Former college coach Mark Hudspeth opens his second spring training at Gulf Shores High School later today.
His Dolphins will hold the first of 10 workouts over the next few weeks that will culminate with a spring game May 13 against Haralson County (Ga.) at Mickey Miller Blackwell Stadium.
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Gulf Shores went 6-4 in Hudspeth’s first season in the rugged Class 6A, Region 1 but will drop to Class 5A this fall. That’s one of several changes involving the football program.
Former Iowa State head coach and Auburn defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads has been hired as the team’s defensive coordinator, joining former South Alabama assistant Kenny Edenfield, the team’s second-year offensive coordinator. Several high-profile transfers also have been added, including quarterbacks Brendon Byrd (Spanish Fort) and Cash Turner (Orange Beach) and athlete Chris Pearson (Orange Beach).
Hudspeth sat down with AL.com recently to talk about the progress of the program under his leadership and the future. The Dolphins will open the 2022 season Aug. 18 in Fairhope against Philip Rivers and St. Michael.
Q: It’s been about 15 months since your hire. Can you evaluate how far the program has come in that time?
A: “I think we’ve come a long way – from a facility standpoint, from a program that has resources to provide our kids an opportunity to compete at a higher level. We were highly competitive last year. We didn’t have the season we would have liked, but we finished 6-4 and that was the school’s first winning season in 6A football. It was good to break that barrier against a really tough schedule. I thought we were competitive in most of the games and had a solid year with a 14-year-old quarterback (Landon Jones).”
Q: What are your thoughts on dropping to 5A?
A: “It’s another strong conference when you think about 4A state champion Vigor moving up. You have perennial powers like Faith Academy and UMS-Wright still there. It’s good football with good coaches. We are trying every day to build our program and give our kids opportunities to compete and be successful like those programs are.”
Q: How is the team shaping up for 2022?
A: “We’ve got a lot of offensive talent back when you look at Ronnie Royal III and JR Gardner at the skill positions. We return three of our five starters on the offensive line and then we’ve added Chris Pearson and Cash Turner and Brendon Byrd, who transferred in. Those are three more really good offensive weapons. Defensively, we were hit pretty hard, losing all three starting linebackers and two starting defensive linemen. But it’s been a great offseason The kids have put in the work and done all we’ve asked. We’re here to win championships. How long that takes is yet to be determined. We are still a young program with a long way to go, but I can’t say enough about the commitment the community has made. I love the journey, the chase, putting a stamp on the program. When college coaches walk into Gulf Shores, I want them to see a place with a lot of pride. When I was a college recruiter, I could tell by the minute I walked in what type of program it was by the pride that was taken in the facilities.”
Q: After so many years coaching in college, how have you enjoyed returning to high school?
A: “Honestly, it’s been a breath of fresh air. These kids are playing because they love the game of football. They are here every morning at 6:45 putting in some really hard work and you’ve got to love the sport to do that. Most high school kids won’t play in college. They just love being part of a team. That’s a blessing. We’ve got some outstanding kids with good attitudes.”
Q: You were very successful at multiple different college coaching stops. Do you think you will go back at some point?
A: “I don’t know how I would. I don’t think that’s an avenue that is in my wheelhouse right now. I’ve found a place I love to live, a school system that is committed to our young men and our program and I have time with my family I’ve never had before. It would be hard to get me away from Gulf Shores.”
Q: How has coach Rhoads adjusted in his time here?
A: “I think he’s had that same breath of fresh air. He has really invested in these young men. He’s a high character guy who loves coaching the game. He still believes in the importance of discipline, attention to detail and playing with great effort. He’s been outstanding with our staff. Our other defensive coaches can learn every day from him. It’s like a coaching clinic for them. I’m always trying to grow and train our staff and having coach Rhoads and coach Edenfield as well as (offensive line coach) Mitch Rodrigue here is a big part of that.”
Q: How is the quarterback race shaking out?
A: “We went from having Landon as a ninth-grader last year and then Kaden Pierce transferring in mid-way as a senior to now having three guys competing in Landon, Cash and Brendon. We are going to let them battle it out all the way up to the season opener. Spring ball will be our first good chance to see them all work, and we will keep developing them through fall camp.”
Q: When will you decide on a starter and who will make that choice?
A: “Myself and coach Edenfield will make that decision, and it won’t be decided until fall camp. I don’t think 10 practices will be enough for us this spring. Both Brendon and Cash came in at the same time and have had to learn the offense. We will see how it goes. They are both outstanding athletes, and I think both can play in college. They are both being recruited by different schools and will get some offers. Whoever doesn’t end up being the starter may very well play another position. Both of those guys are repping at other spots.”
Q: The AHSAA now gives high schools the option of having an extra week of practice in the fall instead of spring football practice, but you have opted to still have spring. What are your thoughts on that?
A: “I really don’t get that. Our spring stretches basically for four weeks. We have 10 practices spread out through four weeks. We practice one day, the next day we meet and watch practice, the next day we have installation meetings and then we practice again. So, for us, that is four weeks compared to one added week in the summer. If the state wanted to give us four extra weeks in the summer, then sure we would take it. In this case, it’s better for us to have a spring. If someone gets banged up, they have time to recover. Spring to me is for toughness, learning how to practice and fundamentals.”
Q: Did anything about high school football surprise you in your first year?
A: “I don’t know if I was really surprised. I thought the region (6A, 1) was even better than I’d heard. It was strong. We also worked our kids pretty hard, and I may have learned a little in respect to how much I asked them to do. In some ways, I may curtail that a little. We may have done too much. We may try to be simpler with some things we are doing scheme wise this time around.”
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