Character test for Bob Jones against Hoover
BY LINDSAY VAUGHN / SPECIAL TO THE RECORD
If Bob Jones is to advance past the second round of the high school football playoffs they will have to overcome recent bad history. Hoover has dominated the series between the two ranked teams that each sport 11-1 records this season.
The teams have met each of the last 3 years and Hoover is 3-0 against Bob Jones. The two will play Friday night at Madison City Schools Stadium. Kickoff is at 7 pm. Last season Hoover made their first visit to Madison and won a close game 20-10.
“The state championship in the north runs through Hoover, Alabama,” said Bob Jones coach Kevin Rose who is in his third season at the helm. Rose knows all about Hoover. He coached there in 2007 serving as offensive coordinator before coming to Bob Jones.
“They are better offensively than they were last year. As far as executing and making plays they are really playing well. Playing at home increases our chances and I think we can win a close game,” Rose added.
In 2009 Bob Jones made its deepest run in the playoffs in history but fell at Hoover 34-24. In that game current Bob Jones quarterback Jeffrey Moss was forced into action as after a concussion knocked starter Zach Freeman out of the game. Bob Jones led at halftime but Hoover struck quickly with four straight touchdowns before a furious fourth-quarter rally led by Moss fell just short.
Last week both teams posted victories by wide margins in their first-round playoff games. Bob Jones posted a shutout against Tuscaloosa County 26-0 while Hoover beat Hewitt-Trussville 40-14.
The two teams met 2 weeks ago in Hoover to end the regular season in a game dominated by Hoover 41-13 as quarterback Connor Shaw picked apart the Patriots defense completing 21 of 28 passes for 269 yards and 2 touchdowns.
“He played lights out that night,” Rose said. “We’re hoping they don’t play quite as well and we play much better and have a chance to win at the end. We were all embarrassed by the way we played at Hoover. We get a second chance and our guys are excited.”
But the Patriots say they learned something in that meaningless game that can help them in this huge game.
“The good thing is we got to see the speed of the game and after we saw them up close we will be prepared to play faster this time,” Rose said.
One of Hoovers’ speed burners that Bob Jones must contain is Marlon Humphrey, the second son of former Alabama great Bobby Humphrey to play at Hoover. Humphrey, only a sophomore, returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown in the first game between the two teams.
“He’s probably the best player on the field,” Rose said of Humphrey who plays defensive back and kick returner. “He will play in the NFL. Our kicker usually kicks the ball out of the end zone and we happened to be kicking into a stiff wind and he fielded it at the one and the rest was history.”
Bob Jones will need big games from senior quarterback Jeffrey Moss who has completed 60 percent (135 of 225) of his passes this year and has 25 touchdown passes to only 3 interceptions. Receiver Nick Richardson has been on the receiving end of 10 of those touchdown passes and Janel Harper has 7.
The Patriots need a big game from leading rusher Nick Beavers who has 741 yards through 11 games this season.
“Anytime in 6A playoff games it comes down to quarterback play and Jeffrey has to play well for us and do a good job leading our football team,” Rose said. “Defensively, Reggie Ragland needs to dominate his side of the line of scrimmage with some explosive plays. In the secondary we need Rashad Goode to come up with a pick six or an interception for a short field.”
Alabama commit Reggie Ragland (6-foot-3, 238 pounds) is a game changer that Bob Jones has relied on all season. From his Will linebacker position Ragland has made plays all over the field and says he wants to keep playing past this week.
“I expect a different outcome,” said Ragland who is full speed and ready to go fresh off a visit to Tuscaloosa for the LSU game.
“Hopefully we get the win but if we don’t they are not going to beat us by that score. We are going to stop the running game and stop a couple passes from going deep.
As for kickoff coverage, Ragland said that the Patriots have a new game plan against Humphrey. Also deep kickoffs from senior kicker Andrew Dunn out of the end zone will negate big plays in the kicking game.
“We got to play better as a whole team,” leading rusher Nick Beavers said.
“The offensive line has to get a good push to open some running lanes and to allow the quarterback to stay in the pocket and deliver some passes. It’s not one individual effort. It’s a team effort. We got great fans, a great atmosphere, a big stage and we will do a good job,” Beavers said.
