KICKOFF COUNTDOWN: Tallassee players 'buying in' with new coach
Tallassee players took part in the River Region Prep Media Day included Kaleb Jackson, Trent Morris and Abram Whittington along with Coach Eric Folmar. (Staff Photo)
Note: River Region Sports begins coverage of teams and storylines leading to the opening of the 2026 high school football season. Today is the first installment of ‘Kickoff Countdown.’
By GRAHAM DUNN
New Tallassee coach Eric Folmer opened his first practice looking for what he called “buy-in.” Any changes the former Fort Dale Academy coach imposed on the Tigers in preseason workouts, would be a sign of how much this team is in engaged.
So far, so good.
“My biggest takeaway so far has just been the buy-in as quickly as it's been,” Folmer said. “When you get to a new place, you never know how people are going to want to accept you. And I told our senior class how successful we are moving forward is going to depend on how quickly the guys buy in.”
The players seemed to be intrigued after a disappointing finish to the 2025 season, a 6-5 record and a quick exit from the Class 4A playoffs.
“Oh, yeah, the discipline, a new standard, honestly. Coach Folmar says that we, as seniors, won't set the new standards,” said senior quarterback Trent Morris. “So I feel like everything is more polished, more straight cut, no more wasting time, doing different things, don’t just sit there. We have to run to our water fountain, go through water.”
Folmer spent four years at Ft. Dale after a forgettable two years at Edgewood Academy. His task now is to return the Tigers to glory.
"I'm very aware of the tradition and history of Tallassee High School," said Folmar, who was 9-3 in his most recent season. "My time at Fort Dale was a good resume builder of what can be done.”
The process of beginning of a turnaround began in the weight room where senior linebacker Kaleb Jackson has seen a marked improvement.
“Just overall, no skipping reps, get what you need to get done quickly,” he said. “As much as you can get out of whatever time you got.”
“We had 12 days of practice together as a group,” Folmar said. “We went to Elmore County (High School), watched the fight and competitiveness from our group that day, to be able to go there and win it. I was really, really proud from that standpoint.”
The Tigers will be thin on both lines of scrimmage but Folmar has been pleased with the returning starters.
“They may be inexperienced in that group, they're also a really talented group,” Folmar said. “We've got a really good senior group and a really big senior group that's got a lot of experience and a really big sophomore group. some of which have experience, but also really talented.”
Tallassee opens the season with a road trip to Montgomery Academy on Aug. 21 before playing the first home game of the season on Aug. 28 against Wetumpka.