Class 5A Blog: Jackson County Football looks to take a big step forward in 2025

The Jackson County Panthers are going into their third season under head coach Korey Mobbs aiming to build off a successful 2024 season that saw them record their first eight-win season since 1992. Last year included a five-game winning streak to end the regular season when the Panthers averaged a point margin of 23.6 against their opponents. They tied their highest win total last season as that was the second time they have ever posted eight wins in a season.

The Panthers offense is led by senior quarterback RJ Knapp III who threw for 1,835 yards on 121 completions along with 16 touchdown passes. He does well with throwing passes off his back foot and has great pocket awareness that goes along with his solid mobility.

The rush attack is bolstered by Daylan Maxwell who enters his junior year with Jackson County. Maxwell rushed for 1,090 yards on 159 carries while scoring 10 touchdowns on the ground last season, averaging 6.9 yards per carry.

For the receivers, the Panthers will go into this season without Caden Daniels and Jacob Coombs. Daniels last year totaled 548 receiving yards on 25 catches with six touchdown receptions and Coombs recorded 455 receiving yards on 26 receptions with four touchdowns. The players that will need to step up after the departure of those two receivers are Robert Spry, Silas McDaniel, and Maddox Griswold. Spry put up 384 yards and three touchdowns on 27 receptions last season. McDaniel made his presence known last season with 108 yards on nine receptions and two touchdowns. Griswold scored touchdowns on two out of his three receptions for Jackson County. 

The offensive line of Wren Skinner, Alonso Ortiz, and Caleb Louis will benefit largely from the addition of the heavily-experienced Philip Jones as the offensive line coach. He was previously the head coach of Brookwood from 2015-2024.

On the defensive side, the loss of Luke Mobbs, Cooper Galley, Kane Berryman, and Josh Mendoza will be tough to deal with, but it is time for Maher Magness, Deacon Wiley, Tyler Mobbs, Slade Swierczek, and Owen Anderson to step up in place of the previous four. Last season, Magness had 93 total tackles, four tackles for loss, and 11 quarterback hurries. Wiley collected 70 total tackles, four tackles for loss, and three sacks. Swierczek put together 30 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and six sacks. Tyler Mobbs, the younger brother of Luke, had 52 total tackles and one tackle for loss. Anderson aims to break out in 2025 after recording one tackle last year. The secondary was boosted by Galley and Tyler Mobbs who both had three interceptions as Galley racked up eight passes defensed while Mobbs collected seven.

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