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Hopes mount Seventh in a series. By Michael Wetzel MOUNT HOPE — On the surface, Mount Hope Yellow Jackets head football coach John Smith appears to have it made. He sits behind a big desk in an air-conditioned office. On the wall behind him hangs a photo of him during his playing days at Auburn, where he lettered three years under the legendary Ralph "Shug" Jordan and Shug's predecessor Doug Barfield. The photo shows a full head of brown hair on a muscular nose tackle wearing No. 95. On a desk beneath the photo are a couple of autographed balls and helmets. One football carries the signatures of the players and coaches from an early 1980s Vero Beach, Fla., team that won the Florida 4A championship. Smith, that team's defensive assistant, tells a visitor about the following year's team, which lost in the last minute to Miami-Columbus High in the state playoffs. The opposing quarterback for Columbus? Smith remembers his name too well — Mike Shula.
But Smith chuckles and says looks can be deceiving. Smith coaches at Mount Hope, a Class 1A school in the far reaches of western Lawrence County. A few years ago, the number of players dressing out dropped so low, the school didn't field a team. "I am still trying to build this program back up," said Smith, who is entering his third year at the school. "Not only do we have to get kids out, we have to build up interest for it and find the community support." Having a 1-12 record for the past two years, Smith knows he has a challenge before him. But he sees blue skies among those green pastures surrounding the school. "We had a real successful spring, and this year we have 30 kids dressing," Smith said. "Fifteen are 10th- to 12th-graders and the other 15 are seventh- through ninth-graders." Last year, the Yellow Jackets dressed 20 to 25. "We still lack the numbers and are considered non-region so we can pretty much schedule any team who wants to play us," Smith said. This year's slate includes Tharptown, Waterloo and Class 2A Lyman Ward twice. Three times for Tharptown if you count the Aug. 25 jamboree. He says Tharptown, a Franklin County school that has grades up to the 10th, and Class 1A Waterloo don't have home stadiums. Playing at home won't ensure wins, Smith said, but it can't hurt. If nothing else, the team is saving on rising fuel costs. Also, Smith has nine defensive starters back from a team that went 0-7 against mainly larger schools in 2005. "If we can pick up a few victories, it will change the whole attitude about football here," he said. "If you know you have a shot at winning the game, the kids will want to play hard all 48 minutes. "I know the community is ready to support a winner." Before the opposing teams roll into this town on the edge of the Bankhead National Forest, Smith has to quickly find some answers on the field. He said his quarterback is the biggest question mark. Last year's quarterback Spencer Arthur, a sophomore, moved to Texas. This year's appointee, Ty Linker, a junior transfer from Franklin County, has never taken a snap in a live varsity game. Linker (5-foot-10, 165 pounds) will direct the Yellow Jackets' wishbone offense. "We've got some good backs and some adequate receivers," Smith said. "We will run it to set up the pass." The running backs, returning starters Justin Gann, Cody Little and Chase Hopkins and wide receivers Tony Sims, Brandon Henson and Chad Brewer, give Smith even more hope. "As far as skilled position players, this the best team I've had since I've been here," Smith said. Blocking for the bone will be an offensive line averaging 270 pounds. It's led by 6-0, 320-pound right tackle Jacob "Ox" Young. On the defensive side of the ball, Little returns as the team's leading tackler from his linebacker spot. "Another linebacker is Justin Early," Smith said. "He goes all out every play, all year. He's a headhunter and the key to that defense. He knows where everybody should be and has a real nose for the ball." Sims, Hopkins and Young will start on the defensive line. In the secondary, Chaise Calhoun is the only returning starter. Smith said he will count on help there from Linker, Henson and Brewer. The small numbers catch up with Mount Hope in the kicking game. Smith and his assistants had a place-kicking contest in the spring. "Every player on the team tried kicking extra points, and every kid on the team got a chance to punt in practice," he said. He said the staff narrowed the choices to 10, then five, then three before deciding on Hopkins. "Chase has no experience, but he won the job," Smith said. "The kicking game can cost us in a close game. We've got to get better. We've got our work cut out in that area." Smith sees victories this year and so do his players. "Coach Smith has told us to give it our best every play of every game," Young said. "We believe we can win some games this year, but I can't say how many." Added Smith, a former high school all-American at Coffee in Florence: "This is an unselfish group of kids. They are a bunch of enthusiastic young men. They want Mount Hope to win and they want do to what it takes. We've got good parental support and certainly having more people on the field helps us." On Thursday, Smith said his program was still working in shorts because of a shortage of helmets. This summer, the team raised funds selling a horse and working the concession stand at a rodeo. Mount Hope schedule,
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