Today’s Four Questions interviewee is Buford coach Bryant Appling, whose team was the 2025 Class 6A champion. Appling has led the Wolves to four state championships since taking the program over in 2019. The 2025 title was Buford’s first in Georgia’s highest classification and the key to the team becoming the consensus national champion.
1. What was the legacy of Buford’s 2025 championship team?
“I’m lucky and blessed to have been around for a long time and be a part of a good amount of them. I’m happy and proud about that, but you know, last year, the difference was it was the highest classification. It’s a bunch of pressure on that group because they had not won one in high school. It had been three years since we had won one, and they didn’t want to leave without getting one. The senior class, the determination they showed and the leadership they showed throughout that process was unbelievable. We tried some different things as a coaching staff trying to get them to lead and talk and do different things, and you know, every once in a while, you didn’t think they were working great. But then you’d have a tight game against Douglas County or against Roswell for a little bit, or whoever it was we were playing at the time, and they’d make the plays they needed to make to win the game, and it was great to see it. I kind of feel like organically, down the stretch, it started happening. They started talking more, they started to lead each other, they started responding, and they just loved each other. So it was a credit to that senior class and the way they led and the way they became a family. I hadn’t seen anything like that since I’ve been here, honestly.” (Buford has 14 state titles this century. Only one graduating class has gone without a championship in that time.)
2. What are the strongest areas of this team, and what areas need the most work?
“We’re progressing. I feel like we’ve had a good July. We had a good June, but July’s kind of picking it up a little bit, which is great. We are young in certain spots. We had a bunch of seniors last year on the line of scrimmage and a couple other positions that had just played a lot. Not just the ones — I’m talking about the twos and threes, stuff like that. So when you lose all the experience, you’ve got to grow some guys up pretty quick, so we’re going to have to grow some guys up pretty fast, but we’re getting better and better each day. We play a semifinal and state championship-type schedule early in the season, so we’ll find out really quick. But a good thing about that is we can take our bumps and bruises, or if you do have a chance to win those games, it’s good for you down the stretch. So it’s going to be fun to watch these guys develop and take the reins and see what they can do on Friday night.” (Buford is scheduled to play Gainesville, Mallard Creek (North Carolina), Miami Central and Grayson in non-region games.)
3. With all the highly-rated recruits on Buford’s roster, who is one player that isn’t getting the attention he deserves?
I guess I’d say two: (offensive and defensive lineman) Justin Thomas. He started six or seven games, I believe, for us at tackle last year but plays a lot both ways. You look at the line of scrimmage, we had (Georgia offensive lineman) Graham Houston last year and some other guys. (Thomas) was kind of like one of those other guys that was the fifth or sixth guy but played really, really good ball for us on the offensive line and behind (Texas A&M defensive lineman) Bryce Perry-Wright and (Ohio State edge) Dre Quinn and (Bowling Green edge) Cam Simmons, he was probably the next-best guy, the third-, fourth- or fifth-best guy — whatever he was — on the defensive line, as well. He played really well for us on that side of the ball. Another one, a little undersized tight end, but he’s one of the most respected kids on the team is Evan Manley. Dealt with some adversities, but he’s a hard-working kid. One of the kids that everybody on the team likes and listens to and loves to have him around. Those two guys are great examples of what we want our kids to be: Fight through adversity, but also produce when they’re on the field. Even though their name might not be called, it doesn’t matter. They’re just doing it for the brand, doing it for the school and trying to make sure we come out on top on in any game."
4. How did the GHSA’s new playoff ranking format affect the way you created your schedule this season?
“We did a lot of research, and I talked to some of my coaches of other sports that had dealt with that before, whether they were at a different school or just other coaches at the time when the vote came down, they weren’t deep in the season so they had done a little research. I talked to other coaches that were in smaller classifications or private schools, and what we came up with is you can’t just try to find a cupcake schedule now. I’m going to be real with you. We can’t find one. We kind of play who’s willing to play us, and like I said, we’re not invincible, and I know people don’t want to do it, but I’ve heard that people are disappointed down the stretch when the rankings come out for playoffs when they didn’t play a tougher schedule. A team could be 10-0 and still end up being, say, the sixth seed because somebody was 7-3, and they’re a 3A school, and they played two 6A schools and lost, and they’re really good, you know what I mean? So it still has a formula in there as far as playing tough teams that help you out regardless of your schedule. Nobody truly understands it, honestly, because none of us have the math brain to figure that out. But still, most people told us don’t just schedule cupcake games and go 10-0. You’ve got to get some meat on the schedule, too, and that moves if the meter if you win. It also moves the meter a little bit if you lose to a team, as long as they’re a good team and they have a good record on the other end.”
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
