Leadership, physicality on the field among Indians’ top priorities

Matt Glover prides himself on fielding a physical football team week in and week out. That goal has yielded great success for him in his seven seasons as head coach at Pinson Valley, as the Indians have made the playoffs six consecutive seasons.

But something didn’t sit well with him after the 2015 season. Despite a 7-4 record, an upset win over McAdory and three shutouts from his defense, the team’s nature was not up to his standard.

“I thought we weren’t very physical,” he said. “I thought we’d lost that edge and physicality.”

He noticed the first sign of trouble during the fourth game of the season, a loss to Gardendale that got away from the Indians, as the Rockets rolled up 444 rushing yards.

Glover said the rules on practice limitation make regaining that physical edge more difficult, but that it was his number one goal heading into the fall.

In 2016, the Indians will also look for more leadership, a common theme for coaches at any given point. But for the Indians, it will prove pivotal for them to find leaders with such a small senior class of just 11 players.

“That’s the big thing. Older kids stepping up, not making the same mistakes they made the day before, helping the younger kids out,” Glover said.

With that small senior class comes the hope of a bright future. The present could be bright as well if returning skill players on offense and contributors on defense step up and provide that physicality and leadership Glover desires.

Class 6A, Region 6 looks a little different this fall, as Huffman, Shades Valley and Woodlawn have departed and been replaced by Minor, Walker and Carver-Birmingham.

“Our (region) got tougher,” Glover said. “Our first five games are really, really tough. Our first three region games are Minor, Walker and Clay-Chalkville. We find out where we stand right off the bat.”

Offense

Running back Torrey Hendrix had great success in the first half of the season last fall, but a leg injury diminished his ability to play the last several games, hampering the Indian attack. But he is back and fully healthy, along with quarterback Jackie Matthews to form a dynamic backfield.

Matthews took over the quarterback position midway through his freshman campaign, so he has over a year of starting experience, and will just now be a junior. His cannon of a left arm combined with his ability to run makes him dangerous every play.

Hendrix was the offense’s most valuable player the first several weeks before being injured. He had multiple games with over 100 all-purpose yards, and even created a replica of the “Michael Dyer play” in the season-opener. If healthy, he can catapult the Pinson Valley offense to new heights.

The receiving corps should be built to last as well, with guys like Liallen Dailey and Marshall Tanner carrying some of the load, and picking up the slack left behind by the graduated Errius Collins.

“Quarterback, running back, receivers, we feel pretty good about,” Glover said.

The offensive line is a different story. Rod Tunstall and Tyler Johnson are the only two returning starters up front. The Indians will have to find new bookends on the line at both tackle slots, and the options are a bevy of younger players.

Defense

Glover estimated that he lost six significant contributors on the defensive side of the ball to graduation. Starting up front, the Indians saw two lineman depart to graduation, leaving Ezekiel Lawrence and Desmond Scott to pick up the slack. Both players played large roles a season ago, and are all but counted on to do the same again.

“I feel good about that, it’s just finding some depth,” Glover said, of his defensive line.

Zapeth Cunningham is the only returning linebacker, as Pinson Valley will have to replace three of them. Cunningham is following in the footsteps of his brother, Zach, who had a great career at Pinson Valley and is now a defensive leader at Vanderbilt. Jay Woods is off to the University of South Alabama, but his younger brothers Ty Woods and Andrew McKinney are still in the secondary for the Indians. Each had solid campaigns in 2015.

Special teams

Saul Rios returns as the place-kicker for Pinson Valley. Rios is no stranger to success, as he booted the game-winning field goal against McAdory in overtime in 2015. He may be forced to pick up the punting duties as well. Collins handled the punting duties last season, and was spectacular. Collins also returned kicks, so the Indians will be forced to try some new faces back there. Jay Woods spent many Friday nights as a punt returner as well.