Excitement Builds Around the Varsity Football Program & New Head Coach
David Lloyd was hired as the head football coach at Randolph School the weekend before AHSAA allowed student-athletes back on campus Monday, June 1, ending the lengthy shutdown due to the pandemic. On Wednesday, July 22nd, AHSAA announced plans to start fall sports on time, meaning football practice begins on July 27th, and the first contest can be August 20th.
“We’ve had a really good summer so far,” shares Lloyd. “Our guys were ready to get back in the weight room and on the field and their hard work is paying off.”
Noah Reed ’21 has received several offers, including one from Olivet Nazarene. Nic Strong ‘23 picked up his first offer from the University of Tennessee.
“We are looking forward to starting Fall Camp as scheduled,” explains Lloyd. “Our school leadership has put together a great plan to have students on campus this fall safely. We are very fortunate in that regard and really excited about getting back to work and preparing for our season.”
Randolph’s first game on the schedule is a trip to Elkmont High School on Friday, August 21st.
“We strive to improve every day at practice,” says Lloyd. “We feel that will transition to success on the field. We have a tough opponent on the road that we have to get ready for.”
After running a run-oriented, veer style offense, the chances are good that the Raider offense might look a little different this fall. Last year, while at the helm of the St. John Paul II Falcons, Coach Lloyd’s offense led the entire state in passing with 3,569 yards and 44 touchdowns, 6,093 total yards of offense, and averaged 507 yards per game while scoring 500 points.
“Our players have bought into the changes that we are making on both sides of the ball,” says Lloyd. “We are installing a different offensive system and our guys have done an excellent job grasping the concepts. We put the ball in the air a little more than they are used to, but we are getting better every week. We know things don’t happen overnight. Our goal is to get better every week with the execution of our schemes. We’re looking forward to the first game of the season and we want to be playing our best football going into the playoffs.”
The previous two schools on Lloyd’s resume were 0-40 and 0-39, respectively, before Coach Lloyd stepped on their sideline. He led both schools to the playoffs with in his first two years and was named the AL.com Huntsville Area Coach of the Year in 2018. Randolph’s football program has been to the postseason four of the last five years, so what does the coach think of this opportunity?
“We are excited about the opportunity to play football this season,” says Lloyd. “The AHSAA has done a great job communicating with our schools and keeping us on schedule to play.”
Randolph’s Varsity Football team has been working hard all summer. The Middle School team is in the beginning phase of its voluntary practices and the School is starting registration for its NFL Flag Football League that’s held on campus.
“It’s important that we are building a complete program throughout all levels of our School,” describes Lloyd. “The tradition that has been built here is something that we are proud of and something that we will strive to continue. Our goal is to work hard every day and put a team on the field that our School and community can be proud of.”