it a bit, but it’s a fact, so we’ve got to do something about it, can’t talk about it.”
Gross says he wants his team to be tougher this year.
“Tired of finishing third in the region and having to go on the road in the third round and we talked to them about being grown men and some of them have to be grown men at the age of 15, it’s not fair,” Gross said. “Grown men win football games in November, and winning them in November is a whole lot different than winning them in August and September, and they feel a lot different.”
Athens will open the season against Mae Jemison on Aug. 22.
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