Taylor Beck, Correspondent
GUNTERSVILLE — Following its first nine-win season since 2003, Boaz Pirates football has faced lots of change entering the fall.
The program had to replace its head coach after eight years. Then replace 16 seniors, which included replacing a quarterback who was the Pirates all-time leading passer.
The list goes on. However, one thing will remain the same: Boaz will play a physical, “blue collar” style of football.
“We had a lot of guys to replace, but you know, our expectation doesn’t change,” said new head coach Luke Pruitt during Marshall County’s WQSB Media Day, held July 29 at Guntersville City Harbor. “Coach Sullivan did a great job, and (Jeremy) in the staff that we have, there’s going to be some continuity with that. But it doesn’t matter. At the end of the day, we’ve got to be able to run the football and stop the run to be successful and take care of the football. But yes, you’re going to see some of the same concepts that you’ve seen in the past.
“We’ve got to do a good job on defense, be opportunistic, and get off the field when we have that opportunity,” he added. “But it’s going to be the same bluecollar approach that they’ve had from the get-go. And that’s something that is going to stay there, and that’s not going to change. You know, the program wasn’t broken. Coach Sullivan left it in great, great shape, and he helped me tremendously in the transition coming in. … So there’s going to be a lot of continuity with the program and how the style of play was.”
Pruitt and former Pirates head coach Sullivan “go way back.” When Pruitt walked on at Jacksonville State University, Sullivan was a graduate assistant there, he said.
Pruitt, who coached Class 2A Pisgah for the last seven years and led the Eagles to a 34-7 in his final three seasons, inherits a program that’s also been successful in reaching the 5A state playoffs each year for the last seven years under Sullivan.
With so many changes in a single offseason, Pruitt said his coaching staff has worked diligently to “marry” their ideas concerning schemes and philosophy, and the team has responded really well.
“In today’s world, a lot of times teams are all doing the same things, so I met with our coordinators and we kind of married our ideas,” he said. “The terminology changed for the most part, but they’ve picked up on it really well, actually. These guys have done a great job in translating the new calls and stuff to the rest of the team. So they’ve picked it up really well.”
Five seniors joined Pruitt for WQSB Media Day, including Jason Duke, Jaiden Durden, Damir Martinez, Bradyn Bennett and Presley Fant. The players said they were excited to play under Pruitt and could already feel his impact on the program.
“So, I didn’t know much about Coach Pruitt until he got here, but I came to find out he’s a great coach and an even better man, and he’s done a lot for this program already just being through one summer,” Fant said. “I’m really excited to see how the season goes with him as our new head coach.”
“He’s really pushed our team to the limits this summer,” Bennett said. “I know he had a great record with Pisgah, but I’m glad we have him as our coach now.
“It was definitely a change from like the pace of Coach Sullivan and how he was,” Duke said, “but [Pruitt has] pushed us a lot harder this year, and he’s made us all better.”
Getting better day-by-day will be the key to achieving the goals Pruitt and the team have for 2025.
“You know, you want to host the playoff game, and eventually win the region,” Pruitt said.
“That’s something that’s important for us this coming year, but try to host that because your chances of advancing past the first round increase if you get that home playoff game. So, that’s the goals that we still have that’s not going to change year in and year out.
“You look at our region, our region’s tough. Every week you’ve got to be ready to go… We’ve got to improve every day to reach those goals.”
Boaz is scheduled to kick off the Luke Pruitt era Aug. 22, on the road at Madison County.
