James Clemens football greets media at FCA day

James Clemens will begin regular fall practices the week of Aug. 5 to coincide with the start of school. (File Photo/Nick Sellers)

By Nick Sellers | Staff Writer

HUNTSVILLE – The James Clemens Jets, along with numerous other teams in Class 7A, Region 4, participated in the annual FCA Media Day on Aug. 2 at First Baptist Church in Huntsville. The afternoon coincided with the start of fall practices, which start just before the first day of school on Aug. 5.

In head coach Wade Waldrop’s third years with the program, Waldrop will be dealing with the second offensive coordinator of his tenure, as former coordinator Clint Woodfin was hired to be the head coach at Huntsville High School.

The Jets promoted from within, as former offensive line coach Cyrus Swearingen was named the offensive coordinator. Swearingen had a significant role in developing former standouts Logan Stenberg, Ryan Parris and Jordan Sogers.

Wide receivers coach Don Hill said the team will essentially be running the same offensive schemes as last year, running a combination of pro-style and spread offenses.

“We’re still going to be trying to get the ball in our athlete’s hands,” Hill said. “We’ll try to be up-tempo. We’ll try to be a little faster this year.”

With the departure of two top receivers, Hill said Maceo Booker, the team’s leading rusher the past two season, will see significant time as a slot receiver in a “Percy Harvin-type” role in 2015. Booker and sophomore Devon Atkinson will split the majority of carries.

In Huntsville, Woodfin said his team, which ran a read-option offense in 2014, will shift to a traditional no-huddle offense this season.

“We want to be the fastest team in the state of Alabama,” Woodfin said.

James Clemens faces off against Huntsville at home on Oct. 23. The Jets scrimmage against East Limestone on Aug. 20, with the first game at Athens on Aug. 28.