HSFT22 Stop #23 — Sulligent Blue Devils

Sulligent, Al. — Sulligent is dealing with lots of turnover when it comes to the flashy positions, but in the trenches it is almost identical to last year.

“We’re pretty young skill wise but our offensive line is going to be our strength,” head coach Daniel Merchant said. “We’ve got four seniors that are going to be starting and some experienced guys who have played a lot of football.”

With a new quarterback under center, the Blue Devils will be a run first team, with that veteran offensive line paving the way.

“We’re going to lean heavy up front,” Merchant said. “Braxton Atkinson, our right tackle, he’s a big ole boy and we are going to try to run behind him. He’s the leader on that offensive line.”

This team is far from one dimensional and can handle anything offensively that is thrown at them.

“We can run the ball really good, and we can pass really good,” Atkinson said. “When we put our mind to anything we will be able to do it.”

There may be more talented teams but Sulligent makes up for it with it’s work ethic.

“We got really strong guys and I think that we are going to be the strongest team in the region,” offensive lineman Cam Otts said. “I don’t think people have been putting in the work like we have.”

As the new quarterback, Noah Chism keeps the plan simple.

“I do my best to lead the team to the best of my ability,” Chism said. “Our goal is just simply win as many games as possible, we’ve worked too hard and gone too far.”

After last year’s seven and five season the Blue Devils aren’t satisfied and are using last year as motivation.

“We’re really looking forward to next season,” Otts said. “I think going out in the second round last year really put a fire under us and we really just want to go farther than we did last year.”

Sulligent will start the 2022 season at home against Oakman, August 19th.