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2007 Season Outlook
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 Coach - Arlton
Hudson - 2nd Year. 1 of 4 coaches to lead
Florala through and undefeated season. 1998 Wildcats went
10-0. Hudson is 151 - 70 lifetime. 2006 Record / Results
- The '06 season could have been one of coach Hudson's best as a
coach. Hudson took a team that lost 12 seniors off an '05
squad that went 10-2 and had two returning starters and took the
Wildcats back to the playoffs. Florala had three season ending
injuries and visited the emergency room after nine games last season
to check on injured players. |
2006 Season
2006
Schedule
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W |
L |
Pct |
PF |
PA |
|
5 |
6 |
.454 |
230 |
255 |
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Pre-season - The
Wildcats had an explosive spring but struggled with off-season
workouts with few players
showing up during the summer months.
That - added to the heat of pre-season workout and practice - the
limited number of players and one may wonder if Florala could
compete on Friday Nights. Coaches in the area quickly
point to Florala as a team to beat out of Covington County, but that
could be a strategy to keep their own talented teams hidden.
"Coaches don't want you to know what they have this time of year"
said a Birmingham Sportswriter "coaches want everyone to think they
are struggling to put a team on the field and no one shows up to
practice - hot hot hot".
May be or may not be the case for
Florala. On paper the Wildcats look good for a 1A team - big
upfront and lots of skill players.
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| Offense - At the beginning
of last season the Wildcats had 1A All-State Offensive Lineman Josh
Hattaway, Bobby Fleming, and Kyle
McCoy gathering college looks - Hattaway broke his foot after game
one and
McCoy tore an ACL in game five.
Fleming nursed injuries throughout the
season, but refused to be
taken out - even playing fullback on occasion.
Due to injuries last season, many of
the returning Wildcats have game experience. QB TJ Fleming got
the starting job after Taylor Benton went out with a broke ankle
last season. Fleming returns for his senior season and has
worked extremely hard on his passing delivery.
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TJ Fleming directs the offense for the 2007 season |
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If Florala has no depth at the line
position - it will be just the opposite at the skill
positions. State Track Champs Danny Bise and OJ Chambers are
joined by All-State back Calvin Mulkey. Stephon McLaughlin,
David Bass and 'lil Bull - Reggie Gundrum will all be threats to
score as well.
If there is a negative about all the
talent - it is they're seniors. Of the 11 starters on offense
- 9 are seniors and all eleven have playing experience.
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Projected Offense |
| |
NAME |
|
Off |
H |
W |
| 8 |
David
Bass |
12 |
SE |
6' |
170 |
|
77 |
Dominique Moore |
12 |
T |
6'5 |
320 |
|
58 |
Cliff
Goolsby |
12 |
G |
5'10 |
210 |
|
52 |
Jarred Martin |
12 |
C |
5'10 |
210 |
|
57 |
Tyler
Johnson |
10 |
G |
6'3 |
230 |
|
70 |
Zach Taylor |
10 |
T |
6'2 |
260 |
| 5 |
Danny
Bise |
12 |
SE |
6 |
180 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| 9 |
TJ
Fleming |
12 |
QB |
6 |
200 |
| 3 |
Calvin Mulkey |
12 |
RB |
5'8 |
160 |
| 1 |
Reggie Gundrum |
12 |
RB |
6' |
195 |
| 7 |
Stephon McLaughlin |
12 |
RB |
5'9 |
180 |
Another glaring gap will be depth up
front. Junior Evan Robbins and Gary Reese will see
playing time, but will likely be used more on defense - as will
senior Levi Hughes. This would allow time to rest Moore and
Johnson.
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| Defense - College
coaches love to say "speed kills" on defense - having talent on the
corners and no allowing teams to break the big plays. Florala
broke school records last season with interceptions and 7-on-7
allowed the team to work on man coverage and various zone packages.
Hudson has allowed head basketball coach Garner to handle the
defense allowing time to concentrate of technique and skill with the
offensive front.
Like the offense, nine seniors will hit
the field with two underclassmen. The team will feature a 3-5
package and will rely on the experience of the secondary to put lots
of pressure on offenses. Calvin Mulkey led the team with
interceptions and is deceptive at only 5'8 160. "He moves to
the ball really well, but has great instinct - that is something
that's just hard to teach" said Hudson on Mulkey. The defense
will get to the ball and with Jarred Martin returning as middle
linebacker should close down the middle.
Projected Defense
* (plays both ways) |
| |
NAME |
|
Off |
H |
W |
| 4 |
Maurice Cain |
12 |
DE |
5'10 |
160 |
|
55 |
Zach Taylor * |
10 |
T |
6'2 |
260 |
|
57 |
Cliff Goolsby * |
12 |
NG |
5'10 |
210 |
|
10 |
Gary Reese |
11 |
T |
6' |
220 |
| 9 |
TJ Fleming * |
12 |
DE |
6' |
200 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| 6 |
David
Bass * |
12 |
CB |
6' |
170 |
|
52 |
Jarred Martin * |
12 |
LB |
5'10" |
210 |
| 1 |
Reggie Gundrum * |
12 |
LB |
6' |
190 |
| 7 |
Stephon McLaughlin * |
12 |
LB |
5'9 |
180 |
| 3 |
Calvin Mulkey * |
12 |
CB |
5'8 |
160 |
| 5 |
Danny
Bise * |
12 |
S |
6' |
180 |
Issues: -- Depth up front.
Junior Evan Robbins probably felt like a starter last season filling
in for injured players, but prefers the backup roll. "I
really don't mind not being a started" said Robbins "I love coming
in off the bench" The 6' 210 junior exploded during last
season as a sophomore while filling in when Kyle McCoy went down.
"Kyle was the leading tackler when I went in for him last season -
it was a lot of pressure, but I like the pressure".
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Dominique Moore could open some holes
for Wildcats this season
Outlook - It
is hard not to be fired up on paper. If the Wildcats played
only 1A schools of equal size the 'Cats might have the advantage.
The only problem is probably the toughest non-region schedule of any
team in the state - if you weight by size.
The schedule – Florala starts
their jamboree against 4A Opp followed by opening week against 3A
Headland. After three region games #10 preseason 2A Wicksburg
followed by four region games. One of those is #3 1A Brantley
- who's defeated Florala - nine straight times. The season
ends with 3A Dale County.
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Although the Wildcats could sweep
through a lose to an upper schools is likely if not all three.
The Wildcats could finish 7-3 or 6-4 - although likely 8-2, 9-1.
So in other words - anybodies guess. The players control
their own destiny at Florala - more than any other team. The
Wildcats have the talent to load up and play against any team in
their area - but will they. It's not so much of can they be
beaten - as much as - will they show up to win.
The team will be better if –
plays to potential. This could be the year for the Wildcats
who only have seven juniors and sophomores combined playing
football. The younger players have to understand this could be
their only shot to make it to Birmingham and grasp hold of the
seniors coat tails and work extra hard.
Best Offensive Player – One of
six players
Best Defensive Player – One of seven players
Key player to a successful season
– TJ Fleming
Their are so many "weapons" on the team, but Fleming has to control
the game. Some QBs in the area are along for the ride with
their teams, but Fleming will be driving the Wildcat bus. .
Key games: Ariton, Brantley
Losses:
Toss up: Headland, Dale County
Wins: Providence, Zion Chapel, Kinston, Pleasant Home,
McKenzie, Wicksburg
Must win: Brantley, Ariton
Headland – The Rams were shocked by the Wildcats last season
and will not make the same mistake and take the game for granted.
New Head Coach will better utilize talent. Like last season -
should be a hard physical game.
Dale County - Florala ran the opening kick-off back and that
was it - losing 8-9. Dale County has some new assistant
coaches and the same talent back from last season of young players.
Ariton - has a future highly recruited tight end / defensive end
- tall, big, and fast. Defeated Florala last season 7-21.
Brantley - Some teams you just can't beat no matter what -
"Bear" never beat Notre Dame - Brantley graduated 18 seniors and
although will be a different team - they are Brantley and their
expectation is state title ever year. This should be the year.
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