10 • THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2011
2011 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Members of the 2011 Hoover High School varsity football team include: Beau Richardson, Kyler Jackson, Taylor Brown, Joshua Jackson, Dakota Daniel, John Powers, Kim Earl, Nigel Cribbs, Caleb Sims, Samuel Gillikin, Michael Campbell, Jarrett Brown, Xavier Woods, Jason Burton, Connor Short, Cooper Carden, Andrew Prickett, Alfonzo Steele, Larsen Real, Tyren Spurling, Dwight Johnson, Demetrious Garland, Christopher Fort, Chandler Coskery, Richard Gilliland, Marlon Humphrey, Jamare Gillard, Yul Cochran, Hunter Richey, Calen Campbell, Malcolm Hollifield, Evan Osborne, Kevin Borie, Blake Patterson, Matt McCay, Jason McCay, Daniel Lucas, Craig White, John Robinson, Drew Nix, Raymond Morris, Patrick Gentile, Trey Gooden, Landry Tullo, Russell Brown, Dylan Akins, Josh Creekmore, Ryan Rooney, Devin Morris, Jay Rogers, Jackson Armstrong, Jeremy Body, Hunter White, Paul Logan, J.D. Salter, P.J. Hatcher, Dylan Ward, Daniel Aust, Zach Armstrong, John Morgan, Eddie Foster, Jordan Melton, William Eads, Justin Pratt, Brandon Sly, Lamonte Wyatt, Sterling Thompson, Jason Powell, Tyler Bender, Wesley Paul, Hagan Scott, Damon Holditch, Campbell Hardy, Trent Dunne, Richard Neill, Benjamin Pendleton, James Harman, Nygel Edge and Patrick Whatley.
HOOVER
Don’t Look Back Coach Urges Bucs to Focus on the Present
2010 team, there would be no dwelling on the way last season ended. Fourth-year Hoover head coach Josh Niblett said he always wants his players to live in the moment and focus on the present. The only time the Bucs look in the rearview mirror
is to appreciate the powerhouse program that has been built at Hoover over the past decade. “We want our kids to understand the legacy that has been left behind for them, and they have to leave behind a legacy for
Key Players to Watch
BY CARY ESTES
JOURNAL SPORTS WRITER
A
fter more than four months of hard work – of sweating in the August heat and shivering in the December cold – the Hoover Buccaneers’ 2010 football season came down to a single point. One lousy point. That was the margin of defeat for Hoover in last year’s Class 6A championship game against Daphne. The 7-6 loss ended both the Bucs’ 21-game winning streak and their dream of capturing their second consecutive state title (and seventh since 2000). But it is a new year with new opportunities, and the Bucs are determined to put the end of 2010 behind them. In a way, they have to. Hoover lost nine All-Metro players from last season and has only six returning starters, three on each side of the ball. Even if the Bucs had returned the entire
the team coming behind them,” Niblett said. “We can’t focus on everybody else. We have to focus on ourselves. “We want them to enjoy this opportunity. If they do that, they will be fine. The key for us will be to stay healthy, play fast and do the little things.” One of the biggest steps down that championship path will be to establish a starting quarterback to replace Ryan Carter, who threw for 2,666 yards and 23 touchdowns last season. Senior Sam Gillikin is expected to take over the starter’s role, with junior Connor Short as the backup. “We have two guys who we feel can play,” Niblett said. “Sam Gillikin is a heck of a player. He’s a fast kid – a 4.5 guy – and he has a good arm. He’s been offered by Auburn to play baseball. “Connor has great savvy. He understands the game. He has a quick release
Quick Facts
Key Hoover players with coach Josh Niblett, from left: Caleb Sims, Matt McCay, Jeremy Boyd and Dakota Daniel.
Head Coach: Josh Niblett 2010 Record: 14-1 Stadium: Regions Park Region: Class 6A, Region 6 (Spain Park, Oak Mountain, Thompson, Pelham, Homewood, Vestavia Hills, Mountain Brook) State Championships: 1977, 1982, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2009