With August on the cusp, high school football is coming into focus.
Summer workouts are in full swing prior to the first day of official practice on July 31, and The Fayetteville Observer is checking in with each of Cumberland County’s 10 public schools to see how their football teams are coming together ahead of the season.
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The Cumberland County Football Jamboree is scheduled for Aug. 16 at Gray's Creek and Pine Forest with the regular season set to kick off on Aug. 23.
Here's how E.E. Smith's football program is gearing up for a new era under newly hired head coach Tevell Williams after a combined four wins in the Golden Bulls previous two seasons.
Offseason theme
The Tevell Williams era at the 1800 has begun, and E.E. Smith is set for a fresh start. To assure success, Williams has been putting a “brick by brick” mentality into the heads of his core players.
"The meaning of brick by brick signifies the idea of making progress through small, incremental steps," Williams said.
Each step represents a brick for the Golden Bulls’ foundation for 2024 season, which involves six layers of the foundation that will help not only the players but coaches remain accountable to improve each day.
The layers for E.E. Smith's foundation to success are:
- Character on and off the field
- Excellence in every aspect
- Meeting the expected standard
- Academic excellence
- Playing fast and getting better everyday.
"We have to rebuild the program and culture from the ground up. I have a sense of responsibility to bring things back to notoriety and relevance within the county and state," Williams said.
Summer standouts
Although E.E. Smith collected only three wins last season, the Golden Bulls are ready to make a statement under new leadership.
Returning, the Golden Bulls have a heap of starters that will suit up in hopes of a better season like running back Zayshawn Thomas, wide-out Andre Davis, Nick Williams at the saftey spot, Chris Gaines at linebacker, along with a promising freshman on the defensive line, Kenneth McIver.
"We've had a few guys step up and become leaders over the summer, and I'm excited to see what they'll bring come August," Williams said.
Goals before August
While increasing their number in the wins column this season is extremely important for Williams and the Golden Bulls, building a team bond is just as essential to ensure team success.
"This is important to me because in order to get the respect and have players believe in your vision they have to trust you," Williams said.
In helping his team mesh together to become one, Williams is implementing team bonding practices for his players. "I want the players to become brothers. When they have family events off the field, I encourage them to invite other teammates in their positions group," Williams said.
"After that trust and relationships are built, the culture of how we do things has to be established and the vision has to be communicated."
The Golden Bulls will begin their season at the Cumberland County jamboree at Pine Forest High School versus Goldsboro High at 6 p.m. Their regular season will begin hosting Gray' Creek on Aug. 23 with a 7 p.m. kickoff time.
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