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Bobcats Fielding First Football TeamSpeake Giving ‘New Sport’ A TrySPEAKE — The Speake Bobcats, after years of competition in basketball, have decided to give football a try.Harold Pirtle, who was an assistant coach under Guin Holland and later head coach at Brewer, is the new head football coach for the Bobcats.Speake has had a junior football program as well as youth football for the past five years, which should give them an edge over most first year teams.“I’m real impressed with the attitude out here. We hope to get our feet on the ground this year and next year we’ll be a serious contender for the state playoffs,” says Pirtle.“THE BIGGEST problem in starting a new football team is trying to teach team strategy and fundamentals at ^esame time,” said Pirtle.The Bobcats have speed as their chief asset. Glen Jenkins (5-6, 140 pounds) and Elvis Brack in (5-9, 160pounds) run the 50 yard dash in just under five seconds. Both Jenkins and Brackin are juniors.Probable starters for the Bobcats are:Seniors: Lineman BillySteel (5-10, 160 pounds),lineman David Lowery (5-10, 185 pounds), split end Roy Johnson 6-0, 175 pounds) and end Gordan Morgan (5-11, 150 pounds).Juniors: QuarterbackRonnie Alexander (5-7, 150 pounds), fullback Gary Black (5-8, 160 pounds), fullback Brian McClemore (5-8, 165 pounds), halfbacks Jenkins, Brackin and Mike Green (5-9, 165 pounds), lineman Mike Bowling (5-9, 170 pounds), lineman David Cleghom (5-8, 160 pounds) and end Mike Smith (5-10,150pounds).SOPHOMORE end Stanley Larimore (6-2, 155pounds).Freshman lineman Tim Green (5-6,160 pounds).The Bobcats have a chance to make their first season a success because they are not playing above their heads, according to Pirtle. Three of the teams Speake will face are also first year teams.“One problem we don’t have that a lot of first year schools have is clashing basketball and footballprograms,” says Pirtle. Pirtle is also the head basketball coach at Speake.“I’m real impressed with the attitude out here. These kids are giving everything they have,” said Pirtle. “They are determined to make the community of Speake proud of them.”Hayden and Oakman are rated by Pirtle as two of the toughest teams the Bobcats will face this year.Speake is at home against Mt. Hope Sept. 5 in its season opener.The longest kickoff return in University of NorthAlabama history is 199 yards by Bobby Joe Pride of Decal nr in 1976 against Teanessee-Martin. Last season a freshman speed merchant also from Decatur, Charlie Kennedy, logged the second longest KO jaunt, 98 yards in a 21-7 victory over Appalachian State. Pride also owns the No. 3 spot in longdistance re tarns, a M-yarder for a TD against Arkansas Tech, also in 1976.-o—The University of North Alabama will face a 19-game schedule in 1974 with all hot two of the games under the lights. The Lions willcelebrate homecoming against defending Gnlf So nth Conference champion Troy State in an afternoon tnssle and the : other daytime tilt is booked with Jacksonville State in the season ender at Jacksonville.Good Lult;See Us At CHEVROL'Drive A Little-MoultonBill CiMM i
Newspaper Details
Decatur Daily
Decatur, Alabama, US
Sun, Aug 25, 1974
Page 84
Full Page
Clipped by
Deangelo M.
NA, NA 09 Aug 2024
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