Jason BowenWhen the Pisgah football team hit the field for spring practice April 28, there were plenty of differences from the teams that have won two region titles (2021 and 2024), went to the Class 2A state semifinals in 2022 and 2023 and made a state quarterfinal appearance last season.
The Eagles saw a coaching change, as Luke Pruitt stepped down after seven seasons and 52 wins — second most in program history. Pisgah also lost a senior class that featured a number of four-year starters, including all-state performers Luke Gilbert, Legion McCrary and JJ Williams.
But the cupboard is far from bare as the roster features a number of players that will be three- or four-year starters come this fall, and the coaching staff returns nearly intact after offensive coordinator and Pisgah alum Adam Gilbert was promoted to head coach after Pruitt’s departure.
“There’s been some change, but it’s really the same as if nothing would’ve changed — if it ain’t broke don’t fix it,” said Gilbert, a 2001 Pisgah graduate who was an all-state tight end on the Eagles’ 2000 Class 2A state runner-up team. “We didn’t change a whole lot. Everybody picked right up and did what they were supposed to do.”
AHSAA teams can hold 10 spring-practice sessions or begin a week earlier than the AHSAA’s first official day of fall practice. Pisgah practiced for 10 days, concluding with a spring scrimmage with 2024 Tennessee Class 2A state champion Marion County on May 9 in Jasper, Tennessee. The Warriors, who would be a Class 4A/5A school by Alabama classification methods, defeated Pisgah 14-7 in the varsity half and 15-0 in the half that featured Marion County’s varsity against Pisgah junior varsity players.
“They didn’t have JV (players), but we played our JVs in the second half,” Gilbert said. “I was proud of the young guys and the way they played in the second half.”
Pisgah started the scrimmage strong, marching 80 yards on 14 plays while swapping rising senior Jackson Smalley and rising sophomore Cutter Mays at quarterback. Both were effective on the opening scoring drive, which included Smalley’s 9-yard pass to Cape Duncan on a third-and-4 play from the Marion County 11-yard line before Mays threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Landon Watkins, a rising senior who was a 2024 all-state receiver for the Eagles. Watkins had three catches for 25 yards on Pisgah’s opening drive while Mason Gass ran for 34 yards on five first-drive carries.
Gilbert said the quarterback competition between Smalley and Mays would continue into the summer.
“I told them I fully intend by the second week of July to have a decision,” Gilbert said. “I’m not a two-quarterback guy. Whichever one wins it needs every rep they can get come fall camp.”
A holding penalty stalled the Eagles’ second possession, and their third ended when the running-clock expired after two incompletions following a 19-yard run by Watkins.
Marion County got touchdown runs of 74 and 7 yards from 2024 Tennessee all-state standout Zaiden Humphries to win the varsity half.
“I thought we competed well,” Gilbert said. “(Marion County is) a state-championship winning team, and it was 14-7 at halftime 1s vs. 1s. I was pleased with the physicality. We had one screw up on the second drive offensively that set us back. Defensively, two missed calls that we didn’t execute the calls led to the touchdown on the second drive. But wanted to see the physicality, and for the most part, we held up to it. We’ve got a lot of new guys, and that’s what spring’s about, answering questions. It’s about can these guys over the summer and fall practice be ready to help us (in the season opener) against Fyffe (Aug. 28).
“We answered some questions, so overall it was good. I’m proud of them. We’re down two coaches, so that put extra on our coaches but they handled that well. The kids had a good time. They flew around. We got through it healthy. Overall, it was a successful spring.”
