Montgomery Academy chasing football greatness
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (BVM) — In 1987, a man by the name of Robert Johnson won an AHSAA state championship as a player for the Montgomery Academy Eagles football team. Now in 2020, Johnson is chasing that same goal with the same team, this time as the head coach.
Johnson鈥檚 return to his alma mater has been nothing short of exceptional. Not only has he led the team to a perfect regular season record, but he鈥檚 been able to reconnect with many people who he grew up around. This familiar environment has been one that Johnson can thrive in.
鈥淭here are lots of people still here since I was here last time. My junior high coach, David Bethea; our offices are 10 feet away from each other. He’s such a great guy and a big influence on my life,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a bunch of teachers I’ve been able to reconnect with. There鈥檚 a bunch of players on our team whose parents I actually played with so that’s a pretty cool thing.鈥�
The journeyman head coach took over the reigns of a team that finished 7-5 in 2019, but his expectations were still high. Having won a state title within this program, he knows what the school is capable of producing. They didn鈥檛 set any goals, though, just handling their business one day at a time.聽
鈥淲e had high expectations, but you don鈥檛 necessarily put goals in front of you besides making the playoffs,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淲e went undefeated but that was a result of hard work and good fortune. Our real goals are getting stronger, executing better, becoming better people; those kinds of things.鈥�
His coaching style has been well-received, as the team is 11-0 entering their second round playoff game this Friday. They got here by buying into his day-by-day approach, and perfecting his football method. Johnson prefers the methodical, physical, slow-paced, grind-it-out approach to football, and for good reason.
His defense has been a stalwart all season long, leading the charge for the Eagles. They鈥檝e allowed a measly 104 points this season, good for just nine points per game. Opposing offenses panic when they see Montgomery Academy on their schedule.聽
While their offense has been able to produce as well, they hang their hat on the defensive side. In fact, Johnson offered a hint into the unusual mechanism that is the Eagles offense.聽
鈥淥ur goal on offense isn鈥檛 to score points, it’s to win games. We’ve left a lot of points out there, but going for those points might have put us in a position to not be as successful in the win/loss column,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淚f we feel we are in control, we slow things down, grind them out and be physical; we want to win in that form and fashion.鈥�
As the Eagles draw up a game plan for their second round matchup versus Pike County this Friday, they may need to have their defense and offense firing on all cylinders. Johnson spoke highly of the Bulldogs, who currently have four losses.聽
Two of the losses were out of their control as they had to forfeit following COVID setbacks. The other two losses came against Trinity and Catholic; two teams who look like locks to make the final eight.聽
鈥淲e aren’t looking past Pike County. They are very fast, they have two backs that can really scoot,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淭hey are not small but not huge, they fly around and hit you, they strike you, they hit you hard whether it鈥檚 blocking or tackling; those are dangerous teams.鈥�
But Johnson remains confident. He sees a lot of similarities from his 87鈥� Eagles state champion team to his 2020 team. He believes that 33 years later, the Eagles are still practicing, playing and preparing the same way. Sticking to their system is going to get them where they need to go.
鈥淚 think the same things that led to winning 100 years ago, 50 years ago will be the same 100 years from now and that’s just blocking and tackling,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淪chemes will change but being physical, being able to block. Hold them out and protect the passer, open holes for runners, those are the key to football for forever.鈥�