By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

Will Flowers is making up for lost time.

During his first two school years at LaGrange High, Flowers was strictly a baseball player.

Following a growth spurt, though, Flowers decided to join the football team for his junior season, and he stepped into the lineup and was an anchor on the offensive line.

When LaGrange plays its regular-season opener on Aug. 23 at Heard County, Flowers will be the starting center, and he’s hoping to help the team enjoy a turn-around season.

The Grangers were 2-8 last year, but they were competitive in nearly every game, which was a marked turnaround from the winless season in 2017.

“People look and we were 2-8, but we were one or two plays away from winning seven games last year,” Flowers said. “We all have the mindset that we’re good, and we can beat teams.”

Flowers said he and the other linemen have spent the summer becoming a tight-knit unit, and he’s hoping that makes a difference when the season rolls around.

It’s a talented offensive line that also includes Jonathan Sutton, one of LaGrange’s most highly-recruited players.

“We spend a lot of time together, we work out together, we go out to the field together,” Flowers said. “We make sure that everyone has the same mindset, that everyone knows what they’re doing.”

As an offensive lineman, Flowers knows he’s not playing the most glamorous position, and he’s fine letting someone else get the attention.

“It’s not all about the credit,” Flowers said. “I like holding up the running back when they score.”

While Flowers is a late-comer to football, head coach Chuck Gibbs said he’s getting attention from colleges.

“There are quality programs looking at him,” Gibbs said. “His future’s bright, and he’s two years into football.”

Gibbs added that Flowers is developing the sort of in-the-trenches attitude needed to be successful as an offensive lineman.

“He’s starting to get some of that nastiness,” Gibbs said. “Some of those kids are the finest students off the field. On the field, they turn into monsters.”

On Monday and Tuesday, LaGrange participated in an 11-on-11 padded camp at Callaway Stadium.

Flowers felt it was a valuable two days for all of the players.

“It’s huge, because you can only go so far practicing without pads,” Flowers said. “We come out here against other teams, and it’s the best practice you can have.

“The best thing about it is, you know what works against different teams. It helps a lot.”