After almost every football practice at Lake last year, football coach Tate Hanna could find two players running hills.
Those two players were star running back Mark Qualls and his protégé D’Alex Jennings.
With Qualls graduated, Jennings is no longer the protégé, he’s the player that Hanna expects to lead the way. Jennings is the third player selected to The Newton County Appeal’s Elite 11.
While being different players, Jennings has a lot in common with Qualls, at least Hanna hopes the 5-foot-8, 160-pound senior does when the season gets rolling.
“He will be the Mark Qualls for us this year,” Hanna said. “He has really got to step his game up. D’Alex played both sides last year but he wasn’t the go-to guy. But last year, Mark would put everything on his shoulders. D’Alex will be the kid we are going to put it on this year and I think he can handle it. He is a very good athlete. He’s not going to be the bell cow that we had with Mark. It’s going to take several kids to replace him. He is going to have to spend some time at running back and slot and x receiver.”
Qualls finished the year with 1,187 yards and 19 touchdowns and started at safety for the Hornets and called the defensive signals. Now it’s Jennings turn as he will get the majority of carries on offense and is expected to replace Qualls at safety.
“He started last year at cornerback for us and will probably start at safety for us this year,” Hanna said. “He is going to be our main return guy and will be on all the special teams. He is another kid that works hard and has a great attitude.”
While Jennings will see time at running back, Hanna said he will move him around the field, often putting him at slot back and wide receiver.
“You put him in there one day and he knows everything,” Hanna said. “He can tell everybody out there what to do. That’s the main reason we are moving him to safety on defense, he can explain a lot to those younger guys about what we are trying to do. When we get on offensive teams and one day he gets with backs, the next day he gets with slots and the next day he goes with the X. I think the thing that sets D’Alex a step ahead of most folks is he is extremely smart.”
In 7-on-7 drills this summer, Jennings has also played multiple rolls on defense.
“He has played all over the field on defense this summer,” Hanna said. “He has played corner back, safety, free and strong and has done really well this summer. We have really been impressed with him, especially on the defensive side of the football. With him moving to safety, he’s going to be a kid that will have to read the safety a lot and read flow.”
Qualls is also a standout in the weight room. In the Class 2A state powerlifting meet, Jennings finished second in the state to Union’s Cody Rogers, the defending state champion. Jennings had a 350-pound squat, 195-pound bench press and 485-pound dead lift for a total of 1,030 pounds.
“He is a strong kid and was second in the state in powerlifting this past year,” Hanna said. “He is only going to get stronger. He’s one of those that is going to be at weight lifting every day. When you get through with drills or practice, he’s going to be the kid that is running hill and doing extra stuff to get better. If he was 6-1, everybody would be beating down the door to sign him.”
Hanna knows he is asking a lot out of Jennings but believes he can handle it.
“He’s going to a be a kid that is going to have to step up for us because we are going to put a lot more on him than we have in the past,” Hanna said. “He is going to have to be a leader for us on defense as well and he’s going to play every special team. He won’t come off the field and that’s one thing we build pride on we tell them they aren’t coming off, that they have to work their butts off. We aren’t coming off the field from being tired. He is going to get after it and we expect him to take a bigger role.”
Like every coach, Hanna would just smile when he saw Jennings and Qualls putting in extra work last season.
“He’s a kid that puts in the extra work,” Hanna said. “Every single practice last year, unless we came in and watched film, he ran hills. He did something extra every day. That’s all you can ask from a kid. We just want what’s best for a kid and to give us as much as they can. He’s the type of kid that is going to give you everything he’s got, regardless of what he’s doing. He’s also a leader for all of our skill guys, they all look up to him, mainly because he know everything to do, offensive of defense. If they have a question, he can answer it and that’s what we look for.”
Jennings, who also plays on the basketball team, said he understands that he is going to have a bigger role and is just fine with it.
“I’m ready for the challenge,” Jennings said. “I’m confident I can step it up. As we get closer to the season, I’ll start running more on my own to get in better shape. I don’t do a lot but play sports and go home and eat and sleep. I live in the country but don’t do a lot of country stuff.”
