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   The best of the best in Alabama High   
  School Football over the past 100 seasons.






2024 Team Previews 

  


Faith Academy Rams

Head Coach: Erik Speakman (first season)
Career Record: 6 seasons, (45-25)
At Faith Academy: First season
Stadium: Ram Field
2024 Enrollment:  516
Rank:  111st in the AHSAA, 22nd in Class 5A

 History 
Overall Record:   253-270-1   (48.0%)
Last 25 years:   154-122   (56.0%)  (Rank: 149th in the AHSAA, 16th in Class 5A)
Since 2010:   76-78  (49.4%)  (Rank: 199th in the AHSAA, 26th in Class 5A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2023
Last Region Championship:   2019
Last Winning Season:   2023
Last Losing Season:   2017

 2023 
Class:  5A              Region:   1
Record:  8-4
Region Record:   6-2, (second)
Playoff Record:   Second round loss to Eufaula by a score of 41-14.
Final ASWA Poll:   Not Ranked
Scoring:  286 (23.8)
Defense:  236 (19.7)


 2024 
Class: 5A              Region:   1
Strength of Schedule: 49-56 (47%) (261st in the AHSAA, 41st in Class 5A)
Region Strength:  34-40 (46%)
Non-Region Strength:  15-16 (48%)



 2023 Results 
 8/25  vs. J.A.G.  (7A)   43-24   W  
 9/1  @ Elberta  (5A)  *  44-13   W  
 9/8  vs. Gulf Shores  (5A)  *  16-31   L  
 9/15  @ B.C. Rain  (5A)  *  29-21   W  
 9/22  @ Citronelle  (5A)  *  10-27   L  
 9/29  @ St. Pauls  (6A)   7-40   L  
 10/6  vs. Vigor  (5A)  *  21-13   W  
 10/13   OPEN 
 10/20  vs. Williamson  (5A)  *  29-0   W  
 10/27  vs. UMS-Wright  (5A)  *  21-13   W  
 11/3  @ LeFlore  (5A)  *  21-6   W  
 Playoffs 
 11/10  vs. Elmore County    31-7   W  
 11/17  @ Eufaula    14-41   L  

 2024 Schedule 
 8/23   OPEN 
 8/30  vs. Fairhope  (7A)       
 9/6  vs. Citronelle  (5A)  *      
 9/13  @ LeFlore  (5A)  *      
 9/20  vs. Elberta  (5A)  *      
 9/27  vs. St. Pauls  (6A)       
 10/4  @ Williamson  (5A)  *      
 10/11  vs. Vigor  (5A)  *      
 10/18  @ B.C. Rain  (5A)  *      
 10/25  @ UMS-Wright  (5A)  *      
 11/1  @ Tate FL   (5-5)       


Class  5A Region  1
Team 2023 Record Region Scoring                            
Faith Academy (5A) 8-4 6-2286-236
B.C. Rain (5A) 8-4 5-3343-226
UMS-Wright (5A) 7-5 5-3206-201
Vigor (5A) 7-3 5-3277-139
Citronelle (5A) 6-4 4-4184-217
Williamson (5A) 3-7 2-6119-198
Elberta (5A) 2-8 1-7157-376
LeFlore (5A) 1-9 0-887-282

 2024 Preview 


       Faith Academy completed the 2023 season with a 8-4 record. With their 6-2 region record and a second place finish in Class 5A region one, the Rams earned a spot in the playoffs in 2023. Faith Academy reached the second round of the playoffs before falling to Eufaula by a score of 41-14.

       Since 2010, Faith Academy has gone a combined 76-78. Their 49.4% winning percentage ranks 26th in Class 5A over the past fourteen seasons.

       Over the past 25 seasons, Faith Academy has managed to compile a record of 154-122. Their 56.0% winning percentage ranks 16th in Class 5A and 149th in the AHSAA.

Graduated All-State Players:
       Faith Academy lost 5A All-State  defensive back Ty Goodwill to graduation. He was named to the first team last season. Also graduating were teammates defensive back Jacori Stabler and athlete Jaeden Simmons.

Coaching Change:
     Jack French  accepted the head coaching position at Faith Academy in 2018 and quickly turned around the fortunes of the football program. His six teams went 55-20 and qualified for the playoffs at the end of each season. His 2020 and 2022 squads reached the semifinals. Three of his teams won at least ten games.

French retired following the 2023 football season with a record of 314-140-2 in 40 years as a head football coach in Mississippi and Alabama. His playoff record was 32-21.

2024 Head Coach:
    Erik Speakman  spent the last six seasons as the head football coach at Opelika with a record of 45-25 and 9-4 in the playoffs. Opelika made the jump up to 7A in 2022 and struggled against some of the best teams in the state with Auburn, Central PC, Dothan High and Enterprise in the same region.

He follows in the footsteps of Coach Jack French at Faith Academy. Over the course of his career, Coach Speakman's teams have qualified for the playoffs a total of four times and won three region championships.

Season Outlook:

       The Faith Academy Rams will play in Class 5A region one during the 2024 season.

      

       The Rams were a disappointing 8-4 last year under Coach French. While that may have been a great season at other places the preseason goals were set much higher.

       In 2024 Erik Speakman will lead the Rams as they hope to contend for the region one championship and a deep run in the playoffs. Only three opponents on the Ram's 2024 schedule qualified for the playoffs last season.

       The Rams saw their offense graduate all but three starters from the 2024 football season so rebuilding will be at the top of the list when fall practice opens at Faith Academy. They return five starters to the defense this year.

    The Rams should be in contention for a playoff spot in region one this season. Hosting a first round playoff game on their home turf would be an advantage. They have reached the playoffs every year since 2017 and will once again be in the hunt for a spot in 2024.

Players to Watch in 2024:
      Also back will be DT Cooper Searcy who collected 120 tackles (87 solo) and 6 sacks as a junior.

Returning Starters:
OFFENSE: OL- LeTeddrick Roberts
DEFENSE: LB- Cooper Searcy; DE- Trent Sellers; DT- Jaxon Williams; CB- Rahin Andrus
NEWCOMERS: Athlete - Devin McKenzie

Season Opener:
       The Rams open the 2024 season at home against non-region opponent Fairhope on Friday, August 30 at Ram Field. Last year the Fairhope Pirates finished with an overall record of 3-7 and in sixth place in Class 7A region one. The Pirates ended last season on a positive note with a win over Briarwood by a score of 24-14 after failing to gain a playoff spot.

       This will be the second meeting between Faith Academy and Fairhope on the football field. The Rams have a 0-1-0 record against the Pirates. They last met in with

  


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