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






2024 Team Previews 

  


Jacksonville Golden Eagles

Head Coach: Clint Smith (thirteenth season)
Career Record: 22 seasons, (156-89)
At Jacksonville: 12 seasons, (99-42)
Stadium: Golden Eagle Stadium
2024 Enrollment:  406
Rank:  136th in the AHSAA, 46th in Class 5A

 History 
Overall Record:   436-475-37   (48.0%)
Last 25 years:   146-124   (54.0%)  (Rank: 144th in the AHSAA, 18th in Class 5A)
Since 2010:   103-58  (64.0%)  (Rank: 81st in the AHSAA, 13th in Class 5A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2023
Last Region Championship:   2019
Last Winning Season:   2023
Last Losing Season:   2011

 2023 
Class:  4A              Region:   4
Record:  10-3
Region Record:   5-1, (second)
Playoff Record:   Quarter-finals loss to Catholic Montgomery by a score of 44-20.
Final ASWA Poll:   8th
Scoring:  539 (41.5)
Defense:  240 (18.5)


 2024 
Class: 5A              Region:   6
Strength of Schedule: 58-52 (53%) (131st in the AHSAA, 30th in Class 5A)
Region Strength:  38-29 (57%)
Non-Region Strength:  20-23 (46%)



 2023 Results 
 8/25  @ Boaz  (5A)   43-21   W  
 9/1  vs. Alexandria  (5A)   45-21   W  
 9/8  @ Handley  (4A)  *  24-32   L  
 9/15  vs. Anniston  (4A)  *  52-24   W  
 9/22  @ Talladega  (4A)  *  51-0   W  
 9/29  @ Ohatchee  (3A)   51-6   W  
 10/6  vs. Cleburne County  (4A)  *  63-14   W  
 10/13  @ Munford  (4A)  *  58-14   W  
 10/20   OPEN 
 10/27  vs. White Plains  (4A)  *  62-0   W  
 11/3  vs. Oxford  (6A)   7-36   L  
 Playoffs 
 11/10  vs. Bayside Academy    35-7   W  
 11/17  @ Bibb County    28-21   W  
 11/24  vs. Catholic Montgomery    20-44   L  

 2024 Schedule 
 8/23  @ Etowah  (4A)       
 8/30  @ Alexandria  (4A)       
 9/6  @ Moody  (5A)  *      
 9/13  vs. Center Point  (5A)  *      
 9/20  @ Leeds  (5A)  *      
 9/27  vs. Corner  (5A)       
 10/4  @ Springville  (5A)  *      
 10/11  vs. Lincoln  (5A)  *      
 10/18   OPEN 
 10/25  vs. St. Clair County  (5A)  *      
 11/1  @ Anniston  (4A)       
 11/8  @ Scottsboro        


Class  5A Region  6
Team 2023 Record Region Scoring                            
Jacksonville (4A) 10-3 5-1539-240
Leeds (5A) 9-3 5-1340-196
Center Point (6A) 7-4 4-2270-239
Moody (5A) 10-3 5-1428-204
Springville (5A) 5-6 3-3289-283
St. Clair County (5A) 3-7 2-4169-389
Lincoln (5A) 4-6 1-5187-247

 2024 Preview 


       Jacksonville completed the 2023 season with a 10-3 record. With their 5-1 region record and a second place finish in Class 4A region four, the Golden Eagles earned a spot in the playoffs in 2023. Jacksonville lost in the quarter-finals of the playoffs last season to a good Catholic Montgomery team by a score of 44-20.

       The high-scoring Jacksonville offense ranked 19th in the AHSAA. They averaged 41.5 points a game.

       Since 2010, Jacksonville has gone a combined 103-58. Their 64.0% winning percentage ranks 13th in Class 5A over the past fourteen seasons.

       Over the past 25 seasons, Jacksonville has managed to compile a record of 146-124. Their 54.0% winning percentage ranks 18th in Class 5A and 144th in the AHSAA.

Graduated All-State Players:
       Jacksonville lost 4A All-State  quarterback Jim Ogle to graduation. He was named to the first team last season. Also graduating were teammates receiver Kydric Fisher and linebacker Charlie Wright.

Head Coach:
       The Golden Eagles are led by head coach Clint Smith who is entering his thirteenth season at the helm. He has compiled a record of 99-42 over the past twelve seasons at Jacksonville. Under his direction the Golden Eagles have qualified for the playoffs a total of eleven times. They have won two region crowns with Coach Smith. His 156 wins rank 32nd among active coaches in the AHSAA. Over the course of his career, Coach Smith's teams have qualified for the playoffs a total of sixteen times and won three region championships. Coach Smith won a state championship at Trinity Oxford in 2000.

Season Outlook:

       The Jacksonville Golden Eagles will play in Class 5A region six during the 2024 season. The Golden Eagles move up in classification to Class 5A. They may find the going slightly tougher with the move.

      

       The loss of Jim Ogle at quarterback will be hard to overcome for the Golden Eagles this season. They do return running back Xavier English who will be expected to carry the load for a while early on the season.

       The Eagles also lost their top two receivers in Kydric Fisher (1,242 yards) and DaMonte Sinclair (1,129 yards) to graduation. Jacksonville has qualified for the playoffs in each of the past eleven seasons and there is no reason to believe the streak will come to an end in 2024.

       Matthew Salmon and Jackson Bonner will be taking snaps for Jacksonville's offense when the season opens. The offensive line returns all five starters and should be a strong point. Most of the defense graduated with a few returning in the secondary.

    The Golden Eagles have a good shot at one of the last two playoff slots in region six this season. They have qualified for the playoffs every year since 2012 and are hopeful to continue that streak in 2024.

Players to Watch in 2024:
      RB Xavier English will be returning for his senior season after rushing for 1,220 yards and 15 TDs last season.

Returning Starters:
Zae English, RB, Sr.; Jackson Bonner, FB/TE, Sr.; Braden Ball, OL, Sr.; Drake Lee, OL, Sr.; Tyshaun Cameron, DB, Sr.; Gehrig Strain, OL, Sr.; D.J. Atkinson, DL, Sr.; T.J. Wilson, DB, Sr.; Ben Pridgen, OL, Jr.; Trent Jackson, LB, Jr.; John Ducar, K, Jr.; Demauri Sigler, OL, Jr.; Bryce Allen, LB, Jr.; Zae Moore, DB, Jr.

Season Opener:
       The Golden Eagles open the 2024 season on the road against non-region opponent Etowah on Friday, August 23 at Jim Glover Field. Last year the Etowah Blue Devils finished with an overall record of 3-8 and in fourth place in Class 4A region six. The Blue Devils lost in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs to West Morgan by a score of 56-0.

       Jacksonville and Etowah have met a total of 10 times on the football field. The Golden Eagles have a 3-7-0 record against the Blue Devils. They last met in 1999 with Etowah winning by a score of 41-13.

  


Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History

Bart Starr received coaching from Kentucky great Babe Parilli his senior season at Sidney Lanier in hopes of joining Bear Bryant at Kentucky. He had to settle for Alabama.