Area high school football teams opened fall practice Monday in preparation for the 2020 season scheduled to begin Aug. 20–21.
The Hartselle Tigers have used the summer to play catch up from missing spring practice. Coach Bryan Moore said the Tigers will be breaking in eight new starters on offense and seven on defense.
“I cannot be more excited to be back on the field with the coaches and players,” said Moore. “We have had a great summer – probably the best I’ve been a part of.”
Moore is beginning his first fall camp as the leader of the Tigers football program. He said there is a lot of work to do, but his team is hungry and ready to work.
“The kids have been so excited to be back and have been extremely focused,” said Moore. “We are excited to have an additional week to get better. We need all the time and all the reps we can get.”
Brewer Coach Geoff Walters said he is thankful for the opportunity to play this fall. Walters is entering his sixth season as the Patriots head coach and his 20th overall.
“This pandemic has made us appreciate each day, and we are determined to take one day at a time,” said Walters.
Danville Coach Shannon McGregory said he is excited for the chance to play following his battle with the coronavirus. His team has missed a lot of time this summer because of the pandemic and will be having to work hard to catch up for the lost time.
“Our philosophy is to worry only about what we can control,” said McGregory. “The things that we can’t control will take care of themselves.”
The Hawks return seven starters on offense but will be looking for a new starting quarterback to replace Luke Nail, who signed with North Alabama.
Falkville Coach Tyler Mitchell echoed his fellow coaches with his own excitement to get back to work. The Blue Devils are stepping up to Class 2A this fall with a veteran team working to get back to the playoffs.
Teams will use this week to get acclimated to the heat, as they can only practice in helmets and shorts. Beginning next week, they can start adding pads.
