Pre-season Power Poll #8

#8 – Handley Tigers

Head Coach: Mike Battles [5th Year]

2007 Record: 11-2 [3rd round loss to Thomasville]

Key Dates in ’08 – Lincoln – Week 3, Lineville – Week 5, Anniston – Week 6, Saks – Week 8, Heflin – Week 9

Star to Watch: Ladarrious Phillips

At the time when most coaches are expected to produce their biggest improvement, Handley head coach Mike Battles took a step back….way back.

In 2006, after two decent seasons with the Tigers, Battles led his team to an unremarkable 1-9 record and obviously missed out on the post-season. The one-win season was compounded by the fact that Handley won 7 games his first season including a playoff game then regressed in the following year winning only 6 games and dropping out of post-season play after an opening round 41-point loss to Demopolis.

Needless to say, things appeared headed in the wrong direction under the direction of Battles.

Article continued below...

Fast-forward one year later and things have turned around considerably in Roanoke. That’s because the Tigers scored a region crown, won a school best 11 straight games and won two playoff games in 2007. Now they return a beast in the backfield who benches more than 360 pounds.

Led by the pounding running style of 230-pound Ladarrious Phillips the Handley Tigers bulled their way through most of the opposition last year. Now, after sitting our spring practice due to a stress fracture, Phillips, who rushed for more than 1,200 yards and 23 touchdowns in 2007 is back and healthy. While Phillips and the rest of the Tiger backfield return in tact, there is one glaring “weakness”.

Battles has to find five brand new offensive lineman and 3 of 4 returning defensive lineman, the places where they found a lot of success in ’07. The Tigers head coach seemed pleased, however, following spring practice, saying that a few of his upcoming lineman got valuable experience last year at those same positions.

Leading the way for a defense that held opponents to 14 points or less in 9 of their 13 games, is junior linebacker Taylon Hunter. As a sophomore, Hunter grabbed 120 tackles.

2008 Schedule:

8/29 – Open

9/5 – Munford [H]

9/12 – Lincoln [A]

9/19 – Central Coosa [H]

9/26 – Lineville [A]

10/3 – Anniston [A]

10/10 – Childersburg [A]

10/17 – Saks [H]

10/24 – Heflin [H]

10/31 – Beauregard [A]