MIDNIGHT MADNESS: Edgewood Academy the first on the field with early morning workout
New head coach Gregg Baker put the Edgewood Wildcats through its first practice of the season on the dew-covered field at midnight early Monday. (Graham Dunn)
By GRAHAM DUNN
ELMORE - While most of the River Region was sleeping the Edgewood Academy Wildcats and new head coach Gregg Baker were putting in their first official workout of the 2026 football season.
Midnight struck and the Wildcats were running on the dew-drenched grass at Charles P. Storrs Field early Monday.
High school football practice in the state of Alabama is officially open.
Yes, midnight counts and the Wildcats took advantage of a chance to be the first to open practice.
“I said, ‘y'all interested in doing this? Can y'all do this?’ Because a lot of them got real jobs too,” Baker said when he suggested the idea to his coaching staff.
“They said, ‘yeah, Coach, let's do it.’ So here we are. These guys are gonna go to work tomorrow… Not sure about that.”
Baker, who takes over for Joe Brewton who lasted just one season, was intrigued with the idea after a couple of his players asked him about trying it.
“They were like, is there any way we can do some kind of lock in or something where we can all get together and just a enjoy little camaraderie,” Baker said. “Three different kids - they hadn't talked to each other - came to me on the same afternoon, all hitting me up at the same time.”
Edgewood junior Jacorian Bruce was one of those who took it upon himself to make the suggestion.
“I don't know what we should do this year. I was like, a lock-in at 12,” Bruce said, “come together, so we won't feel uncomfortable. This is a new team. We are young this year, and small. So, I want everybody to come together and be closer. We had some mistreated here last year. I called Coach. I asked him. He said ‘yes.’”
Baker gave everyone involved a vote in it but it was an overwhelming affirmative.
“It’s not just practicing but fellowship, chance to talk,” Baker said. “That’s our Monday practice. After we are done, they’ll all go home, and then we'll come back untll Tuesday afternoon.
The Wildcats did what they would normally do for a first set of drills. With about 35 players on the roster, depth is already a concern.
“It (was) a two-hour to 2.5-hours or practice. It's offensive detailed,” Baker said. “It's all scripted out. We'll do inside drill. We'll do ‘skelly,’ we'll do Pass Pro, we'll do our bird dogging and all with our offensive line.
“We'll get the dummies out and start working on them because we haven't been able to use them all summer. So it'll be the real deal football practice. This is regular football season now.”
The Wildcats finished 4-7 a year ago but still made the playoffs. After a first-round loss to Patrician, the school began looking for a new coach. In his previous stop, Baker had spent several years as the coach at Redland Road Middle School and was thinking more about retirement than coaching a high school varsity team when Edgewood called.
“I thought about it and they asked me what it would take,” he explained. “I told them what I needed and they said, ‘OK.’ I’m excited to be here.
He will attempt to rebuild a program that has dealt with a few ups and downs since Bobby Carr left in 2015.
“These kids are hungry to win, hungry to be led,” Baker said. “We have some great young men here and I’ll admit I was somewhat surprised in the size we have.”
“We’ve got a lot to learn,” Bruce added. “We are learning a lot but until you get on the field, you are not sure what to expect. But I think everybody is ready to practice.”
The Wildcats open the season on Aug. 21 at home against Bessemer Academy.