Burke County football players have first practice without head coach

WAYNESBORO, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - As Burke County’s head football coach continues to recover in a Savannah hospital, we’re hearing from players and coaches stepping in to help out until Coach Eric Parker can step back in.

We were at the Bear Den where the team is practicing for the first time since Parker collapsed.

Parker may still be in the hospital, but players are still acting like he’s still on the sidelines.

“It really ain’t the same without him, but as coach said this morning, let’s practice and play like he was here,” said Senior Receiver Donta Williams.

He still re Monday night and the scene from the sideline.

“It was a real shock. I turned around he was on the ground. I was like ‘what’s going on.’ I just paused. Stuck in the moment. Walked past to see how he was and dropped my head. I was real sad, real emotional,” he said.

Defensive Coordinator Anthony Williams will fill in as head coach. He traveled to see Parker and Parker only has one thing on his mind.

“I just talking to my wife. She was telling me when we get here. Don’t talk football. I said, well, what do you want me to do if he starts talking? We went straight to football. And that’s where his mind was. And he was like, you know, ‘I’m good. Make sure you tell the guys I’m good. Let’s just get the season finished’,” said Williams.

Williams says the team’s morale goes up whenever they get good news from Parker.

Senior Quarterback Marshall Flowers says they’re going to continue to play their game.

“We’re going to rally behind him, with or without him, we’re going to play Burke County football. He just gives us more of a chip on our shoulder and something else to play for,” he said.

They’re continuing to prepare for Friday’s game against Southeast Bullock, a quick turnaround, but they have added energy as they hope to get the win for Parker.

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