Albany football charges into fall with high expectations
With the return of August comes the return of football in Albany, as the Lions are set to begin their first official practice Monday morning, August 4. Head Coach Denney Faith said the team expects close to 50 players this season, slightly above average for recent years, with a varsity squad projected to number between 25 and 30.
The Lions will have experience on their side, returning seven offensive and nine defensive starters from last year’s squad. But many key positions, including quarterback, remain unsettled heading into the first week of practice.
“Every position is really up for grabs,” Coach Faith said. “We’ve got ideas, but a lot will be decided in the early practices and scrimmages.”
The practice schedule for the opening week has been adjusted due to school staff in-service days. The team will hold morning practices on Monday and Tuesday, shift to afternoon sessions on Wednesday and Thursday, then return to a morning workout on Friday. Once the school year begins August 13, practices will move to the afternoons.
Coach Faith said the pre-district schedule is intentionally tough again this year, with early games against Stamford, Hawley, Haskell, Coahoma, and Seymour. The Lions will scrimmage against larger schools Coleman and Early before those contests begin.
“We try to challenge ourselves those first five games to prepare for district and hopefully beyond,” Faith said.
The players coming out this year feature 13 seniors, 11 juniors, nine sophomores, and 15 freshmen. Summer workouts saw consistent participation, averaging around 30 players four days a week.
One change this season is the move of the athletic period to fifth period, which now falls just before lunch. That time will be used for film study, lifting, and special teams work, with regular practice continuing after school.
Faith said the change is designed to give athletes recovery time and streamline practice logistics, especially as the year transitions into other sports seasons.
With the Lions returning a core of experienced players and new talent emerging, excitement is already building in Albany for another fall under the Friday night lights.
