The countdown to the high school football season is on, with July 20 marking 31 days until the season kicks off.
Vestavia Hills will play on the first day of AHSAA competition, as the Rebels will take on Parker on Aug. 20.
As kickoff approaches over the coming weeks, Vestavia Voice and Under the Lights will be counting down the days until the season begins.
As Vestavia Hills prepares for the season, head coach Robert Evans is emphasizing the details with his team, knowing that the parity in Class 6A, Region 3 requires the Rebels to be at their best every Friday night.
"Our margins are razor thin, we have to stay healthy, have good fortune and play well," Evans said.
The Vestavia Hills coaching staff has stayed largely intact on both sides of the ball, a rarity Evans doesn't take for granted, though the defense has made some schematic changes over the offseason after studying programs with different approaches.
"You get tape and you really dive into it," Evans said. "The stuff you're not good at, you probably need to adjust."
Evans pointed to a plus-eight turnover margin last season, after three straight years in the negative, as a key factor behind the program's turnaround. He said the staff has also built its offense around a specific scoring target each week.
"We're always going to try to be the aggressor and play a different style of football," Evans said.
Being aggressive has led to four straight playoff appearances for the Rebels.
