5/15/23
By Kevin Taylor Alma Schools
Alma football coach Rusty Bush has more chips than he knows what to do with when it comes to skilled offensive football players.
So many, in fact, he’d probably like to save some for future teams.
What the Airedlaes’ football team lacks, however, is offensive linemen depth.
“Skill-wise, we feel pretty good. We feel like we have some good players and we feel like we have some depth at those positions,” Bush said. “With linemen, we’re just a little thin. We feel good about the ones we have, we’re just a little thin.”
The Airedales, who open the 2024 season on Aug. 24th at Van Buren, started spring practice this week in hopes of fine-tuning everything they’ve worked for in the off-season.
“It’s going to be key for us to stay healthy, and we’re going to have to play some guys both ways, but it is what it is,” Bush said. “You look at Prairie Grove from last year, who was right there in the conference race, and they were flipping seven and eight guys. If other people can do it, we can do it, too.
“We’ll just have to be a tough blue-collar team.”
The Airedales will return their starting center from last season, Zach Millsap, and have numerous other guys back, too. “Four of the five linemen are back,” Bush said.
In addition to Millsap, Jacob Moore, Eric Johnson, and Eli Waldrop will return in 2023.
Defensively, the Airedales will be smaller but quicker on the interior line. “Defensively, we’ll have a different look,” Bush said. “Jaden Parker is back, who ended starting the last two games. The defensive line, we’ll have a different look. We’re going to be long and lean in the D-line. We’ll be pretty athletic, and it’ll be one of the fastest defenses since I’ve been here.”
Alma’s biggest change in 2023 will be at quarterback. Joe Trusty set the standard in the last two seasons, passing for 3,592 yards and 36 touchdowns.
Senior Jackson Daily is vying for the starting job.
Alma returns two of its top backs from a year ago, Carlos Gonzalez and Israel Towns-Robinson, and has speedy receivers, Drake Stogsdill and Demetrius Parish.
“It’s typical spring football,” Bush said. “We’re looking for guys to step up and we’re looking for returnees to take a bigger leadership role. We’re looking for guys who may not have played a whole lot of steps last year but that are growing up. We have to replace those seniors who graduated.
“We’re looking for guys to step up and be a Friday night player for us.”