HHS coaches prepare for comeback season
The Homewood Patriots stand ready and poised for their comeback year.
As Head Coach Doug Goodwin and his staff enter their second year with the Patriots, the future is beginning to look especially bright.
Coach Goodwin, who has won state championships, already likes what he sees:
“Our team has done a really good job in the off season, in spring practice and in the weight room. They know what to expect for our second year.”
Few coaches in Alabama understand championship football like Coach Goodwin, the first coach in Alabama high school history to lead three different teams to the state championship game.
According to Coach Goodwin, one key to the team’s success will be its leadership, especially on offense.
“The success of any offense begins with its quarterback, and we have a good one in Luke Porter,” he said. “We also have good leadership in our offensive line, with Zach Sims and Jordan Sims.”
The offense is guided by Dustin Goodwin, the offensive coordinator who brings a wealth of experience to the Patriots. Goodwin was named All-State in both football and baseball, and quarterbacked the University of North Alabama Lions.
The defense looks equally promising, despite returning only three starters from last year. Coach Freddy Lawrence, defensive coordinator, believes that these three returning starters (seniors Jesus Gallardo, Forrest Gaines and Conner Rivers) provide the talent and leadership necessary for a successful year.
As Coach Lawrence explained, the small number of returning starters can be deceptive: “Even though we only return three starters, we have many players in the mix who had quality playing time last season. They gained valuable experience last year, and are ready to contribute in much greater roles in 2012.”Coach Lawrence leads the defense from experience, as the owner of two national championship rings from his days with the University of North Alabama.
Coach Goodwin was pleased to see how hard the team continues to work after a great spring training.
“They have done everything we asked them to do,” he said. “Spring training was so much easier than last year, with the way the players executed what the coaches asked them to do. Now that our more experienced players have a year under their belts, they are able to provide leadership to the younger players, and everyone will improve each day as we prepare for the 2012 season.”
The Patriots are coached by a staff with unusually great experience for a high school program. Offensive line coach Ben Berguson was the 2010 Over The Mountain Coach of the Year and played at Louisiana Tech with Hall of Fame tackle Willie Roaf. Defensive line coach Dexter LeBlanc is the former head coach at Woodlawn High. Inside linebackers coach Carter Doyle earned three state championships in high school. Running backs coach Doug Gann has over 20 years of coaching experience and was a successful player here at Homewood. Cornerbacks coach Russell Martin has served on the Homewood staff for more than 25 years and won multiple state championships. Safeties coach Devin
Goodwin quarterbacked Demopolis to the state championship, setting the Alabama record for the most touchdown passes in a season.