Wildcats coach Keith Register goes over offensive assignments during Tuesday practice, as his team prepares for Friday’s first-round playoff game against ninth-ranked Reeltown.

By Robert Carter

The North Jefferson News



Fultondale football coach Keith Register knows that the 111-mile trip to Reeltown High School is the least of his team’s worries.

At the end of that long journey down U.S. 280 is an opponent that has won nine straight after losing its opener, shut out five foes and climbed to the ninth spot in the Alabama Sports Writers Association Class 2A polls.

That’s the “reward” that the Wildcats have earned in the first round of the playoffs this Friday night. After regional realignments forced Fultondale to play one of its toughest schedules ever, the ‘Cats come off three straight losses to face the red-hot Rebels.

“They are a very sound team fundamentally that just will not beat themselves,” Register said of Reeltown. “They are not very big, but they come off the ball very quickly. They run a wishbone, and they’ve got three running backs that are just good, hard-nosed runners. No one for them stands out — they’re not selfish. And their defense just flies around the ball.”

Of course, Register knows a thing or two about the running game. The Wildcats gain the vast majority of their yards on the ground, racking up more than 3,100 yards over 10 regular-season games. The roster sports two 1,000-yard rushers in Jonathan Craig and Chris Barber.

Register’s old-fashioned wing-T offensive package — a scheme that would have gladdened the heart of former Ohio State coach Woody Hayes, he of the “three yards and a cloud of dust” school, — is born out of necessity.

“I just don’t have the numbers here,” Register said. “I’ve got one quarterback. I don’t have enough kids to pass.”

Register is not alone. While larger schools with more manpower gravitate toward the spread offense or the next flavor of the day, smaller schools find themselves going back to the wing-T and its ancient cousins, often with great success. Reeltown’s wishbone is not far removed from that old-school way of thinking.

“They’re very traditional,” Register said. “Coach (Jackie) O’Neal has been there about 35 years as a player or a coach. He’s very well respected. I’ve seen a lot of film of them, and they just don’t make mistakes.

“We have to stop their running attack, and we’ve go to run away from wherever they are going (on defense).”

Like their neighbors at Gardendale, who found themselves thrust into the Class 6A “Region of Doom” with the likes of Hoover, Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook thanks to regional realignment, the Wildcats have faced more ranked opponents this season than in many years.

“Our region is really tough — I’d put it up against any other in 2A,” Register said. “ACA and Isabella were in the top ten. Vincent is one of the better teams, but they went 5-5 and they’re staying home. Realignment really hurt us. It’s just been different competition.

“We’ve made stupid mistakes in the last three weeks. We gave up turnovers and had stupid penalties. We have to take better care of the ball.”