Hess works to become imposing figure in secondary

While the summer sun was still making football players everywhere miserable during workouts, Jonathan Hess was executing his plan.

The Vestavia Hills football player decided that, following his sophomore year, he was going to fully maximize his potential for his junior and senior seasons, whatever that meant.

“Really, I just wanted to become a better player and do whatever I could to help my team,” Hess said.

Hess plays the “star” position in the Vestavia defense, which acts as a strong safety or outside linebacker, depending on who you ask. He turned into a figurative star on and off the field in the offseason.

He said he accomplished what he set out to do. “I gained probably 15 pounds, and that was my goal. I got a little faster, so I’d say so.”

Hess has contributed to some big points for the Rebels this season, most notably a touchdown he scored in Vestavia’s monumental upset win over Mountain Brook on Oct. 7. 

With the Spartans already deep in their own territory, the Rebels brought pressure on the punt attempt and blocked it. Hess scooped up the loose ball and ran it in for the score to tie the game in the second quarter.

He also grabbed an interception against Huffman and has gained attention by his play from people that did not see the effort put forth in the offseason training regiment.

Rest assured, his relentless work ethic was not lost upon his teammates, who knew a successful season on the field was already in the works. In the preseason, seniors Tucker Queen and Patrick Nuss joined their head coach, Buddy Anderson, at the Rebels’ media day session.

Near the end of that session, the two players were asked to think of a player that had impressed them that would surprise people this fall. Neither batted an eye before answering with Hess’ name.

“He was a player for us last year, but Jonathan Hess,” Nuss said at the time. “He’s a workhorse in the weight room. He’s football 24/7. He’s one of those guys that gets you excited to play.”

Queen, a player who makes the most of his 5-foot-10 frame at the free safety position, made reference to Hess’ physical traits.

“It’s his size and frame for his position,” Queen said. “He’s 6-4 and plays outside linebacker.”

Queen has been a major part of Hess’ growth, and the progression of the Rebel secondary as a whole.

“Tucker and I started last year together, and we’re on the same side (of the field), so that’s good,” Hess said. “We’ve got Tucker at free (safety), but everywhere else, we’ve got a really young team. We’ve grown but still have more growing to come.”

Although the Rebels’ game against Hoover did not go well for Vestavia, Queen did recover a critical fumble in the first quarter of the game, igniting a spark for the team at the time.

“We were super excited,” Hess said. “Anytime we get a turnover, that’s huge for us. We want to do whatever we can to help our offense out. We’re always trying to get turnovers.”

As Hess now begins preparation for his senior season, he considers his strengths as a player to be getting off blocks and setting the edge. He admits he still needs to work on the mental portion of his game, especially now that he will be forced to take on much of the leadership Queen provided during his career. He will attempt to add that attribute to his arsenal for next fall.