Barbour County football program makes strides

CLAYTON — Barbour County is playing for a championship tonight, but not in the sport you would think.

The Jaguars, the Class 2A state basketball runner-ups the past two years, have been the surprise of the Wiregrass on the gridiron.

With a 6-2 record, 5-1 in Class 2A, Region 3, they will come to Dothan tonight to play Houston Academy (7-1, 6-0) at Northcutt Field.

The winner will claim the region title, while the loser will still host a first-round playoff game. It will be the first time Barbour County has ever made the playoffs in football since the school got its name in 2000 when Clayton and Louisville consolidated.

It’s not even close, actually. No evidence has been found that Clayton, the school’s name prior to 2000, has ever made the playoffs.

Third-year head coach Juan Williams has seen his program rise, going 1-9 in 2006, 3-7 last year and now, in a new region, playing for a title.

“It was never that the school didn’t have any athletes, it was just the attitude,” Williams said.

Change in direction:

Williams points to a recent basketball team photo, where 15 players pose — most of whom look like grown men, developed muscles and all.

“If your basketball team looks like this, and these ain’t no little boys, then what’s wrong with the football?,” Williams said.

“I came from a place that if you have a great basketball team, you should have a good football team. That was something here I couldn’t figure out.”

Williams, 31, came to Barbour County six years ago. He played at Ashville under a legendary coaching staff led by Rush Propst and John Grass. He learned that a successful program needs a great staff and backing from the administration.

Barbour County had none of that, just athletes who could run, jump and dunk a basketball.

It was a calculated risk at the time, but Williams, an Alabama State graduate, was looking for a challenge.

“I had seen the talent that was here (hand up high), but heart that was here (hand down low),” Williams said. “When you see a situation like that, I love football, I just wanted to get involved.”

There was no feeder program until 2005, so coaches had to teach 17-year-old kids the fundamentals of football. In 2005, Williams went with Randy Dudley to coach the middle school team. The next year, Williams was hired as the high school’s head coach.

Williams has a coaching staff of six others and the all-important backing from the administration. There’s a new press box at the stadium along with new lockers and a new weight room floor.

The hope is that a fieldhouse will be constructed by the stadium and more bleachers will be added.

“(Administrators) understand what we have to do to uplift this program,” Williams said.

The stars:

Devondrick Richardson was the team’s water boy in 10th grade when he asked his parents if he could play football.

At first, they said no, but they finally relented. Last year, Richardson was the Dothan Eagle Player of the Year in basketball.

Next year, after just two years of high school football, he’ll be on a full scholarship to play college football. He’s given a verbal commitment to South Alabama, but can’t sign a letter of intent until February. He’s still gauging other interest and at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, has the frame that projects well beyond high school.

Because of his freakish athleticism, coaches moved him to tailback this year, seeing that most Class 2A defenses would struggle against a running back that big, but he’ll play linebacker or defensive end in college.

“I feel one day, if he keeps his head on, he’ll play on Sundays,” Richardson said. “He’s a physical, great-looking kid.”

Calvin Fenn stuck it out. He started playing in eighth grade and now the 5-foot-8, 210-pound fullback/linebacker carries the team, along with Richardson.

He heard the laughter from classmates, including Richardson, but vowed to stick it out. Now, the hard work is paying off, and the players are hearing about it in the community.

“I used to laugh at them when I didn’t play,” Richardson said. “Once I started playing, I didn’t like it.

“When I go to the barber shop, people say they hear we’re winning and they’re coming to the game this week. Last year, they were going to Eufaula or Pike County.”

The team takes its motivation from doubters, and calls its defense the “Black Cloud.” Junior Jeremy McCrae and freshman Takwain Whigham are also players Williams can see at the next level.

Attitude adjustment:

Barbour County was 3-1 heading into the Dale County game, but practice wasn’t going well on Tuesday. Finally, Williams kicked the players out of practice and made it clear that he wouldn’t tolerate laziness.

“I thought it was terrible for a high school team that was winning to get kicked out of practice,” Fenn said. “We had to stop all the clowning out at practice.”

The Jaguars turned it over five times that week and lost at home 32-21.

The postgame scene was different — confirming Williams’ belief that things were finally different.

“That was the first time I had seen the kids just mad,” Williams said. “These kids just got their stuff, went home and didn’t speak to people.

“We don’t want to lose. We don’t feel like we’re supposed to lose.”

The Jaguars haven’t lost since, but tonight will be tougher against a smashmouth, perennial region power in Houston Academy.

Tonight, the Jaguars have just 20 on roster, and only 13 or 14 will play a lot. HA’s dress roster might triple that.

That’s where heart comes into play.

“At the end of the day, you can only put your Joe against my G,” Williams said. “The last five or six teams had 20 more players than us, easily. But they can only put 11 out there and we put 11 out there.

“When they’re tired, they’re playing off heart.”