Khamari Brooks, Harrison Faulkner lead North Oconee in defense of state title

The team is back under the microscope after running the table last year and winning the Class 4A title with a 15-0 record — one of only two undefeated teams in Georgia in 2024.

“That’s kind of our passion for the new season,” Brooks said. “Everybody’s gotten better, so just keeping on doing what we do, do what the coach preaches, and stick to the model that we do, and we’ll be alright.”

The Titans are loaded with talent. In addition to Brooks, the Region 8-4A defensive player of the year, and quarterback Harrison Faulkner, the region’s player of the year, there are eight other returners who were on last season’s all-region team: wide receivers Dallas Dickerson and Braxton Goolsby, offensive lineman Darian Elder, defensive linemen Patrick Elliott and A.J. Fick, linebackers Maddox Brice and Luke Burnett, and defensive back Charlie Hawkins.

North Oconee graduated two all-region players: wide receiver Landon Roldan, who signed with Georgia, and offensive lineman Carter Mink, who signed with the University of the Cumberlands.

“It definitely plays a role when your leaders have played so many snaps, and not just snaps, but snaps at a high level,” North Oconee coach Tyler Aurandt said. “It’s something we will lean on as a staff. I know what these guys can do because I’ve seen them play for two or three of four years now.”

Brooks is taking no chances. He didn’t take any extended vacations over the summer, opting instead to stay in Watkinsville and focus on improving his skills.

“I’m a pretty good football player, but obviously just working on things that I feel in my game are weaknesses to me,” he said. “Pass rushing, being more explosive on the field, making sure I’m being a better leader. A lot of different things to just better myself and be able to help out my team.”

Many eyes will be on Brooks and Faulkner, his closest teammate. Faulkner, who threw for 3,200 yards and 37 touchdowns in 2024 and has committed to play at Georgia Southern. They became pals in the seventh grade when the Faulkners moved to the area. Their lockers are next to each other, a powerful pairing in the middle of the clubhouse.

“We started playing together on that eighth-grade team, and our chemistry is kind of locked in with each other because we played JV and all the way up,” Brooks said.

Aurandt added: “They’re inseparable. They’re always together.”

Brooks is on the field a lot, because he starts at linebacker and tight end. Although his long-term future is on the defensive side, he said there is more enjoyment derived from catching a touchdown pass than there is in sacking a quarterback or nailing the ball carrier for a loss. His prowess at both positions means Aurandt must do a juggling act to keep Brooks fresh.

“You have to be very careful in terms of volume,” Aurandt said. “Because he doesn’t want to come out of the game — and Harrison is the same way — or he doesn’t want to come out of practice, and we have to be very specific at practice to make sure he does have a break and we don’t run him into the ground too early, because there’s going to a time when you need to press the gas and he needs to be out there.”

Aurandt’s memory defaults to the state championship game against Marist. Faulkner and Brooks hooked up on a third-and-10 completion to extend what turned out to be the winning drive. Brooks caught a touchdown pass and led the team with seven solo tackles and 2½ tackles for loss and helped the Titans bring home the school’s first football championship.

“It’s not necessarily a singular play, but a collection of plays where it’s like, ‘How did he just do that?’” Aurandt said. “It’s things you go back and you watch on film and it’s like, ‘Man, I don’t know that I’ll ever coach a kid of that caliber again.’’

North Oconee opens its season Aug. 15 in the annual Hog Mountain Bowl against Oconee County.