PREP PREVIEWS: Ligon part of list of transfers that should lift Autauga Academy

Bobby Carr and the Autauga Academy coaching staff have welcomed several transfers to campus and that should help the Generals stay in the hunt for a state title this season. (Tim Gayle)

By TIM GAYLE

There is plenty of talent that has transferred from other schools to Autauga Academy this season, including former Wetumpka quarterback Robert Rose, former Jemison receiver James Wright and former Dallas County two-way athlete Marquavious Pullom.

At the top of that list, Autauga coach Bobby Carr suggests, is former G.W. Carver High tailback Karl Ligon.

“Karl’s a special talent,” Carr said. “He’s got a chance to be as good a back as we’ve ever had in our league.”

Autauga had trouble sustaining any consistent offense last year in a 2-7 season and Carr makes no secret of the fact that he believes the 2021 version of the Generals are a championship contender because of Ligon.

“Obviously, I think you’ve got to win a state championship by running the football,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of weapons. Karl’s a great talent, but we’ve got a number of guys we can get the ball to that can do some things, so if they load up the box to try and stop the running game, we’ve got some guys that can get over the top (in the passing game) -- Anden (Hilyer), Josh Palmer is a 6-foot-5 receiver, James Wright transferred from Jemison who’s a great talent and a couple of other guys.

“We want to go in there and establish the run and do some play-action stuff, but we’re just going to take what they give us.”

For Ligon, it’s definitely a culture shock to go from a inner-city Montgomery Class 6A program that competes at Cramton Bowl in the Alabama High School Athletic Association to a rural west Prattville Class AA program in the Alabama Independent School Association, but he insists it has gone exactly as expected.   

“Talking to the guys on the team, they always say we’re going to have a good season,” Ligon said. “Me personally, with the team we have, I don’t have to do everything. We’ve got a lot of weapons -- James, Josh, Pharrell (Banks), Anden, there’s a number of guys I can name. We’re going to be special. 

“I don’t want to put all the buzz on me. We have a special team.”

The addition of all the transfers should make the Generals a championship contender again -- last year’s losing record was the first since 2007 for Carr and broke a string of four consecutive trips to the championship game by the Generals. Carver, on the other hand, has just one playoff win in that stretch and has four losing seasons in the last six years.

“Karl’s had a good summer,” Carr said. “I thought he had made a good transition, coming to Autauga from Carver.”

Should the Generals have the type of success they’re accustomed to, Ligon may not get the acclaim Carr believes he deserves. If the Generals build up a big lead by halftime, Ligon likely will have only a handful of carries before he joins the other starters on the sideline. 

“I definitely understand,” he said. “But I’m not really worried about that. As long as we’re winning, we’re good. As long as the team’s good, I’m good. I’m not a selfish player.

Ligon obviously has no idea what to expect from the Generals’ AISA schedule this year, but summer workouts in seven-on-seven events have given him an idea of what to expect from Autauga’s offense this fall. 

“That’s why I’m so excited,” he said. “And the thing about me is I’m so versatile. If Coach wants to line me up outside or in the slot, I can do it. Whatever the team needs, we can do it as a team.”