ELKMONT REVIVING PAST GLORY - DECATUR DAILY

There is an oak tree next to the Elkmont football field.  It overlooks the football practice field and has an end zone view of the happenings at Boss Hill Stadium on Friday nights. What the view is going to be like this season is always the talk of the town this time of year. Seniors Mike Tucker and Jared Bailey hope the tree has a view of a program that returns to the success the Red Devils experienced from 2007-'11.

 

During that five-year period, Elkmont had 33 wins, one region championship and four playoff appearances. Not bad for a school that before that run last visited the playoffs in 1999.  Don Jacobs was the head coach for the first three years of that success. He had the Red Devils in the playoffs all three years before leaving for Oneonta, a perennial power in 4A.  Tucker and Bailey were managers for the Red Devils during Jacobs' tenure. They remember the excitement in the town, at the school and on the field those seasons.

"The stadium would be packed and all anybody wanted to talk about was Red Devil football," Tucker said. "It was exciting." Bailey remembers how he and Tucker would look up in awe to the players and for what they did in bringing a jolt of excitement to the community. "I couldn't wait for my time to come," Bailey said. "Winning football games and making the playoffs was something we all wanted to be a part of."

David Wilson was the head coach the season after Jacobs left. The Red Devils slumped to 4-6.

Sean Holt took over the next season. The Elkmont native was the defensive coordinator under Jacobs. He got the Red Devils back to the playoffs in 2011 and they won a first-round game.

The Red Devils slumped to two wins in 2012 and three wins in 2013, but enthusiasm is high that better days are ahead in 2014. "We've got 16 seniors this season, and we are determined to make our senior season one to remember," Bailey said. "We've worked hard in the off season and this summer."  Numbers are a big part of football. Key numbers for any team are returning starters and seniors. "We have 35 players and that's a good number," Holt said, "but to have 16 seniors who have played a lot is really big. Actually, counting juniors, we have 24 players with experience returning.

"We've taken our lumps the last couple of years. I'm hoping that experience can pay off for us this season with some success."  Taking their lumps is a polite way of describing Class 3A, Region 8, where Elkmont played for the past two seasons. It was dominated by state champion Madison Academy. Colbert County, Lauderdale County and Deshler have been at worst just a step or two behind the Mustangs.  Nobody at Elkmont will use playing in 3A, Region 8 as an excuse for the last two seasons, but it's hard to find anybody complaining about moving up to 4A, Region 8. Brooks, Central Florence, East Lawrence, Rogers, West Limestone, Wilson and Deshler, which also moves up, will be tough competition for the Red Devils, but it won't be suffocating like the last two years.

Bailey and Tucker will be two key players for Elkmont this season. Bailey plays quarterback and running back. Tucker is a wingback. Bailey, Tucker and returning teammates Zeb Pankey and Eli Hobbs combined for over 2,000 rushing last season.

Elkmont played in a spring jamboree that saw the Red Devils lose to defending 2A state champion Tanner 14-10 in one half of play and beat Hubbard 14-0 in a second half.  "Yes, it was just a spring jamboree, but I think that experience gave us a lot of confidence," Holt said. "That may be what we needed more than anything. We've got the players. We just need players that are confident they can make the plays. We need playmakers."

  Contact David Elwell at 256-340-2395 or David.Elwell@DecaturDaily.com. Follow on Twitter @DD_DavidElwell.

Elkmont football at a glance

League: Class 4A, Region 8

Coach: Sean Holt; fourth season

Last season: Finished 3-7 and missed the 3A state playoffs

Past state titles: None

Past region titles: 1979, 1999, and 2008

Season opener: Aug. 29 at Ardmore

Elkmont schedule

Aug. 29 at Ardmore

Sept. 5 Brooks*

Sept. 12 Wilson*

Sept. 19 at West Limestone*

Sept. 26 New Hope

Oct. 3 at Central Florence*

Oct. 10 Deshler*

Oct. 17 Rogers*

Oct. 24 at East Lawrence*

Oct. 31 at Clements

SOURCE: DECATUR DAILY