It’s hard enough being a football player and having to prepare each week for another team’s offensive scheme or defensive alignments. Even in high school football, preparation for the opponent requires a meticulous attention to detail and a rigorous practice week to get ready for game day. It’s even harder, however, when you are expected to be an anchor of not one, but two sides of the ball. North Atlanta has a handful of players that play both offense and defense, and one of the team’s biggest standouts in that department is senior outside linebacker and tight end Ned Coleman.

Coleman, who stands at a hulking 6 foot 3, 215 pounds, starts for the Warriors on both offense and defense, and plays a vast majority of the team’s total snaps each game. He has managed to be very productive at linebacker, where he is second on the team in tackles, tackles for loss, and sacks. “There are, of course, both advantages and disadvantages when it comes to playing both offense and defense,” Coleman said. “I love the fact that I can contribute to the team in various ways on either side.”

He mentioned that the biggest challenge of playing on both sides of the ball is definitely the physical conditioning. Every Friday night for the Dubs, week after week, the sturdy team captain plays more than 140 snaps per game. “It’s definitely something that requires a whole lot of energy,” Coleman said. “Let’s just say I definitely sleep in on Saturday mornings.” 

Coleman is one of quarterback Jack O’Kelley’s favorite targets at tight end, and a typical standout moment for him was the 49-yard score he hauled in during the team’s Oct. 16 game against Tucker. He is second on the team in receptions and receiving yards, and leads the Dubs in touchdowns with four. Despite his offensive-side prowess,  Coleman only started playing offense last season when he was offered the opportunity to play tight end. It’s a spot on the line he quickly took to. “I like the fact that it lets me stay in the middle of things on the line of scrimmage but also to break out a bit and take a big catch every now and then,” he said. “The variety is something that’s fun.” 

When you’re asked to learn an entirely new position for a team, it’s obvious that there will be many growing pains along the way. Last season, Coleman was still acclimating to tight end, but has certainly come very far since then. “I think that I have improved the most when it comes to running routes and catching the ball,” he said. “I feel much more confident on the field and have had much more success in the pass game.” 

When the Warriors’ head coach Sean O’Sullivan departed in the offseason, there was a lot of uncertainty regarding how much the framework of the Warriors would change under new coach James Aull. This could’ve done a lot of damage to Coleman’s game after learning how to play tight end while also starting on defense. Luckily, this doesn’t seem to be the case, as Coleman has only improved during the 2020 season. “I’ve found that both coaches are similar in that they both have quick triggers to call you out on when you do something wrong,” he said. “But both do that because they always want us to improve. 

Coleman said he’s enjoyed Aull’s approach toward practice, weightlifting, film viewing, conditioning and all-important team building. “He’s been really big on helping us focus on the things that build a sense of team, and through a long season you really need that.” 

So far, it’s been a successful year for North Atlanta football — and a big part of that has been because of Coleman’s contributions. As the season continues, the Warriors will continue to look for their team captain to make a big impact on both sides of the ball.