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






2024 Team Previews 

  


UMS-Wright Bulldogs

Head Coach: Terry Curtis (twenty-sixth season)
Career Record: 35 seasons, (355-98)
At UMS-Wright: 25 seasons, (278-62)
Stadium: Ervin S. Cooper Stadium
2024 Enrollment:  382
Rank:  148th in the AHSAA, 56th in Class 5A

 History 
Overall Record:   680-434-26   (61.0%)
Last 25 years:   278-62   (82.0%)  (Rank: 5th in the AHSAA, 1st in Class 5A)
Since 2010:   151-36  (80.7%)  (Rank: 8th in the AHSAA, 1st in Class 5A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2023
Last Region Championship:   2022
Last Winning Season:   2023
Last Losing Season:   2007

 2023 
Class:  5A              Region:   1
Record:  7-5
Region Record:   5-3, (fourth)
Playoff Record:   Second round loss to Headland by a score of 35-21.
Final ASWA Poll:   Not Ranked
Scoring:  206 (17.2)
Defense:  201 (16.8)


 2024 
Class: 5A              Region:   1
Strength of Schedule: 56-52 (52%) (153rd in the AHSAA, 31st in Class 5A)
Region Strength:  35-39 (47%)
Non-Region Strength:  21-13 (62%)



 2023 Results 
 8/25  vs. St. Pauls  (6A)   7-14   L  
 9/1  @ T.R. Miller  (4A)   16-14   W  
 9/8  vs. LeFlore  (5A)  *  13-6   W  
 9/15  @ Gulf Shores  (5A)  *  0-17   L  
 9/22  @ Vigor  (5A)  *  9-31   #Won  
 9/29   OPEN 
 10/6  vs. Elberta  (5A)  *  55-13   W  
 10/13  vs. B.C. Rain  (5A)  *  21-31   L  
 10/20  vs. Citronelle  (5A)  *  24-0   W  
 10/27  @ Faith Academy  (5A)  *  13-21   L  
 11/2  @ Williamson  (5A)  *  20-19   W  
 Playoffs 
 11/10  @ Central Clay County    7-0   W  
 11/17  @ Headland    21-35   L  

 2024 Schedule 
 8/23  @ St. Pauls  (6A)       
 8/30  vs. LeFlore  (5A)  *      
 9/6  @ B.C. Rain  (5A)  *      
 9/13  @ Vigor  (5A)  *      
 9/20   OPEN 
 9/27  vs. T.R. Miller  (3A)       
 10/4  @ Citronelle  (5A)  *      
 10/11  vs. Williamson  (5A)  *      
 10/18  @ Elberta  (5A)  *      
 10/25  vs. Faith Academy  (5A)  *      
 10/31  vs. St. Michael  (4A)       
 11/8  @ Demopolis        
 11/15  vs. Andalusia        
 11/22  @ Vigor        


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 


       UMS-Wright completed the 2023 season with a 7-5 record. With their 5-3 region record and a fourth place finish in Class 5A region one, the Bulldogs earned a spot in the playoffs in 2023. UMS-Wright reached the second round of the playoffs before falling to Headland by a score of 35-21.

       The Bulldogs hope to get back closer to the 12-1 record in 2022.

       UMS-Wright was inconsistent offensively last year and they need some improvement if the Bulldogs want to be competitive. They only averaged 17.2 points a game.

       As one of the best football programs in the state since 2010, UMS-Wright has gone a combined 151-36. Their 80.7% winning percentage ranks 1st in Class 5A over the past fourteen seasons.

       Over the past 25 seasons, UMS-Wright has finished a combined 278-62. Their 82.0% winning percentage ranks 1st in Class 5A and 5th in the AHSAA. The Bulldogs have been successful on the football field with twenty-four winning seasons during this time. Their last losing season was 2007.

Graduated All-State Players:
       UMS-Wright lost 5A All-State  offensive lineman Hayden Breal to graduation. He was named to the second team last season. Also graduating was teammate athlete Joe Lott.

Head Coach:
       The Bulldogs are led by head coach Terry Curtis who is entering his twenty-sixth season at the helm. He has compiled a record of 278-62 over the past twenty-five seasons at UMS-Wright. Under his direction the Bulldogs have qualified for the playoffs a total of twenty-five times. They have won seventeen region crowns with Coach Curtis. Coach Curtis has won eight state championships at UMS-Wright, the last coming in 2019. His 355 wins rank 2nd among active coaches in the AHSAA. Over the course of his career, Coach Curtis' teams have qualified for the playoffs a total of times and won twenty region championships. He has a 82-24 record in the playoffs during his career. The playoff victories rank with the best among active coaches.

Season Outlook:

       The UMS-Wright Bulldogs will play in Class 5A region one during the 2024 season.

      

       The seven wins last year were the fewest at UMS-Wright since the 2010 football season. They were a young team last year and should be much more experienced in 2024. Except for a forfeited win over Vigor they would have missed the playoffs.

       The Bulldogs have qualified for the playoffs in each of the past 30 football seasons. They have only lost once in the first round during that streak. That may be more impressive than the streak itself. They also claimed eight state championships along the way.

       Head Coach Terry Curtis sits atop the list of coaches with the most wins in the history of high school football in the state. His 355 victories are impressive but how much longer will he be around to lead the Bulldogs?

       According to Coach Curtis the Bulldogs will return five starters from last year's team to the offense and seven on defense. Look for more of the same at UMS-Wright. Sound fundamental football with few mistakes and a will to win every time they suit up.

    The Bulldogs 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 1993 and will once again be in the hunt for a spot in 2024.

Players to Watch in 2024:
      Coming back will be OLB Jeff Holston who collected 116 tackles (68 solo) and 5 sacks as a junior.

      Also returning will be LB Zan Woody who collected 78 tackles (54 solo) and 2 sacks last season.

Returning Starters:
LB Jeff Holston, LB Caplyn Reed, DB William Tanner, RB James Hollon, TE Bo Wills, WR Denton Elliott, WR Camden Taylor, DE Mac McGinley, WR/FS James Scott

Season Opener:
       The Bulldogs open the 2024 season on the road against non-region opponent St. Pauls on Friday, August 23 at E.E. Delaney Field. Last year the St. Pauls Saints finished with an overall record of 7-4 and in fourth place in Class 6A region one. The Saints lost in the first round of the Class 6A playoffs to Hillcrest Tuscaloosa by a score of 20-6.

       UMS-Wright and St. Pauls have met a total of 46 times on the football field. The Bulldogs have a 23-23-0 record against the Saints. They last met in 2023 with St. Pauls winning by a score of 14-7.

  


Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History

Morris Higginbotham coached three different teams to divisional state championships in the 1950s. He won titles at Walnut Grove in 1952, West Blocton in 1955 and Enterprise in 1960.