CALERA
TEAM INFORMATION
EAGLES Coming off back-to-back one-win seasons, it has been a tough stretch for the Calera Eagles. They’ve looked like a team that moved up to the 6A classification two years ago and made a coaching change in June last year. Now, the Eagles are starting to build, and while they may have some youthful growing pains this year, they’ll still be better and are on the path to being extremely dangerous in the next year or two with potential for this season to be a breakout year. Last year’s team ended with 52 players on it due to 13 season-ending injuries, and while the team will only have seven seniors, five of which will play defense, they’ll have closer to 90 players on the roster this year with 35-40 freshmen and 25-30 sophomores. Going into the second year under head coach Trey Simpson, the expectations don’t change because of that youth, while they are starting to progress to the numbers of a 6A program.
MEET THE TEAM QUARTERBACK Right off the bat, one of the most important positions on the field can determine whether this year will put the Eagles a year ahead of where their age actually is. Tyler Nelson will return as the starting quarterback as a sophomore, and coaches say he has the potential to blow up this year. Last year, he started his first game against state power Opelika and didn’t blink. Now at 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, he’s learned the position, and while he’s extremely athletic and talented with his feet, he’s worked tirelessly on his accuracy passing the football and isn’t afraid to step into a hit to deliver the ball.
RUNNING BACK At running back, there is a lot of potential as well. Chris Cotton was set to play a lot last year, but broke his arm in week three of the season. This year, standing at 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, he’ll be the leader and has put on more size to handle the duties of being an every-down back as a senior. Daniel Carmona will bring a different dimension to the position as a talented playmaker who can do more on the perimeter. Just a sophomore, he’ll allow the Eagles to do more outside zone, which they haven’t
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2020 SHELBY COUNTY FOOTBALL
Tyler Nelson
CLASSIFICATION AHSAA Class 6A, Region 3 2019 RECORD 1-9 (0-5) HEAD COACH Trey Simpson RECORD 1-9 (Second year) ASSISTANT COACHES James Knowles, Mike Montgomery, Robert Albritton, Chris Wilson, Ryan Dobbs, Paul Hovey, Ty Nelson, Austin Barnhill, AJ Ward, Adam Lawson LAST REGION TITLE 2008 LAST PLAYOFF GAME 2017
