Golden Tigers hit gridiron for spring scrimmage

By Brannon King / For the FCT

The Russellville Golden Tigers finished their first spring football practice under new head coach John Ritter with a scrimmage at the RHS stadium on Wednesday, May 16.

The team was originally scheduled to host Sheffield Thursday in the spring game, but because of the RHS baseball team making the state championship series in Montgomery Thursday and Friday, the Golden Tigers adjusted the plan and elected to go with an inter-squad scrimmage game Wednesday afternoon.

The Golden Tigers are hoping a fresh start under Ritter will help improve on last season’s uncharacteristic 3-7 record.  Russellville used three quarterbacks in the scrimmage, with Lucas McNutt, Jacob Davis and Gabe Amick all taking shotgun snaps in Ritter’s fast-faced offense.

McNutt, just off of participating in the RHS golf team’s runner-up finish a day earlier in state competition, led the first-team offense. A rising senior and also a top-scorer on the basketball team, McNutt is back on the field after not playing football last year.

Davis is a tenth-grader, and Amick will be in ninth grade this fall.

The quarterback position will see a new starter this year with last season’s starter, Luke Barnwell, moving to Phil Campbell after his father Kevin took over as head coach of the Bobcats.

Devin Buckhalter was expected to see a lot of time at the quarterback position last year, but a foot injury cost him the 2017 season.  He was in Montgomery starting in right field for the baseball team but should be a key contributor on the football field again in 2018 for RHS.

“It was a very good spring,” Ritter said.  “We had three goals when we came out here: we wanted to see who would strike and play hard and, when things got tough, who was going to man up and go the extra mile to make sure they got their job done. I think we accomplished all three.

“We finished with 86 guys out here, and we’ve got five in baseball.  We have 91 right now that say that they’re going to be with us next fall.”

Ritter said he saw a lot of mistakes during the scrimmage, but that was to be expected with only a few days of practice and a new offense and new defense for his players to learn and execute.

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Mousey Brown

News

Russellville First Baptist Church receives historical marker

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Meeting a higher standard – Russellville High School JROTC

News

RCS BOE announces new superintendent  

News

Miss Dream Girl Pageant names winners

Franklin County

First Metro Bank hosts FAME Girls’ Ranch donation drive

News

PCHS holds annual Shelby Grissom Memorial Fashion Show

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: VFW Post 5184 – ‘No One Does More For Veterans’

Features

Supporting students’ futures

Features

Red Bay Garden Club discusses amaryllis planting

Franklin County

UA announces local students for fall 2023 President’s, Dean’s, graduation lists

News

School news

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Troy Oliver

Franklin County

Appropriations bill passes, allots more than $3 million for new Russellville library/multipurpose center 

Franklin County

Franklin County Cattlemen’s Association names Cattleman of the Year 

Franklin County

Franklin County votes: Unofficial March 5 primary election results 

Franklin County

Funding for new Russellville library, multipurpose community center expected this week

Features

Faces of Franklin County: BTCPA

News

GFWC Russellville Book Lovers Club sponsors downtown art crawl

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Cody Bragwell

Franklin County

42nd annual Miss RHS pageant names winners 

News

Miss RHS pageant takes place Friday

Franklin County

Political announcement: David Hester speaks about run for reelection as county commissioner

Franklin County

BTCPA auditions for final production of season take place March 3-4 

x