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Photo by Richard Force.
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John Carroll quarter back Carson McFadden (7) scores the game cliniching touchdown during a game between the Homewood Patriots and John Carroll Cavaliers at John Carroll High School in Birmingham, AL on Friday August 25, 2023. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force.
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John Carroll quarterback Carson McFadden (7) throws a pass during a game between the Homewood Patriots and John Carroll Cavaliers at John Carroll High School in Birmingham, AL on Friday August 25, 2023. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force.
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John Carroll quarter back Carson McFadden (7) throws a pass while under pressure from Homewood linebacker Luke Eldridge (6) during a game between the Homewood Patriots and John Carroll Cavaliers at John Carroll High School in Birmingham, AL on Friday August 25, 2023. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force.
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John Carroll quarterback Carson McFadden (7) hands off to running back Tristen Rutledge (26) during a game between the Homewood Patriots and John Carroll Cavaliers at John Carroll High School in Birmingham, AL on Friday August 25, 2023. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force.
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John Carroll quarter back Carson McFadden (7) converts a two point try during a game between the Homewood Patriots and John Carroll Cavaliers at John Carroll High School in Birmingham, AL on Friday August 25, 2023. Photo by Richard Force
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Photo by Richard Force.
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John Carroll quarter back Carson McFadden (7) and tight end CJ Wyatt (2) celebrate converting a two point try during a game between the Homewood Patriots and John Carroll Cavaliers at John Carroll High School in Birmingham, AL on Friday August 25, 2023. Photo by Richard Force
John Carroll Catholic High School head football coach Will Mara was talking about a third-and-8 late in the game against Homewood High School last Friday, a Class 6A opponent 10 minutes from his school.
The pass was going to C.J. Wyatt, a four-year starter at defensive end who is playing tight end as well this season. The ball tipped off his fingers and found the turf.
“[It] would have given us a first down and kind of would have been able to seal [the game],” Mara said on this week's Under the Lights podcast. “I think we were up by two possessions at that time, had to punt and they scored within two plays.”
John Carroll hung on for a thrilling 36-31 win, a victory that culminated with Mara drenched in ice water. But the story here is three words softly spoken by Mara’s senior quarterback, Carson McFadden, as the fourth-year head coach broke down the play.
“That’s my fault,” McFadden said, gently patting his chest.
He was taking accountability for the throw, leading as a senior quarterback so often does. Mara calls it “the uncommon commitment,” a phrase he preaches to his team but McFadden has clearly taken to heart.
“You’ve got to come out here with a purpose,” Mara said. “Everything you do has to be with a purpose. We can’t just walk through stretch lines. You can’t do it halfway and then expect to get anything out of it.”
Coming into his senior season, McFadden has prepared anything but halfway. Since the end of the 2022 season, McFadden has gained close to 20 pounds. He researched macro calories and landed on 4,200 calories per day with a targeted amount of protein. His goal was to hit that mark daily. He ate a lot of the same thing.
“Definitely steak,” McFadden said.
Mara said McFadden spent the summer, Monday through Friday and sometimes Saturday, arriving at the facility at 5:30 a.m. to work out. The maintenance worker often unlocked the gate to the school for him and what ultimately amounted to about 20 teammates.
“He was up here doing a Murph on Monday,” Mara said. “And I mean, had kids just gassed. So, I mean, he transformed his body. And that was part of our game plan is he's got to be able to run the ball. He's got to be able to extend plays and he's got to be able to take care of his body. He went into injury prevention, stretching, all different types of stuff. It was impressive to watch this young man work this offseason. And naturally, others on the team started following.”
The win over Homewood, John Carroll’s first since 1999 and first over any 6A opponent since 2017 against Hueytown, was rejuvenating. But the Cavaliers haven’t made the state playoffs since 2009, haven’t won a game in the postseason since 2004. McFadden hasn’t lived to see a John Carroll playoff victory. Now, after 5-5 seasons in 2020 and 2021, and a 3-7 mark a season ago, his mindset is to throw some water on that drought.
“I really just think it's about how bad you want it,” he said. “Like, you're not going to be complacent with just, like, one win in the beginning of the season, and that doesn't even count toward playoffs. So, that's one of our big goals. We want to make the playoffs. It's been how many years since? It's been a while. And we really want to make it to the playoffs. So, we know that's our goal, and we know we’ve got to win some more games to do that.”
John Carroll is back in action this Friday, at home against Marbury.
