JACKSONVILLE CHRISTIAN THUNDER
Class, Region: Class 1A, Region 6
Head Coach: Tommy Miller
2015 Record: 4-5
2015 Playoffs: None
2015 Rewind: The Thunder narrowly missed the Class 1A
playoffs. JCA won 3 of the first 5, but lost 3 of the last 4 to
finish just a victory away from a winning season.
Key Losses: The biggest losses for the Thunder came on
the lines. Andrew Stone and three year starting center Jonah
Parker will be key missing pieces upfront.
Players to Watch: Jax Christian features
some nice skill players for 2016, led by
the return of leading rusher Reed Murphy
(5’11, 175 Sr.). Reed had a breakout junior
campaign and should put up huge numbers
again. Starting QB Jayden Mitchell is back
and will have leading receiver Walker
Messer to throw to at wideout. The line
is led by senior Ian Bonds, and gritty and
tough Josh Boling is a 130 pound noseguard
and fullback.
Jaden Micheal
Quarterback
2016 Roundup: Head Coach Tommy
Miller points out that numbers will be
the whole issue this season at Jacksonville
Christian Academy. Though the Thunder
returns seven starters on both offense and
defense, there are only five seniors and
just 15 players total on the roster in grades
7-12. Miller says that JCA will have to be
completely injury free just to have a chance
to compete in Class 1A, Region 6.
Did You Know? Coach Tommy Miller is by far the longest current tenured
head football coach in East Alabama. Coach Miller was JCA’s first coach back in
1991 and, except for a portion of the 2005 season, has coached every game in the
26-year history of Thunder football.
LINCOLN GOLDEN BEARS
Class, Region: Class 5A, Region 4
Head Coach: Brad Wallace
2015 Record: 4-6
2015 Playoffs: None
2015 Rewind: While it might have
taken a little longer than they would have
wanted, the Lincoln Golden Bears found
a spark in 2015. The squad started the
season 0-5 and lost by an average of 20
points. But as head coach Brad Wallace
pointed out, “The kids started buying
in and a lot of leadership emerged.” The
Golden Bears won four of its last five
games (scoring an average of 35 points
per contest) to close out the year. Their
only loss came by three points to the
eventual state runner-up Mortimer
Jordan.
Key Losses: Without question the
most impactful loss for the Golden
Bears this season is quarterback Zay
Caldwell. The versatile signal caller was
a highlight reel just waiting to happen.
As a senior, Caldwell accounted for
nearly 2,100 yards. In addition to his 14
offensive touchdowns (seven passing,
seven rushing) Caldwell could also play
in the defensive backfield. Lincoln will
also miss Devonte Whiteside, an impact
safety and go-to wide receiver that
provided leadership and production at
the end of 2015. Off the field, the Bears
also lost offensive coordinator Shea
Monroe who took over as head coach at
Westbrook Christian.
Players to Watch: Running back
Montrell Johnson has emerged as a
dependable back at the end of last season
and one the Bears will lean on heavily
this year. Johnson (who weight 160 last
season) has added 25 pounds to his
frame which will be a big help as he totes
a lot of the load this fall. He will get very
good help from L.J. Carmichael who,
like Johnson, came up big at the end of
2015 and is geared up for another big
season. Lincoln also returns two starting
offensive linemen (Lee Hobbs and Xavier
Pearson).
2016 Roundup: After falling one
game short of the playoffs last season,
there is a renewed sense of urgency as
Lincoln prepares for 2016. Wallace says
the team returned from Christmas break
ready to put in the work to have a good
season. That work ethic bled into the
spring and summer workout seasons.
The team is also likely fired up by what
is arguably the toughest schedule in the
area. Lincoln will face seven teams that
reached the playoffs in 2015, highlighted
by 4A state champion Leeds in the
season opener. The combined record of
Lincoln’s seven playoff opponents last
year is 64-23 (.735). Needless to say, the
Bears will be battle tested by season’s end.
Inner-county rivalries are also highlight
the slate including Sylacauga, Talladega
and (of course) Munford.
Did You Know? Head coach Brad
Wallace is getting back to his roots. Before
he took over as the head coach in 2013,
Wallace served as a defensive coordinator
for 13 seasons. Coaching changes in the
program shuffled things around and Wallace
will once again call defensive plays in 2016
in addition to his duties as a head coach.
58 | 2016 Pigskin Roundup the Magazine