Photo by Erin Nelson.
Cole Turner
The Vestavia Hills High School football team has been forced to adapt to a little bit of everything over the last few months.
In January, the school hired Sean Calhoun to take the reins of the Rebels program, the first new coach of the team since Buddy Anderson took over in 1978. In the spring and summer, participation numbers were so high within the program that the weight room could not hold the entire team at once.
At the same time, the football stadium was unavailable at times due to a new track being installed around the field. Construction was also still ongoing through the summer on the fieldhouse, which houses the head coach’s office as well.
None of it has fazed the Rebels or their new coach. Calhoun is driving home three keys each day: to play fast, physical and focused.
“I’m excited about what we got going on, from how eager the kids are to learn and do some new things,” Calhoun said. “The fundamentals will stay the same. You’ve got to block, you’ve got to run, you’ve got to tackle, you’ve got to score one more point than the opponent.”
Things will look a little different at Vestavia on Friday nights in the fall, but excitement is brewing within the program.
“We’re teaching them a lot of new things, but they’re excited. The best word I can use to describe them is they’re hungry,” Calhoun said.
Photo by Erin Nelson.
Bryant Agee
OFFENSE
The offensive side of the ball is where players and supporters alike will notice the biggest difference within the Rebels football team. Calhoun has installed a spread offense that will look similar to what many high school and college teams run today.
Inheriting a roster that has very limited experience running this style of offense lends itself to growing pains, but Calhoun said going through those in the summer months has revealed a unit with a “lot of potential.”
In a spread offense, the quarterback shoulders a great deal of responsibility to lead the team. Vestavia’s signal caller will be a new one this year, with Calhoun saying Mitchell Towns and Fort Edmonds were the two players vying heavily to take the majority of the snaps for the Rebels in the fall.
“Everything goes around the quarterback,” Calhoun said. “Running the offense that we’re going to run, that guy is making all types of decisions every single play.”
The Rebels have three players returning on the offensive line, which gives Calhoun some confidence. Hoke Smith can play multiple spots along the line, while Jack Dawsey and Hill Stokes also have experience. Nelson Greiner and Glen Porter are two other lineman Calhoun has been impressed with early on.
Running back Bryant Agee and receiver Cole Turner are back as well, with Agee providing the Rebels with explosiveness and playmaking ability. Behind Agee, Tucker Smitha and Jack Lockhart have stepped up at running back as well.
Keown Richardson, Colton Rohling, Caiden Howle and Jordan Ross are among the young receivers that could break into the mix. Rob Warnock, Walker Creel and Warren Ainsworth are battling it out at tight end.
DEFENSE
Calhoun hired Bert Newton to be the Rebels defensive coordinator, after Newton spent the last four years as the coordinator at Hartselle. Newton has implemented an attacking and physical brand of defense that has been received well by his new players.
“We’re doing a really good job of embracing the attacking mentality,” Calhoun said. “We’re trying to be really physical and sound in what we’re doing.”
Up front, Max Neuroth is back for the Rebels and Calhoun calls him a skilled defensive lineman. Calhoun also mentioned Lane Whisenhunt and Andrew Sykes as linemen who have stood out so far. He also noted players such as Jackson Baynham, Blake Jeffers and Jamar Wilkins as ones looking to break into the rotation.
Trey Saunders and Davis Stewart spearhead the linebacker group. Will Cox played safety last year but is making the move closer to the line of scrimmage, while Caleb Harwell is also in the mix.
Jackson Ayers returns the most experience in the secondary, a unit that also features JR Ashley, who Calhoun calls the team’s vocal leader. Dylan Jaquess, William Fitzpatrick, Grant Downey, Jay Faulkner and Aiden Black are all competing for time there as well.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Rebels will have to replace longtime kicker Matthew McMeans and Calhoun said there are a few options. Ben Keene, Russell Luccasen and Jack Brewer have all been in competition to lead the special teams efforts.
SCHEDULE
Vestavia Hills will not play its first home game until the fourth week of the season. The Rebels start out on the road at Mountain Brook, Homewood and Hoover before Calhoun will lead his team onto Buddy Anderson Field for the first time.
Class 7A, Region 3, featuring Thompson, Hoover, Hewitt-Trussville and other strong teams in the area, will be no cake walk either.
“If we’re fortunate to be one of the four [teams from the region to make the playoffs], it’s because we’ve earned it,” Calhoun said.
