High School Football Tour: Starkville Academy

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STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) — The element of surprise wasn’t on the side of the Volunteers in 2012.

A year after Starkville Academy made a storybook run to the 2011 State Championship following a win-less 2010, the Vols fell short last season in making a second significant run to Clinton.

This season, the Vols return a small amount of experience from their (5-7) team from a year ago. That won’t deter a tough-minded group, who still have their eyes set on making a postseason run.

“Basically we lost everything and we’re an awfully young football team,” head coach Jeff Terrill said. “But, we’re a talented young football team. They’re working awfully hard to achieve their goals.”

The Vols will have to replace starting quarterback Drew Pellum and a litany of other talented seniors from last year’s squad.

Sophomore Houston Clark is the next in line to take over at QB for SA.

“Houston has great talent and potential,” Terrill said. “He has to get out there and keep working and learning every day, but we’re pleased with his progress.”

Even with the youth on the Volunteers going into this season, coach Terrill and Starkville Academy aren’t using that as a crutch.

“The one thing that’s our chant this year is we’re not making any excuses,” coach Terrill said. “We’re going into this season to play to win. We’re going to fight for a division championship and a playoff spot just like any other year. But that’s our slogan this year: No excuses.”

The Vols will start 2013 on the road at Lamar before their home opener on August 30th against East Rankin.