Local teams open football practice
Earlier this week football players across the state hit the practice field to prepare for the first game of the season, which is less than 23 days from today.
Five local teams are entering the season with several questions surrounding the program, and all are hoping they can find the right mix of talent, skill, dedication and luck to clinch a playoff berth.
Russellville
The Golden Tigers have the most questions surrounding the 2011 season.
For much of the past decade, Russellville has been a contender for the state championship, but begin this season ranked outside the pre-season top-10 for the first time since 2000.
In 2011, the Golden Tigers must replace a good portion of the talent that got them to two title games in the past three seasons.
The biggest piece missing from the Golden Tigers this season will be 2010 Class 5A Back of the Year Brent Calloway, who signed with Alabama earlier this spring. Calloway accounted for much of the offense in 2010 and replacing him will not be easy.
Running back Tyler Boyd, who broke his neck in the Deshler game and missed the rest of the season, looked strong in the spring scrimmage.
Russellville will also have to replace its receiving corps. The Golden Tigers passed for only 918 yards in 2010, but three receivers accounting for 618 of those yards — Darrian Graham, Calloway and Tevin Cross — and 41-of-63 receptions have graduated.
One steady in the offense is Devan Parker, who started last season in his first year at Russellville. Parker will have to find some new targets to compliment Will Bostick, who is the leading returning receiver with eight receptions for 131 yards and two touchdowns in 2010.
The Golden Tigers also have plenty of holes to fill on the defensive side of the ball as well. The majority of a strong defensive line and linebacking corps is gone and the loss of Graham is a hit to the secondary.
First year coach Michael Jackson will have his hands full as Russellville tries to maintain its status as an elite Class 5A program, but people have questioned the Golden Tigers’ ability to do that before.
Red Bay
The Tigers are trying to extend their streak of consecutive playoff appearances, but are losing eight seniors from the 2010 squad, including running backs Joseph Reach and Chase Lindsey.
Red Bay struggled early last season, but was competitive in a pair of region losses. The Tigers had to win the final two games of region play to clinch the final playoff berth. There might be a similar scenario this season as Red Bay plays the region’s toughest teams early.
The Red Bay defense got stronger as the season progressed, and should be strong again in 2011 as the players will have a year of experience in a new defensive system.
Of course, the biggest thing for Red Bay is remaining healthy through fall practice, a problem that has plagued the Tigers in recent seasons.
Phil Campbell
The Bobcats have multiple questions, both on and off the field, entering 2011.
The players will have to adjust to portable classrooms and a heavily damaged stadium following April’s tornado. That should not have too much of an effect though since they will have had several months to adjust.
The bigger problem for the Bobcats is replacing the lost talent on an offense that surprised many people last year with its potency.
Quarterback Corey Alexander and receivers Dylan Rice, Jake Dill and Jordan Benford have graduated.
Tyson Sumerel got the majority of snaps in the spring game against Tharptown, but he will have to find some targets to take the pressure off workhorse running back Craig Saint.
Saint runs with a bruising style of play that will punish opposing defenders.
Tharptown
Like most of the other teams in Franklin County, Tharptown has to replace several players.
The Wildcats lost nine seniors from 2010 including Jacob Parker and Brandon Cothrum, who split time at quarterback.
Kelby Hallmark took several snaps in the spring game, but also spent time at wide receiver and running back in addition to defensive duties.
The Wildcats play in a tough region, and losing so many experienced players will make it tough for Tharptown to reach the playoffs in coach Bill Smith’s second season.
Vina
The Red Devils are losing five seniors from last season’s squad, but unlike most of the other teams in Franklin County Vina will have several of its skill players returning.
Nick Schmittou, Adam Pharr, and Ethan Hammock were key components of the Red Devil offense in 2010 and will be looking to help Vina improve from last year’s 2-8 record.
The problem for the Red Devils will be replacing some key losses on the offensive and defensive lines. The departure of Joseph Barksdale will hurt the Vina defense in a tough and speedy Class 1A, Region 8.
