Bobby Hall looks to make Biloxi football fun again

Last season was not fun. Not remotely.

The Biloxi Indians won their first game under legendary high school football coach Bobby Hall, but stumbled to a three-win season.

Back for more in 2016, Hall is determined to prove that last season was merely a fluke and that this year’s team is the real Indians squad he envisioned when he moved south from Madison Central.

Admittedly, Hall has toned down his expectations a bit from a year ago, when he predicted the Indians would go from worst in Region 4-6A to first. He hasn’t however, stopped believing in his squad.

“We're going to fling it around a lot. We're still going to run the ball, but we're going to fling it around a lot, too,” Hall said. “This is what I tell people: We're actually going to have a football team that's going to be fun to watch. I really believe that.”

In an effort to make football fun again at Biloxi, Hall is opening up his offense a bit. He has run a triple option from under center in 30 of his 32 seasons as a high school head coach. With former D’Iberville backup quarterback Tucker Thomas running the offense, Hall has opted to move Thomas into the shotgun to better showcase his versatility.

Hall compared the new iteration of his offense to what new Tulane coach Willie Fritz brought with him from Georgia Southern.

“He's going to give us lots of options as a quarterback because he can beat you with his feet and his arm,” Hall said of Thomas. “He weighs 190 pounds, so he's a physical kid.

“He’s almost tailor made for this (offense).”

More playmakers

It also helps that Thomas will have a number of potential playmakers around him. Go-to receiver Tim Jones is back for his senior season, fresh off of catching 137 passes for 2,107 yards and 22 touchdowns the last two seasons.

“Tim is a really good football player who can do a lot of things,” Hall said. “He’s a big bodied guy at 6-2, 190 (pounds).”

Taking pressure off of Jones will be basketball standout Fred Ramsey-Thompson, who is swapping his hightops for cleats for the first time in several years.

“Fred's out here and Fred makes a difference,” Hall said of the 6-foot-4, 220-pound receiver. “He's getting better. He's a big ole body that you can put in the slot. He has really good hands — like all basketball players. Fred is a guy who gives us another weapon.”

Hall is also excited about returning running backs Nick Ross and Martel Turner. Ross missed all of 2015 due to injury and Turner only played in seven games, rushing for 561 yards and three touchdowns.

“We're considerably better. We're going to be really, really explosive offensively,” Hall said. “We have two good running backs, we have a good quarterback and we have a freak wide out.

“In my experience in high school football, if you have those guys you can give people heart burn.”

Biloxi’s projected starters across the offensive line include returners Nick Tibilier and Alexis Galle, plus Noah Griffith, Blair Ashley and Ethan Myers.

Defensive outlook

Hall’s Indians improved its scoring defense from the year before, cutting down its total points against from 426 to 311.

“I thought Coach (Katlan) French did a masterful job with those guys, I just didn't think we did anything to help them offensively,” Hall said.

Hall has high hopes for a veteran defensive secondary that includes Jiles Bradfield and Brodie King at cornerback and Tyler Price and De’Angelo Mayers at the two safety positions.

Price is the team’s top returning tackler with 102 as a junior. He also defended three passes and two forced fumbles.

“He's a really good player,” Hall said. “Really fast and physical.”

Biloxi’s multiple defense also uses “Indian” and “Shark” positions, which are linebacker/safety hybrids that will be manned by Brandon Walker and Matthew Boudroux.

Linebackers A.C. Crouse and D.J. Smith are slated to start for Biloxi, with Blayr Case, Sawyer Denton and Skyler Talavera manning the trenches.

“We're going to have really good speed and change of direction skills with those guys,” Hall said. “We are going to be young in some places, but they're good players.”

Reason for optimism

Biloxi opens its season Friday against St. Stanislaus in the annual Shrimp Bowl. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m.

The Indians will then host Tate (Fla.) on Aug. 26 and travel to Northshore (La.) and Gautier in successive weeks. Biloxi will have a bye week Sept. 16 before opening its Region 4-6A schedule Sept. 23.

This story was originally published August 19, 2016 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Bobby Hall looks to make Biloxi football fun again."