Falcons owner Arthur Blank said he was very pleased with the turnout.
“It’s unbelievable,” he said. “The turnout was great. For so many of our players, this reminds them of when they were in college. Forget about high school – you’ve got 8,000 people here tonight. It’s a great turnout. The field’s in great condition. It’s a wonderful facility here and it’s great for our fans.”
While the event was all about fun for the fans, some of the Falcons players were fighting for their jobs.
With more roster cuts due at the end of this month, the pressure was on to perform well for the Falcons’ coaching staff.
Other players are vying for positions on the depth chart. Fans at the ‘Friday Night Lights’ event had the opportunity to watch rookie quarterback Matt Ryan and veteran quarterbacks Chris Redman, D.J. Shockley and Joey Harrington make their case for the starting position.
Shockley, a local favorite after his years with the Georgia Bulldogs, joined the Falcons in 2006. After missing last season with a torn ACL, Shockley is hoping to get back on the field this year.
First round draft pick Matt Ryan must prove his worth as he makes the transition from a stellar career at Boston College to rookie status in the NFL.
While Ryan’s playing chances look good, he will have to beat Harrington, who started ten games last year and completed 215 passes for 2,215 yards, and Redman, who started four games and passed for over 1,000 yards.
Falcons head coach Mike Smith said Friday night’s scrimmage went well.
“There were a lot of good things that took place. There are a lot of things that we need to work on and get corrected between now and the opener in September, but it gave our guys the opportunity to really go out and play football prior to our first preseason game,” he said.
While Smith’s main focus was on his players, he was also happy with fans.
“It looks like we had a great crowd. They were very energetic,” he said. “I think it was great for our players to come out and get away from our training camp and play football somewhere else. It was very exciting for the fans I hope and I think our players enjoyed it as well.”
A BIG SUCCESS
Mill Creek head coach Shannon Jarvis said he was not surprised at the turnout for Friday night’s scrimmage.
“This is the first time I’ve sat back and looked at it and realized what has happened here tonight. Did it go beyond my wildest dreams? No – I knew our community would do this,” he said. “I knew our parents could pull off coordinating the concessions stands and everything. I told the Falcons in our initial meeting that if they brought it here, we wouldn’t let them down. I knew that we wouldn’t.”
Jarvis said feedback from the Falcons organization and its sponsors has been very positive.
“I’ve already talked to the Falcons officials and I can tell you we didn’t let them down. All-State, their corporate sponsors, are thrilled with the turnout,” he said.
With some estimates placing the turnout as high as 10,200, officials had every reason to be pleased with the attendance at the event. Jarvis said the Falcons were also very pleased with the facilities.
“The stadium has had rave reviews,” he said. “This has been a five year project working to get the stadium where it is now. Nothing has been given to us by the county in regard to the landscaping and the visitor’s side. This has been the result of a lot of hard work by the community and I hope they take as much pride in this as I do.”
Mill Creek principal Jim Markham said it was an honor for the school to host the event.
“I’m very proud,” he said. “It’s a good thing for our community and it’s a good thing for the Falcons. This is a population that the Falcons needed to touch base with. This is an excellent opportunity for them to do so. The crowd here is just wonderful.”
Several other area principals and school officials attended the scrimmage, perhaps hoping to host the Falcons next year. The Falcons have said they plan to continue the “Friday Night Lights” program next year at a AAAAA school capable of hosting 10,000 plus fans.
“This is an opportunity for Gwinnett County Public Schools to show the quality of our facilities,” Markham said. “Mill Creek is special to me, but the others are nice too.”
HAWKS MEET FALCONS
While the scrimmage gave Falcons fans the opportunity to get up close and personal with their favorite players, the Mill Creek football team enjoyed special access to the scrimmage.
The entire varsity football team spent the scrimmage on the sidelines getting a good look at what it takes to play in the NFL.
Coach Jarvis said he was glad his players had the opportunity to participate in such a huge event.
“I’m so excited for them. They won’t ever get to do this again,” he said. “This is a once in a lifetime event for them – for everybody. I think everybody I’ve talked to has had a good time.”
