High School Football Preview: Spartans aim to continue historic run

11 months ago 28

The Mountain Brook High School football program is on an unprecedented run. The Spartans have won 12 games in three straight seasons for the first time in program history, a run that includes a Class 6A runner-up finish last fall.

Recent history is great and all, but it buys no future wins. Those have to be earned just like the rest of them.

For the 2023 team, there is a void left behind by the graduating players from last season’s team. The spring game revealed several areas of needed improvement for the Spartans, which they worked on over the summer months.

“We’ve had a fantastic summer,” Mountain Brook head coach Chris Yeager said. “Our players understand what’s in front of us. We’ve had a lot of guys step up. It’s been good.”

The 2023 team needs some new leaders, a process that is not always an easy one.

“The greatest need of our team right now is, at some point, we’ve got to evolve from being a coach-led team to being a player-led team. It comes down to guys stepping up,” Yeager said.

Mountain Brook has had plenty of success in recent years with the team’s evolution throughout the year. While the wins are great, that’s not the only way the Spartans define success.

“To me, it’s a successful team if they learn to play for one another and fight their guts out for one another,” Yeager said.

OFFENSE

Mountain Brook will break in a new quarterback this season, as senior John Cooper is ready to take the reins. Yeager has been impressed by Cooper’s determination to continue working and being a great teammate despite not being the starter.

“He continued to work on his craft,” Yeager said. “At the end of the year, he was still a better quarterback than he was when we started. It feels like a starter coming back to me.”

Cole Gamble burst onto the scene last year and was the All-South Metro Offensive Player of the Year. He ran for over 200 yards in three straight playoff games and finished the season with more than 1,900 yards and 35 touchdowns on the year. Gamble, Jack King and Stuart Andrews will share the load in the backfield once again.

Yeager said Gamble became a student of the game last year and showed great leadership skills in the midst of his great season.

Clark Sanderson is the top receiver returning for the Spartans. He piled up over 800 receiving yards a season ago. Hudson Young is back and has continued to impress coaches, while Trey Vinson has burst onto the scene as well. Gabe Smith and Korda’e Harper are also in line for playing time there.

Tight end is a key position for the Spartans, with JC Adams manning that spot after Carter Kelley held it down for the last two years.

“We always say [the tight end] is the queen on the chess board. As our tight end goes, so goes the offense,” Yeager said.

Up front, the Spartans return a pair of starters, as right tackle Watts Alexander and left guard William Courtenay are back. Daniel Ellis and Carter Colvin are up from the junior varsity team looking to grab a starting spot. Sophomore Rocco Gray has shown potential at center as well. Charlie Smith, Kevin Hughes and Ben Burkhart are also in the mix.

DEFENSE

The Mountain Brook defense allowed just 15 points per game last fall, and returns plenty in the secondary, but not much else.

Clyde Beavers at safety and Hampton King and Tucker Crawford at cornerback are all back in the secondary. Harris Crumpton and Bo Currie were working at safety as well, with Henry Bell, Reed Smith and Jack Currie also looking for time on the back end.

“We’ve got some good guys in the shell that have been here. We’ve just got to rebuild the box,” Yeager said.

Each of the front seven positions will feature a new starter. Nose guard James Hard played a good bit last season, so he has some experience. Rickey Whitworth and Frank Lee have stood out on the line, with Parker Redden, Beckett Smith and Wil Lucas all in the mix.

At linebacker, Pelham Comer, William Grier McDuffie, Boyd Cooper and Drew Widener have impressed. Joseph Green, Miller Brooks, Billy Flowers and Benjamin Payne also showed up on the two-deep in the summer.