Bulldogs ready to bite the competition
BY DANIEL SCHMIDT
FOR THE LAFAYETTE SUN
LAFAYETTE — At the start of any football season, every team faces unique challenges. Some must replace school legends, others need to establish an identity under a new coaching staff and, for a select few, how they will repeat as champions.
Overview
For LaFayette High School, however, an additional challenge now rears its ugly head: the prospect of losing its football team. It was a once inconceivable worry that became all too real after a federal judge in June 2023 ordered the majority-Black LHS to be closed and merged with majority-white Valley High School.
While the school remains open as the Chambers County School District grapples with how to best approach complying with the order, discontent with the process thus far has led to an outpouring of community support for the program.
No action has symbolized that support and long-term commitment to the Bulldogs more than perhaps the building of a new field house last season. It is a gesture that LHS head coach Juan Williams does not take lightly as he enters his sixth season at the helm.
“The LaFayette community has been great, and I asked these kids this morning, ‘What do you have that other people don't?’” Williams said. “So to whom much is given, much is expected. Our community, our moms and dads, they have been great. I had a parent this morning call me and say, ‘Coach, let's talk about how we're going to do things.’ So it is wonderful what's happening in LaFayette, Alabama, and we're appreciative of everything and everybody in the community.”
On the practice field, that cloud hanging over the program has not cast a shadow on preparation for the upcoming season. After finishing sixth in 2A Region 4 last year with a 5-5 record that saw both massive margins of victory and defeat, Williams and his staff identified key areas of improvement. Thus far, the focal point has been getting bigger, faster and stronger in the weight room to make physicality the Bulldogs’ calling card.
An additional focus on player accountability and team cohesion gives Williams hope that those wild fluctuations between results will shrink and that winnable games will begin going their way.
“Our kids love each other,” Williams said. “We talked about that earlier — don't just love your friend, love your other teammates also. It's great to win today, but let’s prepare for the next one also, and our kids understand that a lot of things that happened to us last season were the little things. They might be that guy who missed practice that day, they might miss that play that cost us that down. We want to be a player-driven team this year. It's good to be a coach-driven team, but it's great to be a player-driven team.”
Despite those perceived improvements in team culture, LHS’ returning players have a tall task ahead of them after 11 seniors, including LaGrange College signee and former cornerback Quintavious Lloyd, graduated this past May.
Following those departures, LHS returns seven players on offense and only four on defense. As the season begins, 12 of the Bulldogs’ 30 players are also either freshmen or sophomores, which means the need for leadership from the nine seniors is imperative.
For senior offensive and defensive lineman Ty Gates, those young players will be one of the reasons why LHS will return to playoff relevance.
“Our goals for this season are to improve and kind of build a brotherhood at LaFayette, because this year we’ve got a younger team, but they are very dedicated to trying to improve,” Gates said. “That's why I feel like this season is going to be very successful.”
According to Williams, another key aspect will be the coaching staff he has assembled for this year.
The list features DeMarco McNeil, a former all-SEC defensive lineman at Auburn University who has coached at the collegiate level, as defensive coordinator, and Travis Carswell as offensive coordinator. Their loyalty and willingness to coach at LHS, despite some distracting off-field noise and uncertainty, has not been lost on Williams.
“All of those guys do a great job for me,” Williams said. “They don't do a good job. They do a great job. And we're pushing them just like we push these kids to do the same thing. We gave them a list of what we want to be better on. The kids got the same list. So everybody wants to get better.”
Final Analysis
While the mix of young talent and returning seniors could be potent, the Bulldogs’ schedule will be difficult again this year.
They must hit the road to take on Ranburne High School and Horseshoe Bend High School, which both feature tough rosters and will be difficult games away from home. There is also an Oct. 10 home date with the defending 2A state champions, Reeltown High School, which will again field a formidable team.
Fortunately for LHS, a string of home games in the middle of the season will allow them to remain a viable contender for a playoff spot late in the year.
At the same time, players like Gates, senior, wide receiver and defensive back Cam Thomas, senior linebacker Zayn Todd and junior offensive lineman Michael Turner will be counted on to lead the charge through a demanding 2A schedule.
With both the offensive and defensive lines shaping up to be a strength of the team this year, the Bulldogs’ ceiling can be higher than it was last season. If both of those units can gel together and reach their full potential, this is a team that is capable of making the playoffs as a three or four seed.
Fans should expect to see improvement on this year’s team, especially on the defensive side of the ball as McNeil puts his vast array of experience playing collegiate and professional football and coaching at various levels to use.
2024 Record (5-5, 2-5):
Aug. 23 at Ellwood Christian W 49-0
Aug. 30 vs. Central (Hayneville) W 41-14
Sept. 6 vs. Ranburne* L 19-14
Sept. 13 at Loachapoka* L 25-6
Sept. 20 at Lanett* L 52-12
Sept. 27 at Red Level W 56-8
Oct. 11 at Reeltown* L 54-12
Oct. 18 vs. Central Coosa County* W 48-8
Oct. 25 vs. Horseshoe Bend* L 50-22
Nov. 1 at Barbour County* W 37-0
2025 Schedule:
Aug. 22 vs. Ellwood Christian
Aug. 29 at Central (Hayneville)
Sept. 5 at Ranburne*
Sept. 12 vs. Loachapoka*
Sept. 19 vs. Lanett*
Sept. 26 vs. Red Level
Oct. 10 vs. Reeltown*
Oct. 17 at Central Coosa County*
Oct. 24 at Horseshoe Bend*
Oct. 31 vs. Barbour County
