SYLACAUGA, Ala. – The return of high school football is just around the corner.
On Thursday, the Talladega County Board of Education hosted its 10th annual Football Media Day. High school coaches and players met at Talladega Superspeedway to highlight the upcoming season.
Coach John Limbaugh and the Fayetteville Wolves were first up on the podium. Limbaugh talked about what it is like competing in Class 2A ball.
“We have had success at Fayetteville and in 2A ball things go up and down,” said Limbaugh. “You hear a lot of people say it’s not the X’s and O’s but the Jim and Joes and well that really comes into play a lot at any level but in 1 and 2A ball. You have special players that come along. You know these guys are all special players looking forward to a great year. We had a year where we won the region, when we were in 1A and we have had years where we have gone to the playoffs. Last year, we were very very close in a lot of games we just couldn’t turn the corner. We just couldn’t get that edge we needed for whatever reason. We are working on our resiliency this year. We are working on family and teamwork and just putting forth effort in everything that we are doing.”
The Wolves are looking to bounce back from a 2-8 season, as they open up the 2021 season with Woodland at home on August 20.
Next up on the podium was Coach Rob Carter and the Sylacauga Aggies. Coach Carter is entering his first year at Sylacauga and the Aggies are adapting to his coaching style very well.
“It has been easy, they’re hungry,” said Carter. “I have a bunch of good senior athletes that are experienced. They understand it’s part of it. It’s getting that way at every level and they understand coaches moving around. They have done an amazing job accepting what I have brought to the table whether it be the game plan, the weight plan, the conditioning plan and I think they’re excited that I’ve had the opportunity to be successful in my past and they understand that I am going to give it the best coaching ability from myself to them.”
The Aggies are looking to make a playoff run this season under the direction of their new head coach. They will open up their season on August 20 on the road at Leeds.
Coach Johnny Johnson and the Childersburg Tigers are looking to turn the corner after coming off a 3 and 7 season.
“We need to get over that 3-7 hump,” said Johnson. “We are in a tough region and there ain’t nothing easy in what we are in right now. But we are going to do our best and the kids understand what we have to do to try and get over that 3-7 hump. We have had those moments where we thought we were going to get over that hump but we are going to keep working. It’s a process in the weight room. There are some things we know we need to do to help the kids be successful but right now we are just in that tough schedule and region. We have to come every Friday night and play great football. We can’t make mistakes. We have to be fundamentally sound on both sides of the ball and get that break. You have got to have that break and that’s what we need.”
The Tigers open up the 2021 season at home on August 26 against B.B. Comer.
Speaking of B.B. Comer, they made some noise in Class 2A ball last season. Coach Adam Fossett has changed the culture of B.B. Comer football over the last four years.
“I’m not an arrogant sort but this is not the same B.B. Comer from four years ago,” said Fossett. “These kids are bought in, they work hard and they’re busting their tails. Four years ago, we played in five or six homecomings, one of them was the second game of the season, so that’s changed a little bit. We want to face good competition and be ready to start region play a couple weeks after that.”
Watch the 10th annual Talladega County Football Media Day right here.
