Gwinnett’s most prolific returning offensive player is back for Archer, quarterback Jordan Do.
The senior was the Touchdown Club of Gwinnett’s Quarterback of the Year last season after accounting for nearly 300 yards per game. He completed 205 of 305 passes (67.2 percent) for 2,639 yards and 27 touchdowns to just four interceptions, and also carried the Tigers’ biggest load in the ground game — he rushed 121 times for 850 yards and 13 TDs.
“The Gwinnett Quarterback of the Year, that speaks for itself,” Archer head coach Dante Williams said.
With Do back, much of Archer’s success will depend on how a new group of receiving targets emerge in 2025. The graduation losses off last year’s team include Colby Alexander (65 catches, 1,061 yards, 11 TDs), Ethan Campbell (52-742-10) and Ken’marico Husband (28-342-4), the Touchdown Club of Gwinnett’s Tight End/H-back of the Year.
“We’ve got guys willing and able to carry our Wide Receiver U mantra,” Williams said. “The past two years we’ve had the No. 1 statistical receiver in Gwinnett. Those guys know it and they call this place Wide Receiver U, so they want to carry it on.”
Dynamic Tyree Begne, whose 297 rushing yards were second on the team to Do last year, also factors heavily into this year’s attack. In addition to carrying the football, he caught 25 passes for 255 yards and three TDs.
“I’ve got to go out and provide for my team,” Begne said. “I’ve got to be the workhorse. … I want to be a back that can produce and make the passing game easier for my quarterback. The running game also opens up the pass.”
Life for all the Archer skill players will be easier by the return of a talented offensive line, including Dayle Hervey, Michael Gerard Jr., Johnathan Williams Jr. and Jamichael Willis.
“The trenches, they really drive the team,” Gerard said. “They’re the heart of the team. Without them, the team isn’t what it is. That has to be the strong point.”
“We have enough size to move the point and make enough space for Tyree to run through,” Hervey said. “And we’re hurry up. We’re not real fat dudes. We can still move and we have the energy to keep going back to back to back to get the defense tired.”
DEFENSE
Williams feels good about his defense, too, particularly in the front seven.
Army commit Dontae Samuels, Antonio McCloud, Ricky Reynoso and Amontae Briggs are back on the line, as are linebackers Nigel Addo and Jeffrey Hammonds.
“Our entire box played Friday night defensive snaps in arguably the toughest region regardless of classification in the state of Georgia,” Williams said. “That’s going to mean something. We’ve seen that in the offseason, spring and summer. We just have to keep our foot on the gas and keep moving forward.”
The secondary will have a slightly different look, though safety Kevin Gwibuka, who had a big 2024 season with 62 tackles (13 for losses) and an interception, is back. Apalachee transfer Jason Flannigan Jr., a starter at his former school, will join Gwibuka at safety. Begne also will play a prominent role on defense at cornerback alongside Theo Collins.
ETC.
Archer hopes to improve its win-loss mark dramatically this season after going 4-8 in 2024. But last year was far from a lost season.
The Tigers started 0-5, but then they went 3-3 in one of the state’s toughest regions and topped Region 3-AAAAAA champion Harrison 46-42 in the first round of the state playoffs before a second-round loss to West Forsyth. It was the second straight state playoff berth for the program, now entering its fourth season with Williams as head coach.
“I feel really good. These guys are my first true class,” Williams said. “When I took the job, these guys were all freshmen. It’s been really cool. We identified and noticed in February in the weight room, the mantra, the way they walked and talked and they were kind of a representation of me, which was really cool because they don’t know anything else. They don’t know previous regimes. All they know is me.
“We’re really excited about our culture and what these guys have declared and what they want to do, even before they touched the grass. … We always want to compete at a high level. We want to have a high standard in our building first and foremost. We want to do the right things all the time, have a brotherhood and continuity within our team. We’re starting to see that and it’s because of these guys’ leadership. Because of that, the success on Friday night will come... Click here to read full article
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