#HSFT18 Stop No. 14 — New Albany

NEW ALBANY, Miss. (WCBI) — Football has always been a part of Cody Stubblefield’s life.

Now, he gets his shot as a head coach.

“After i got out of Memphis, I was here three years with coach [Ron] Price,” Stubblefield said, “New Albany became home, has been home ever since.

“It’s the community I wanted to be in, where I go to church, where I want to raise my family. New Albany is coming back home.”

Stubblefield takes over the Bulldogs after Jake Hill resigned after three seasons.

The former Memphis Tiger and Tupelo offensive-coordinator has already made his mark on the locker room.

“Nobody can take Coach Hill’s place, that was a sweet man…I love him to death,” senior wide receiver Jadien Deaton said, “Coach Stubblefield, he stepped in and took over the role as head coach and a father figure of the locker room…”

“He knows how to win, he’s been around a winning program,” senior quarterback Loden Bolen said.

“He’s brought a lot of discipline and hard work, and he just knows the game.”

The Bulldogs are coming off back to back 5-7 seasons, reaching the playoffs in each season.

Key starters return at skill positions, and even with a younger team, this group of Bulldogs are confident they can make some noise.

“Last year we were just a couple plays away, we were just a couple of mistakes away,” Bolen said, “it wasn’t personnel wise, I think we have the personnel to win the division.

“If we win the division, we could make a run, make a deep run.”

“I believe a lot of people are sleeping on us next year,” senior wide receiver and cornerback Zack Ball said, “…we’re young, but I believe we’ve got the chance to make something happen…”

“Every day, we want to get one percent better. Whatever we’re doing, whether it’s on the field, in the weight room, we’re trying to get a little bit better,” Stubblefield said.