Scout.com > Alabama HS ScoutSouth.com: Millry Coach Teddy Taylor Story URL: http://hsalabama.scout.com/2/690026.html Rebecca Johnston ScoutSouth.com Oct 12, 2007 Coach Teddy Taylor's eighth ranked Millry Wildcats have gotten off to a great start, in fact a perfect start. Last year the 'Cats struggled to an uncharacteristic 5-6 season. Taylor has been the head coach at Millry since 1998, and last year was the first time he suffered defeat at the hands of Bulldogs 13-9. This week someone will come away as the favorite to be the champion of region 1-1A and take the No.1 seed into the playoffs. Millry opened the season against 2A Bayside Academy (21-15), shut out region opponent Fruitdale (42-0), Frisco City didn't fare much better (40-6), McIntosh visited Wildcat Hill, and they lost (17-14), 2A Southern Choctaw was next up (21-12), and last week was perhaps their best performance as a team in a 49-0 shellacking of J.F. Shields. This week the Wildcats will face J.U. Blacksher (5-1; 4-0) who has also had an impressive run up to this week's game. After losing their first game of the season to a talented McKenzie (25-0) squad they reeled off two shut-outs, then a one point win 21-20 over region foe Marengo. The 'Dogs again posted a shut-out followed by another close game 18-13 over Fruitdale last week. Coach Taylor spent some time with ScoutSouth.com this week and talked about his players. Rebecca Johnston: Tell us about your offensive playmakers. Coach Teddy Taylor: "We have several of them really. I have a fullback that is a senior, Quentin Carpenter (5-10, 180), and he's been doing very well for us. We throw to him a lot. We run a trip set and we throw to him a great deal. He's caught a good many passes this year, but he can also play the wide receiver position because we will put him wide and throw to him." "Then there is Nigel Jones (5-10, 170). He is a junior tailback. (Jones scored on a 48 yard run last week). Then there is James Land (5-10, 175). He is a senior, and he's been very productive for us. Both of them have been getting close to 100 yards each week. They have been doing real well for me." The quarterback is a sophomore, Dylan Whitsett (6-1, 170). He went 10 for 20 last week and 185 yards. Then we throw to several receivers. I have a sophomore receiver which is a tight end, and that's Dakota Jones (6-1, 210)." "Dakota is one of those that plays fullback for me and tight end, and then he even scored a touchdown when we put him at quarterback. He scored on a quarterback keeper (14 yard run). Dakota is a very versatile ballplayer for us." Nehemiah Henry (6-0, 170), he's a sophomore receiver. I think he scored a couple of touchdowns. Freshman Kendrick Gray is a 5-4, 130 pound freshman running back, but we put him out as a wide receiver. He's just a little knucklehead that will play any place you put him. He would play in the waterhole if you put him out there. (laugh) He caught one for about 40 yards, and he also scored a 26 yard touchdown run. Allen Guy (6-0, 170) is a senior wide receiver, and he caught some long passes. Colby Meyers picked up a fumble and ran it back for about 48 yards and a touchdown. He also caught a touchdown pass on the tight end dump." RJ: Defensively, you have played very soundly, not allowing more than 16 points a game and now allowing any points in two games. TT: "Our defense is doing very well. Last week I think J.F. Shields had 44 yards total offense, 22 in the air and 22 on the ground." "My down four lineman are Samuel Pounds (6-1, 220 DE), Colby Meyers (5-11, 176 DE), Aaron Mizell (6-1, 230) is my down guard. I have two guys that substitute Heath McIlwain (6-3, 260), and he plays the other down guard. Shamareo Jones is a junior (5-10, 240), and both of them play." "My inside linebackers are Quentin Carpenter and Brock Guy (5-10, 180). Outside linebacker is Elliott Brown, a senior (5-9, 160), and the other linebacker is Chris Cherry (5-10, 170), a junior." "The safety is Nehemiah Henry. Cornerback is James Land and the other cornerback is Nigel Jones." RJ: What are you looking for from J.U. Blacksher this week? TT: "Oh Lord I don't know. It's scary. They are 5-1, and they are a very good ball team. As far as I am concerned they have the best offensive line that I have seen, and we've already played two 2A schools." "They are by far the best offensive line we've faced, and they are veterans. They only lost four ballplayers from last year. The whole offensive line and all the defensive backs are returning. I think all but three players on defense are back from last year." "They are well coached, and they are going to be ready for us. They beat us last year for the first time in years. We hope that we can beat them this year." RJ: How have things been for you this week, injuries and practice? TT: "We're bruised up. We've had two boys that haven't practiced this week. One of them is Quentin Carpenter, and the other Brock Guy. I think they are going to be ready. They are just bruised up real bad. I couldn't take the chance of letting them practice this week. I let them run just a little bit. That's about it, because I need them. They are two seniors." "I only have seven seniors, and they have been my leaders. They take care of practice for us. We don't have a lot of problems with kids not running because our seniors are doing a great job. We let them run at the end of the day, and they will run the other ballplayers. We've seen that our seniors really can get something out of the other ballplayers, and that's not something you see very often." RJ: Does Millry have a lot of community support in Southwest Alabama? TT: "It is fantastic. We have the best support down here with the community. They are real involved in it. We have great crowds. Wherever we go we normally have more people than the people that we (travel to) play. It's been that way for years, and that's one thing we have is fantastic support." RJ: How big is your stadium? TT: "I would say around 2,000. You have to have a stadium for 1A around 1,750, and ours above that." "I went over and watched J.U. Blacker play two weeks ago. They had a full house over on their side since they are 5-1. They love to beat us if they can. They are going to bring a lot of people. We need that. We need the money. (laugh)." ScoutSouth.com--Your source for Alabama high school football. Support great high school football coverage by subscribing to ScoutSouth.com for as little as $6.95 a month which includes all premium content across the Scout.com network and all video. Join here. Copyright © Scout.com and ScoutSouth.com