Ashville Bulldogs
Head Coach: Barry Simmons
Following a 4-6 campaign last season and the departure of Coach Trey Pike, the Ashville Bulldogs approach the new season with a new coach and a fresh new attitude of physical football and a winning attitude.
“It’s a new day at Ashville. We don’t look at the past at all, what we do is to look toward the future,” said Ashville head coach Barry Simmons. “It’s a brand new day – we have a new attitude in which the status quo is not good enough anymore.”
“We have new expectations for ourselves and have set our goals to reaching the playoffs. We have new expectations concerning effort on the practice field. We have new expectations in the classroom. It’s a new day here in Ashville.”
Simmons is stressing the importance of self-discipline and responsibility as he imprints his team with a renewed commitment. “We hold each other accountable for every action that we take. That’s how we act in the classroom and how we act in the fieldhouse.”
Ashville fans should expect a physical brand of football, according to Simmons. “(They will see) something that they have not seen in times past.” While continuing with elements of their spread offense, Simmons emphasized a harder hitting, physical, “in-your-face” offense is going to be on the field.
Simmons admits that the defense is still a work in progress, ultimately with the goal of having “eleven guys swarming toward the football.”
“We want to be that team that nobody wants to play. We want to be an Ashville Bulldogs team that when you play us for four quarters, you will get hit in the face defensively the whole game.”
Looking at the regional competition this season, Simmons pointed out that there were a lot of challenges to overcome in their very tough region.
“Ours might be the toughest 4A region in North Alabama. Over the last two years we have had two teams in the semi-finals or the quarter finals at the end of the year. When you look at teams like Jacksonville, Hokes Bluff, Cherokee County, Oneonta, Anniston and White Plains – they are all very good teams in a very deep region.” Simmons did say it was an uphill challenge, but one that the team has embraced which highlights the new attitude and culture being laid down in Ashville.
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“I think we have a lot of energy in the backfield. We are all strong, fast and very elusive.” – Luke Harris – RB/LB Ashville High School |
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“(My teammates and I) are together for three periods every day during the school day, and then after practice we are together for two or three more hours. We are like a brotherhood. We hang out all the time.” – Nathan Phillips – FB/LB Ashville High School |
2018 Football Schedule
Ashville Bulldogs
8/24 @ Ragland
8/31 vs. Springville
9/7 @ Jacksonville *
9/14 vs. White Plains *
9/21 @ Oneonta *
9/28 OPEN
10/5 @ Hokes Bluff *
10/12 vs. Cherokee County *
10/19 @ Cleburne County *
10/26 vs. Anniston *
11/2 vs. Vincent
* Regional game
Source: ahsfhs.org