North Oconee junior quarterback Harrison Faulkner ran in the game-winning touchdown in the Titans’ 14-7 win over Marist in the Class 4A state finals and joined his father Buster Faulkner as the first-ever father-son duo to quarterback teams to GHSA state championship. Buster was a sophomore quarterback in 1997 when Parkview claimed its first-ever state title under legendary head coach Cecil Flowe, before his current job calling plays as Georgia Tech’s offensive coordinator.
Coach Faulkner managed to make it to as many games as possible this season to watch Harrison as he fulfilled his duties on Saturdays in the collegiate realm, but a unique opportunity came once North Oconee booked its trip to Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the GHSA championship right in the heart of downtown. Not only was the game going to be adjacent to Tech’s campus, but they were able to host the Titans before their Monday night kickoff with Marist.
“For me, it was really special seeing Harrison this season,” said coach Faulkner. “Mercedes-Benz Stadium is practically a mile from work and we actually had practice at Georgia Tech that morning when North Oconee came over to our facility and spent the afternoon there and eat lunch. I didn’t watch them in their preparation, but I went over to the Benz for the game and that was just a surreal moment. It is something I know Harrison has dreamed of doing. It was really nerve-wracking because he played a really good football team in Marist. So it was a great day for the family and North Oconee football.”
Even with circumstances bringing the biggest game of Harrison’s career right next to Tech’s campus, the elder Faulkner is adamant on letting the Titans’ staff and coach Aurandt provide all the guidance to Harrison.
“I don’t say much to him before games,” said Coach Faulkner. “People ask me that all the time. Usually I only ask how was practice. He’s in great hands with coach [Tyler] Aurandt and the best coaching staff I’ve been around in a long time. They are not only really great coaches, they are great men. I just try to be Dad. And the only really specific football related thing I ask him each week is ‘what are the first two plays? So after the walk-thru I asked him and that was the extent of that, because I’m not his coach.”
Both Faulkners led their teams to first-ever titles and only time will tell if this year’s championship was the spark of a dynastic run similar to the one seen at Parkview.
“The North Oconee community is eerily similar to the Parkview community when I was in school,” said coach Faulker. “The coaching staffs remind me a lot of each other. Winning a state title as a player was one of the coolest things I’ve ever been a part of, but watching your son win one is even cooler.”
North Oconee’s current defensive coordinator Dan Burnett was a tight end that caught a touchdown pass from Faulkner in the 1997 state championship victory. Now, his son Luke Burnett is a middle linebacker and came up huge for the Titans during this year’s title run—deepening the Parkview and North Oconee connection with the Faulkner and Burnett duos.
On Thursday, the Faulkners joined Georgia High School Sports Daily to talk about their special bond and the unique feat they achieved.
ICYMI: On todays episode of ‘Georgia High School Football Daily’ @GeorgiaTechFB OC Buster Faulkner and his son, @NOHSFootball QB Harrison Faulkner joined the show today to talk about their relationship and becoming one of if not the only father and son quarterback duo to win a… pic.twitter.com/fHcnBexS7o
— SCORE Atlanta (@scoreatlanta) December 19, 2024
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