'22 GRIDIRON PREVIEW: Returning to winning ways all that matters to JD Vols

Third-year coach Rory Bell is looking for a turnaround from the Jeff Davis Vols in 2022. (File Photo)

By GRAHAM DUNN

It doesn’t sound much like the history of Jeff Davis football.

But the Volunteers have been in a free fall since the turn of the century.

Consider what the program did from its first years under Billy Livings, through Charles Lee and to the last days of Steve Bailey.

JD fielded two state championship teams, a couple more that played for titles and 19 Area/Region championships between 1972-2003.

Since 2004, the first year not coached by the three legends, JD has made a total of six playoff appearances and has not won in the postseason in that frame.

Last year, the program missed the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year.

Will 2022 be the same and what can third-year coach Rory Bell do about it?

Avoid the “dumb stuff.”

“One of our goals is to not beat ourselves,” Bell said. “The last two years, we have had games where we did some dumb stuff that turns around and bites you. We’ve beaten ourselves. We want to clean up those mistakes and be disciplined.”

The Vols will have one of their more experienced teams in a while. They return a solid quarterback in Savion German and have speed on the outside.

They are lacking experience on the front line but the rest of the starters are in tune with the third-year coach.

 “This is going to be an experienced team,” Bell said. “Most of our players are seniors and have been with me since I have been here. They are excited. They are excited to start playing and to try and change what has been going on with the JD program. We have been losing but this group wants to help us change that.”

Practices have been good, according to players. Expectations are higher considering the group is used to the philosophy of the head coach.

 “We have a close group of players on this team, especially with the seniors,” linebacker Chris Moore said. “We have been together since the ninth grade. That helps a lot because it’s like you’re playing next to family.”

JD will open at Wetumpka, another team trying to return to some of the past glory. Any win is big for the Vols but taking the opener might be as big as any win in quite a while.

“We’re going to gradually get better and be ready to go on Aug. 19 when we open the season against Wetumpka,” Bell said.