CORDELE, Ga. (WALB) — Tift County is off to a 2-1 start this season after winning just five games combined in 2024 and 2025. The Blue Devils have a 41-point shutout over Luella and a road win at Effingham County.

Kicker Will Ramirez said the team’s energy has increased compared to last year.

“They’re definitely way hungrier than last year. I have seen their energy go up by a lot honestly. I see it at practice, at games—We’re going to have a good season,” Ramirez said.

Coach points to daily habits

Blue Devils Head Coach Jeff Littleton said the turnaround was not about scheme changes but about how players carry themselves daily.

“The standard is the standard. We work every day on values and work ethic. This team has done that this year, we just got to be more focused in critical situations because we came up short last week,” Littleton said.

Tift County lost 21-7 to Lambert in week 3. The Blue Devils travel to Cordele this week to face Crisp County.

Crisp County started the 2025 season 0-4 before finishing 4-7. This season, the Cougars are 2-0 and have scored 99 points in their first two games.

Justin Newman said players are buying into the program’s philosophy.

“I think it’s more so the fact that they’re starting to buy in a little bit more to the philosophy we are bringing in. Just trying to make sure that we’re bringing in the discipline, and what our expectations are. I believe we are starting to do that more with these guys. They got a year under their belt knowing what I want and what my expectations are. And we’ve had some very good players playing very well right now,” Newman said.

Post season implications

Tift County is a 6A school and Crisp County is a 3A school. Under the Georgia High School Association’s new power rankings, early season games like these could factor into playoff positioning.

Newman said the rankings are based on a team’s win percentage, its opponents’ win percentages and its opponents’ opponents’ win percentages.

“You want to play some teams that are good and they’re gonna help you get better throughout the season. One thing that I was really excited about was that they’re just down the road because, like I said, we want to have big crowds and let these boys play in exciting games,” Newman said.

Tift County and Crisp County have a combined four wins this season heading into the matchup. Tift County wide receiver Dai’Jon Hayes said the team is not finished.

“I’d say it’s good, but we gotta keep working. We’re not done yet. 1 and 0, Friday,” Hayes said.

Tift County vs. Crisp County kicks off Friday, Sept. 11 at 7:30 p.m.

GET MORE from WALB Sports: Week 4 of high school football

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