By Barry Every
SouthernPigskin.com

Follow us at Twitter.com/SouthernPigskin.  Become a fan at the SouthernPigskin.com Facebook Page

As a junior he recorded 65 tackles, 11 TFL’s and two sacks. In 16 games as a starter during his freshman and sophomore seasons Newbill racked up 101 tackles and 14 TFL’s.

Saying last season was a major disappointment for Guyton (Ga.) South Effingham is an understatement. Just two years ago the Mustangs finished (7-4), but suffered through a brutal (1-10) season being outscored 343 to 88. Head Coach Donnie Revell knows that last year was an anomaly as change is on the horizon with more experienced players in 2017.

One of the few bright spots a year ago was the play of 6-foot-2, 235-pound defensive end Makenly Newbill. As a junior he recorded 65 tackles, 11 TFL’s and two sacks. In 16 games as a starter during his freshman and sophomore seasons Newbill racked up 101 tackles and 14 TFL’s.

“The team was really inexperienced last year, but Makenly played hard the whole season and has really busted his but this offseason to help make us better,” Revel said. “He has been one of our top tacklers the last two seasons and has proven to be a great leader despite going through a season like last year. He does what it takes to be a good football player on and off the field.”

Newbill will be making a position change this fall from defensive end to mike linebacker. College recruiters only need to watch his highlights from the spring game, versus a talented Sylvania (Ga.) Screven County squad, to see his mobility at linebacker and his affinity for contact.

“This young man is willing to work and I expect great things from him this fall,” Revell said. “He does what it takes to be a good football player and is willing to listen to coaches in order to get better. This young man really loves the game and plays with passion, which is what coaches want.”

If coaches are curious about his overall athleticism they need only watch his basketball highlights from this past year. Newbill was the team’s second leading scorer averaging 8.4 points per contest while playing small forward and guard at over 230 pounds.

At this time Newbill hold offers from SoCon members Mercer and Samford and is receiving serious interest from Appalachian State, Charleston Southern and Kennesaw State. All schools are recruiting him at defensive end.

“I love both staffs that have offered me; they both have beautiful campuses and really nice weight rooms,” Newbill said. Coach Will Patterson of Mercer and Victor Cabral of Samford are doing a great job of recruiting at this time.”

Academically the two-sport star currently has a 3.0 overall GPA, but has yet to take a standardized test. He is signed up for the SAT on August, 26.

“He has done everything in the classroom to make his family and teachers proud,” Revell said. “He has also proven to be a great leader for our players and done all the little things to make us better as a team.”

On the camp circuit Newbill attended the MVP Camp in Atlanta and had a standout performance at the ESPFC Camp held at the Pooler Sports Complex where he walked away with Defensive Line MVP honors. He has already attended college one-day camps at Mercer and Samford with planned dates for the other three colleges that have offered later this month.

Last season is a distant memory for Coach Revell and his star defensive player as they prepare for the upcoming season. What can Newbill do as a player to help guide the Mustangs back to winning ways?

“Every day I watch film and study my opponents and I promise you I will give it all on every play,” Newbill said. “Our offense is really starting to jell together. We had a lot of juniors last season that came out for football for the first time and I know they are ready now. They should be able to execute better this year.”

It won’t be easy this season as the Mustangs play a tremendously tough non-region schedule that starts off in the Erk Russell Classic August, 18 versus Region 1-AAAAAAA Tifton (Ga.) Tift County. The non-region schedule also includes reigning Region 3-AAA Champion Savannah (Ga.) Jenkins, Brunswick (Ga.) and Richmond Hill (Ga.)

But there are two games college recruiters should mark down on their calendars. August 8, the Mustangs take on bitter rival Springfield (Ga.) Effingham County which boasts one of the top running backs in the area in Toot Johnson. Then on October, 20 they travel south to take on defending Region 2-AAAAA Champion Waycross (Ga.) Ware, which has no less than three major FBS prospects in Trey Cobb, Ernest Jones and Jalynn Strickland.

Whether he ends up as a pass rushing specialist or a huge inside linebacker at the next level is irrelevant. The one thing fans and recruiters can be sure of is the fact that this defensive intimidator will have his number will be called over and over by the public address announcer.