EIGHT MILE, Ala. — For decades, Blount football set the standard in Mobile County. The Leopards won more state championships than any other public school program in the county, producing generations of standout players and sending 17 alumni on to the NFL.
That championship tradition has faded in recent years. Blount enters the 2026 season looking to reverse a stretch of instability that has included multiple head coaching changes since 2020, three wins or fewer in five of the last six seasons, and just one playoff appearance in that span. Last year’s team finished 2-8 and struggled on both sides of the ball.
Now the Leopards are turning to someone who understands firsthand what Blount football used to represent. New head coach Gus Smith returns home to Eight Mile after three successful seasons at Gordo, where he established himself as one of Alabama’s rising coaches. Smith grew up just minutes from Blount’s campus and remembers listening to the program’s championship teams on the radio as a kid — a connection he said was one of the biggest reasons he took the job.
“Blount’s Blount,” Smith said. “It’s won more state championships than any public school in Mobile County. We’re trying to get it back to that.”
Changing the Atmosphere
Smith said rebuilding the program starts with changing the culture around it, and the early numbers reflect that shift. Blount dressed just 36 players for its final game last season. This summer, the Leopards have consistently had between 80 and 90 players participating, with more than 140 students coming through the program in some capacity since Smith arrived.
“We’re trying to create a place where kids want to be, not where they have to be,” Smith said.
That renewed energy has carried into the weight room, where Smith said building a stronger, more physical team has become the foundation of the rebuild. “I think the teams that win championships are the strongest teams and the ones that make the least amount of mistakes,” he said. “That’s going to be our brand of football.”
A Young Offense Returns Key Pieces
Blount will lean on one of the region’s youngest quarterbacks. Sophomore Jaydyn-Jones Mills returns after starting every game as a freshman in 2025, throwing for 806 yards and four touchdowns while gaining experience against varsity competition. Smith also has flexibility at the position with 6-foot-5 junior Tyson Burkett back after injuries limited most of his 2025 season.
The running game features a pair of experienced backs in junior Keevaughn Johnson and senior Kingston Massey. Johnson rushed for 345 yards and added 81 receiving yards and four total touchdowns last season, while Massey contributed 159 rushing yards and two scores on offense to go with 18 tackles and four tackles for loss on defense.
Up front, the offensive line could be Blount’s biggest strength. Senior Tristan Hardin-Roberts, a West Virginia commit, headlines the unit alongside fellow senior Steven Green, giving Smith two experienced linemen to build around as younger skill players continue to develop.
Defense Searching for New Leaders
Replacing production will be the bigger challenge on defense, where Blount must replace several of last year’s leading tacklers, including Kam Lang and Malik Jackson. The Leopards still have experienced pieces to build around, however. Senior Deandre White returns after recording 38 tackles, two pass breakups and an interception last season. Seniors Jarret Hill-Yates and Kanye Hunt bring experience on the defensive line, while Mary G. Montgomery transfer Jakaleb Fields joins the linebacker corps and is expected to add athleticism to the front seven.
Smith acknowledged inexperience remains a concern but said he believes many of his players already know how to win. “These guys have been winners their whole life,” he said. “It’s in their blood.”
A Noticeable Culture Shift
Players say the changes have been immediate. “When he came in, I felt like everything changed — the whole culture,” Hardin-Roberts said. “Everybody got better. We started getting more players and everything.”
Smith knows turning Blount back into a contender won’t happen overnight, especially in one of Alabama’s toughest regions. But after several difficult seasons, the Leopards believe they finally have stability. Whether that translates into wins immediately remains to be seen — for Smith, though, the mission extends well beyond one season, aimed at restoring one of Mobile County’s proudest football programs to where he believes it belongs.
Blount opens the 2026 season on Aug. 22 against rival Vigor in the annual Battle of Prichard, marking Smith’s debut as the Leopards’ head coach.