PRICEVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — At the end of the 2024 season, players and coaches within the Priceville Bulldogs football program looked in the mirror and knew they wanted change.
The Bulldogs went 2-8 in Seth Parker’s first season as head coach. Players like quarterback Sheldon Graham say no one was happy with it and that everyone wanted 2025 to be different.
Through the first three weeks of the season, the results have been. The Bulldogs are off to a 3-0 start and just ran all over Ardmore en route to a 49-13 win. Priceville rushed for 527 yards and seven touchdowns in the win.
Graham says the success through the first few weeks is the fruit of labor put in during the offseason.
“We’ve worked our butts off in the offseason to really get to where we are, started off last year 2-8, 5A, obviously we didn’t want that to happen,” Graham said. “We just keep grinding and grinding.”
Parker says that the team’s ability to control the line of scrimmage against the Tigers was key to their success.
“It’s kind of what we wanted to go into the game doing, and we felt like we had a chance to do that,” Parker said. “I’m really proud, I think our kids really took the next step and were able to dominate the trenches and come out with a big win.”
Graham says the success on the ground came down to the culture that Parker is establishing in Priceville.
“We were just more physical than they were. I feel like our o-line and running backs were really pushing the ball well and running the ball well against them,” Graham said.
The Bulldogs’ hot start has set up a monster match-up Friday night against the West Morgan Rebels. Drew Phillips’ squad is off to a 3-0 start and is one of the most talented in the Tennessee Valley.
This matchup isn’t a region game and won’t impact either team’s playoff hopes, but Parker says it will give them a playoff feel and can help his team continue to grow.
“It’s going to be an electric atmosphere, you know, cross-county rival. They’re an unbelievable team, an unbelievable program, extremely well-coached with some great talent, and we’ve got our work cut out for us,” Parker said. “I feel like our kids have earned the right to be in a big game like this. Of course it’s a regular season game, it’s a non region battle and so there’s a lot on the line, but it’s also one of those games where we’re really excited about the opportunity to just go out and be a part of a great environment against a great and have a chance to kind of get eyes on Priceville and show we’re about.”
The Bulldogs and Rebels will square off on Friday at 7 p.m.
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