Flowery Branch lineman Bailey Ottaway has been on a mission this offseason. Last year as a junior he had a solid season, but he knew his potential was not even close to being met, and this offseason he was determined to get his game to the next level.
So how did Ottaway go about doing that? Well, the senior took the time explain just that, “I had an excellent offseason! It was definitely my most productive. I changed to a new training Gym, VIP, and it was the best move I could have made.”
For Ottaway, the increase in competition this offseason has really made a difference. “Just working with so many great athletes from Gwinnett County really pushed me to improve.” He continued, “The strength and conditioning as well as the personal attention with my o-line trainer Coach Porter and Coach O’Neal helped me make a huge leap in skill level.”
At 6’5″, and around 280 pounds, Ottaway has a lot of upside to play at the next level, and believes the work he has done this offseason will pay major dividends. “I can honestly say that I am in the best shape of my life and my confidence is through the roof,” he said emphatically.
The Flowery Branch senior was not just working out at gyms, but also attending plenty of college camps getting really good exposure from local colleges and scouts. “I wanted to visit a variety of camps this spring/summer. I visited South Carolina, Mercer, Furman, Georgia State, Eastern Kentucky and a few satellite camps. I was fortunate enough to receive an invite to the Under Armour All-American Camp, which was an unbelievable experience going against the best in the state.”
Those experiences had a resounding impact with the Flowery Branch senior. “Learning from so many great coaches was awesome. They all have different styles and gave such great advice.” Ottaway continued, “Plus, being able to test my skills against a variety of other players from other areas was really fun. It was also really cool to get on each of the campuses to see what life would be like if I was able to attend those schools.”
Last season Ottaway showed off his raw potential that has many local colleges interested in his services. The young lineman was still growing into his frame, but after the year of intense training he feels his game has developed by leaps and bounds.
“I’ve really improved my footwork and pad level at the point of attack. My o-line coach, Coach Chris Warbington, has really worked with me and shared his knowledge. He has helped with my down blocking and explosion off the line. My pass pro has really improved with better hand placement, punch and keeping my weight on my inside foot. I’m really able to use my length and leverage on both speed and inside moves.”
The reps he gained this summer have been instrumental on his development too, “Having so many reps with different types of players over the summer has me ready for this fall. I really feel like my improvement will show in my senior film,” Ottaway said.
This fall, Flowery Branch will look to get back to their winning ways of a few years back with new Head Coach Ben Hall. His experience and success at Jefferson, especially with offensive linemen, should play a decisive role in Ottaway’s success this season. In fact, the senior shares those same sentiments.
“My new Coach Ben Hall is amazing and has us really excited to start the season. New offense, new energy and some new players! The Branch is coming back this year,” he exclaimed.
The athletic senior lineman spoke about his main team goal for this season. “Well, the most important goal is to help get Flowery Branch back into the playoffs!” He then continued to talk about individual goals, “Personally, my goals are to be a leader on our team, make All-Region, All-State, put out some good film and win ball games. Hopefully, that will translate into some good opportunities to play in college.”
That should not be an issue for Ottaway, as we expect the training really has paid off and his first 3-4 games should really grab the attention of FBS and FCS colleges. We expect to see a more explosive player, with more refined fundamentals, which should lead to a whole lot more pancakes. This fall he has planned visits to Georgia State, Furman, Mercer, Wofford, Troy, Kennesaw State and Eastern Kentucky. Of course, more colleges could enter the fold, so stay tuned to @RecruitGeorgia on Twitter to hear the latest on the senior from Flowery Branch.
Also, be sure to checkout his Recruit Georgia profile by clicking HERE. That is where you will find additional recruiting information.
