Dynamite Dozen: Lassiter's Mackenny a big man on campus

At 6-foot-5 and 277 pounds, Lassiter offensive lineman Ethan Mackenny is one of the most physically imposing players on the Trojans’ roster.

“People look up to him,” Lassiter quarterback Bryson Harrison said. “He had a bunch of offers, so everyone’s drawn to him. He’s big physically, and having him on our team really helps.”

Mackenny said he believes the 2022 season will be a culmination for the Lassiter program under coach Sean Thom. This will be Thom’s fourth year at the helm, which means the senior class is the first that has spent their entire high school career in Thom’s culture.

“When we came in as freshmen, our coach told us that we’re going to be the class that changed last year, and I want to make that change this year,” Mackenny said. “We’re playoff-worthy.”

Lassiter took a step forward last season, improving from 2-8 to 4-6.

Mackenny has been a big factor on both sides of the ball, starting at tackle, as well as along the defensive line, where he posted four sacks last season. Thom said Mackenny will continue to play both ways in 2022.

“You’ve got to have your best players on the field, and so I think we have a little depth where we’re going to be able to give them a blow here, and they’re probably more on the defensive side of the ball,” Thom said. “We’re looking forward to a big year, and (Mackenny is) just a wrecking ball. I mean, he caused so much havoc on both sides of the ball. We’ve got to — in a smart way to keep them healthy — we’ve got to be able to play him as much as possible.”

Mackenny committed to Georgia Tech in June, saying he was impressed with the people he met from the Yellow Jackets’ program.

“At Georgia Tech, the thing that was most special is the people there. There’s nobody like the people there,” Mackenny said. “The coaching staff is amazing. All the players are amazing, and on top of all that, I really truly believe in what coach (Geoff) Collins is trying to make at Georgia Tech, because he’s trying to build this program from the ground up, and it’s something I want to be a part of, helping grow it.”