Video: BJ Riley's highlights vs. Lakeview Academy High School
See one of the top players Jeff Saturday has coming back at Hebron Christian.Jeff Saturday used to star on Sundays. Now he's going to be coaching on Fridays.
As first
reported by Gwinnett Prep Sports on Friday and tweeted by USA Football, the man who started 172 games in front of Peyton Manning (an NFL center-quarterback record) is now the head coach at
Hebron Christian Academy (Dacula, Ga.).
The 14-year NFL veteran had a stellar career, reaching six Pro Bowls and garnering All-Pro honors four times as a center. He played 13 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and one final one with the Green Bay Packers, with the ultimate highlight being the Colts' 2007 Super Bowl XLI victory over the Chicago Bears. His name is retired in the Colts' Ring of Honor.
The program won't have to adjust much, for two reasons. First off is that Saturday was an assistant for two seasons. And second, outgoing head coach Kevin Shaffer played nine years on NFL offensive lines.
Hebron Christian has gone 16-15 the past three seasons combined, playing in Class A in the Georgia High School Association.
“I think we’re at the point where we’re putting in a disciplined approach and setting the course for the long haul,” Saturday told Gwinnett Prep Sports. “That’s realistic. I don’t know how many games we’ll win (in 2017). We’re losing some really good players. We’re losing two or three all-region kids and for a team with 40 players, that’s significant. We’ll have to replace some guys. We’re focusing on a sustainable program. To do that, we’re going to have to have some young guys come in and play.”
