Kyle Parmley
Oak Mountain Football
Oak Mountain coach Cris Bell at the Jefferson-Shelby Media Days on July 25, 2016, at the Gardendale Civic Center.
Oak Mountain took the opportunity to preview the 2016 football season on Monday at the Jefferson-Shelby Media Days at the Gardendale Civic Center.
Head coach Cris Bell was joined by running back Daniel Salchert and nose tackle Daniel Perkins, and feels that his team has the chance to rebound from missing the postseason in 2015.
“Of the teams that I’ve had, these guys have really embraced what we’re trying to do. They really love being with each other. They’re fun to coach. We get some games under our belt, they’re going to be pretty tough,” Bell said.
Bell has to replace a three-year starter at quarterback, Warren Shader. Wyatt Legas has taken the edge in the competition, and Bell insists that the offense will remain mostly the same.
“We’re going to still be option-based,” he said. “One of the things we’re always trying to do is move the ball through the air, screen game or throwing it down field.”
Oak Mountain threw for over 1,100 yards last season and hopes to continue improving offensively. Bell’s offense is driven heavily on the quarterback position and his ability to run both the option and passing game.
“I feel real good about us offensively,” he said. “You don’t want to throw too much on one person, but how our QBs play will determine how good we are.”
Legas will have weapons like Salchert to work with in the triple-option game, who lit up when describing the facets of the option. He said there is always an “open” option during a given play, allowing the offense to take advantage and rip up chunks of yardage.
Salchert rushed for over 700 yards last year, and wants nothing more than to get back to the playoffs, after doing so in his sophomore season.
“My sophomore year, I had a great year. I just thought it was going to happen again. That is driving me to be a better player and do a lot more things this offseason and I hope it happens again,” he said.
Perkins said the team is emphasizing the ability to finish, each practice, play, and game throughout the season.
