The 2015-16 school year was something of a roller coaster ride for the Carver High School football program.
Over time, the Carver Tigers have developed a well-deserved reputation for a successful football program. Coach Dell McGee took over the program in 2005 as head football coach. He turned the team from a 3-7 record his first year to a 12-2 season his second year. McGee led the Tigers to a state championship in 2007 and brought in a new era of athletic excellence including six consecutive region titles. He turned over the reins of the program to assistant coach Joseph Kegler in 2012 with Kegler’s first season as head coach in 2013.
The Tigers went 11-2, 8-3 and 9-2 in 2013, 2014, and 2015, respectively. While most athletic programs would consider those records to be worth celebrating, it was disappointing to the Tiger Nation for the teams to not make it further in the state playoffs.
After the end of the 2015 football season, Kegler announced his resignation as Carver’s head football coach. Not long after, former college coach Reggie Barlow was named Kegler’s successor but Barlow never officially took over the program. In March the school announced Dre’Mail King would be the head football coach. King had been with the athletic program at Carver for one season.
Details about the upcoming season for the Tigers were vague early in the summer. While King was excited to be taking over the football program, he basically is starting from scratch. The big names from last year like Jawon Pass and Javontay Smith have moved on to play at the next level. There are a few returning players, however, who will be the foundation for the rebuilding of the Tigers’ program under King?
Returning offensive starters are Cameron Jessie, US Beasley, Juvantae Martin and Brian Calhoun. King thinks the Tigers greatest strength for the 2016 season may be the experience of the defense. Defensive returning starters are RJ Cummings, Lyndon Johnson, Anthony LaGrand, Cameron Ashe, Kwanson Tymes and Drew Ogletree. The college prospect list for Carver looks promising. Cummings, Ogletree, Martin, McFolley, Calhoun and Johnson are among those football players in the Columbus Valley that colleges will be keeping an eye on during the 2016 season.
There is a complete change in the coaching staff for the 2016 football season. King has put together a group of coaches he feels are onboard with his coaching style and have like minds when it comes to teaching high school athletes about the sport.
“We expect the game of football to be taught. We will coach football, not plays,” he says.
Although King knows the past success of Carver’s football program brings high expectations, he isn’t intimidated. In fact, the new head coach hit the ground running with some expectations of his own.
“We expect to see an immediate change in discipline and structure within our program. We feel that this should take us well beyond expectations and lead us to where exactly we belong,” says King.
To that end, fans should be prepared for King’s playbook to be all about core philosophy of the game. He is stressing commitment, discipline and effort on both sides of the ball. His level of expectation for his players in 2016 is high but King feels all three goals he has set are realistic. He wants the Tigers to win the region, get out of the 1st round and graduate each senior. If he accomplishes all three, King should see a return of the glory days for Carver’s program.
In order to do that, the Tigers will have to get past some tough competitors in both region and non-region games. Their first game is August 19, against a formidable foe from across the state line, 6A Opelika High School.
It’s a new era at Carver High School for the football program. The person who has undertaken the responsibility for producing winning teams and developing athletes into young men has already found the right theme for the effort.
According to King, “New beginnings; Old tradition,” says it all.
Carver Tigers
Carver Coach Aiming To Rebuild Football Legacy
Written by Beth Welch
Photo by George McDuffie
