Scrimmage Season: ELCA rebuild begins with small 'margin for error'

Eagle's Landing Christian Academy celebrate after touchdown score against Whitefield Academy in scrimmage

The Eagle's Landing Christian Academy Chargers football team had become one of the most consistent teams in reaching the Georgia High School Association state championship tournament, having made the playoffs 28 consecutive seasons, claiming seven state titles and 13 region championships during that span.

However, after winning just three games last season for the first time since 2003 and missing the postseason, the Chargers decide to head in a new direction and turned to new head coach, Justin Roberts, a Florida native, who previously coached at University in Orange, Florida.

"We don't have a big margin for error. We have to play a clean brand of football," Roberts said following the Chargers' final scrimmage ahead of their season opener on Friday, August 15 when they travel to take on First Presbyterian Day. Ironically, Roberts took over as head coach at University following the 2022 season in which the Titans finished 3-7.

The following two season, Roberts led the program to a combined 19-5 record, their first ever district title and back to back region semifinal appearances so it is safe to say the Chargers new head coach has a good idea on what it will take for his team to get back into postseason contention.

"We know we're in a little bit of a rebuild but they come to work hard every day and we're 0-0 and we have to find out what we're doing well and work on that, magnify that and what we're struggling on we have to get rid of," Roberts said.

"The future's bright, but we have to continue to stack positive days and positive plays and I like this group. I appreciate the hard work every day," Roberts said of his players and their efforts in preparing for the season.