Unfinished business is the name of the game as the Opelika Bulldogs enter the 2020 season. Last year, the Dawgs were one game away from playing for a state championship. Now, Opelika faces a tough non-region schedule and plenty of new faces in a revamped Region 2-6A, but the Dawgs are ready to rise up to the challenge.
“They’re always high around this place, it’s what makes this place fun to coach. Our schedule’s tough, we open with Callaway and Auburn, and have Central on there, plus our region got tougher. Picking up the teams you mentioned, Russell County will be better this year, Eufaula made it to the 2nd Round last year, Park Crossing, Lee, all the Montgomery schools are always good, so it’ll be a tough schedule, but a fun schedule,” said head coach Erik Speakman
As the Bulldogs return to campus, life is a little bit different due to the COVID pandemic. The team hasn’t physically been together since March, and the coaching staff is slowly getting the team back up and running.
“This first week, we’re just working on our plan on how we move around the building and getting them used to working out again. You know, we’ve had a lot of them, they’ve done what we asked them to do, but what we asked them to do wasn’t anywhere near what we could have done had we had them on campus,” said Speakman
After months apart, Coach Speakman to have his footall family back with him.
“We’ve got 124 kids that have signed up, so that’s 124 kids we get to make an impact with. And just to have them up here, working hard, enjoying spending time around them. We play a game, and that’s what we approach it as. And you mentioned family, that’s how we treat these kids, as one big family. So it’s good to see these kids come back up here, smile on their face, having a good time,”said Speakman.
The Opelika Bulldogs kick off their season against Callaway High School in LaGrange, Georgia on August 21.
