By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director

Gaylesville football coach Brian Knapp is relying on another sport to help the Trojans have a successful 2024 football season.

During the Trojans’ workouts this summer, they’ve been hitting the wrestling mat to get a little tougher. It’s something Knapp has done with football teams he’s coached in the past, and so far with this year’s Trojans, the results look promising.

“We wrestled quite a bit when I was at Douglas,” Knapp said. “I didn’t do it last year at Gaylesville because we had a really young team. I was in a situation where I had to manage last year’s season. I had to get some folks older, but I felt like this group could handle that and they have. I’m a firm believer in it.

“It makes you tougher. It makes you fend for yourself. When you’re wrestling in front of your teammates, you don’t want to act soft or be soft. I thought this team needed it and they have responded really well to it.”

Senior running back/linebacker Alex Baty said there’s a different side to Knapp when the Trojans hit the mat.

“It’s like he acts mad to get us mad to show the aggression when we wrestle,” Baty said. “I’ve talked about it several times, ‘Anybody just see Coach Knapp’s personality just switch?’ It’s like he just snaps.  It’s crazy.”

But make no mistake, the Trojans aren’t complaining about it.

“I feel like wrestling makes us more aggressive,” Baty said. “Soft is not the way to be in football. It just makes you more aggressive and fiery.”

“It teaches you to be more physical. I didn’t feel like last year we had enough physicality going on,” senior defensive end/running back Karrson Ray said. “It’s definitely making us tougher.”

Senior quarterback/safety Hunter Allmond said wrestling has been giving the Trojans “that get-after-it attitude.”

“It also makes us more aggressive and physical for longer periods of time so we can get out there and play in the fourth quarter,” added senior tackle/guard Tanner Hughes.

Getting to the fourth quarter in a close ball game was something the Trojans (1-9 in 2023) struggled to do last season. They didn’t score their first points of the season until their fourth game.

“At some point last year we actually had six freshmen starting in some of those games because of injuries and things that happened last year,” Knapp said.

But last year’s growing pains should benefit the Trojans in 2024. They return five starters on offense and six on defense, most of which are seniors.

“We had a really young football team last year,” Knapp said. “I knew we would take it on the chin and have some growing pains, and we did that, but now I’m looking at a really good senior class. This will be the biggest senior class (6) I’ve had since I’ve been here. I’m looking for big things out of this group.

Joining Baty, Ray, Allmond and Hughes as Trojan seniors is tackle/tight end/defensive end Caden Angle and tight end/defensive back/linebacker Collin Hendon.

“This group has been a lot of fun to be around. They’ve done everything I’ve asked them to do in terms of the off-season. I think there’s no doubt we’re bigger and faster and stronger.”

Baty and Ray fit the mold of big backs Knapp likes to coach in his offense.

“Having them will pay dividends for us we honestly feel,” Knapp said.

Allmond, a running back last season, will be the one handing off to them this year.

“Quarterback is a bit different. It’s a bit more to remember,” Allmond said. “We didn’t have Alex last yearm and Karrson is coming off an injury, so we didn’t have him either, but I feel like having both of these guys is going to play a bigger role in us establishing our run game. We’re going to be a lot better at the run game.”

Knapp said he’s been pleased with Allmond’s progress at quarterback.

“If he can just manage the game and throw it every now and then we should be OK,” Knapp said.

Knapp also said Allmond will “be our quarterback on defense” at free safety.

“We’re looking for really big things out of Hunter,” Knapp said.

Knapp also expects strong seasons from sophomore running back/outside linebacker Jack Sentell and sophomore inside linebacker Timmy Dawson.

Wrestling isn’t the only new wrinkle Gaylesville is getting used to in 2024. The Trojans are also shifting into a new region: Class 1A Region 8.

Three of last year’s Region 7 opponents move along with the Trojans in Valley Head, Appalachian and Woodville, but Gaylesville’s remaining six games are against new teams this year.

They’ll play Spring Garden for the first time since 2017 on Oct. 11, Ragland for the first time since 2021 on Oct. 18, and Ider for the first time since 2015 on Oct. 4.

Following a fall jamboree against Gaston on Aug. 16, Gaylesville opens the 2024 season at home on Aug. 23 against Donoho. It’s the first meeting between those two teams in football since 2013. A week later, the Trojans travel to Asbury. Following an open date, Gaylesville gases up for a 2-hour, 20-minute trip to Verbena on Sept. 27.

“I think it’s going to be huge to get off to a good start as far as our non-region (games),” Knapp said. “When you get past the two non-region games (Donoho and Asbury), you play Valley Head, you play Appalachian, and you start getting into the meat of your schedule. It’ll be a good challenge, but we’re excited about it.”

2024 Gaylesville Football Schedule 

Aug. 23​​                 Donoho

Aug. 30​​                 at Asbury

Sept. 6​​                   at Valley Head

Sept. 13​                 Appalachian

Sept. 27​                 at Verbena

Oct. 4​​                     at Ider

Oct. 11​​                   Spring Garden

Oct. 18​​                   at Ragland

Oct. 25​​                  Woodville