CLASS 3A PREVIEW: Plenty of 'energy' from Eagles in prep for championship
MA coach Robert Johnson has a discussion with Hudson Whitt (50) and the offense at a recent practice held at Alabama State in preparation for Thursday’s Class 3A final in Birmingham. (Tim Gayle)
By TIM GAYLE
Montgomery Academy coach Robert Johnson calls Hudson Whitt his “Energizer Bunny.”
“He never comes out of the game,” Johnson said. “I don’t think people understand, one, how hard that is, but two, to play at the level he plays every single play is phenomenal. He’s such a leader. He does everything the exact right way. He cares so much. That leadership is rare. He plays fast as a defensive lineman. He’s not big, just 6-foot, 220, but he’s strong.
“Then he has to turn around on offense and be a wing-T guard. Just playing that will wear you out because of all the pulling we do.”
Whitt wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I’m the one that brings the juice, that tries to keep the energy steady,” he explained. “We put in so much work this summer and so much conditioning, I just feel like -- and I get tired, that’s for sure -- but this is my senior season, I feel like I need to be out there for our team to win.”
The “Energizer Bunny” and his teammates will take on Piedmont on Thursday at 11 a.m. at Birmingham’s Protective Stadium for the Class 3A championship
“At the beginning of the year, it was ‘get to UAB, get to UAB,’ that was the goal,” Whitt said of the desire to reach the finals at UAB’s home stadium. “Now we have a new goal. There were some rocky stretches, for sure, during this year and everyone doubted us but that’s kind of become our identity. Underdogs the whole playoffs, from Flomaton to Trinity to T.R. Miller, everyone doubted us. That’s what our team has been built on this year. There’s been a lot of ups and downs, but I finally feel like we’re hitting the top of the roller coaster right now.”
While the rest of the Capital City Conference seemed to get stronger this season, Montgomery Academy was the enigma. Sure, there was plenty of talent returning, but the Eagles had to replace linemen Thomas Kirkham, Jackson Kelly -- a pair of Auburn walk-ons -- and center James Snead. Returning linemen Robert Huffaker and Whitt would be a good base, but the Eagles were bound to have trouble establishing that powerful ground game that had propelled them to the 3A semifinals a year ago.
The Eagles needed a last-second Alex Kohn field goal to beat St. James, then lost in similar fashion the following week to Trinity. Losses to Catholic (42-0) in late September and Alabama Christian (31-21) in late October gave no indication the Eagles would catch fire in the playoffs and win four games impressively, including wins over Trinity in the second round and Catholic in the semifinals.
“We definitely lost two key linemen that are up now at Auburn, but I just feel like the difference for me and the offensive linemen is experience, the same system for another year,” Whitt said. “It took time, but I feel like we finally -- not until the playoffs -- but we hit our stride as a team and as an offensive line. I feel that’s been the difference maker.”
The Eagles went through a practice session at Alabama State on Tuesday and Vestavia Hills on Wednesday, getting the opportunity to work out on an artificial surface similar to what they’ll face on Thursday. For Whitt, it was a good opportunity to reflect on a career that started as a guard in a spread offense under Gary Nelson, then blossomed as a two-way standout under Johnson the last two years.
“I didn’t know how to cut block or any of that,” Whitt said. “I go from pass setting every play and then I get told I can pull out and use my speed and go get linebackers. That’s what I like to do. This has definitely been the dream offense for me as a right guard, for sure.”
It’s also been the dream scenario, one in which Whitt is never substituted and remains on the field for every play.
“It’s not that we can’t, there’s just no need to,” Johnson said. “He’s not tired. So we just let him go.”
After coming so close last year, the Eagles are finally back in the championship game for the first time since 1987. Standing in their way is a veteran team that has played for a state championship in five of the last seven years, reaching the semifinals all seven times.
“We know we’ve got our hands full,” Johnson said. “A good D-line, then when you’ve got two (good) linebackers behind that, that presents a major challenge.
“Obviously, a win would be gigantic for these seniors. They’ve been so dear to my heart and such a big influence in the school.”
It all starts with the Energizer Bunny.
“They’re a very good, physical team,” Whitt said. “I think they have 18 seniors. They’ve been there, done that. They have a really good team up front, an experienced quarterback who has won a state championship before. We just have to play the brand of physical football that we’ve been playing lately. It starts in the trenches and it spreads out to everywhere else. If we can do that, it’ll be a good result on Thursday.”