Lee-Huntsville head football coach Irving McGuire led his team to the Alabama High School Athletic Association state playoffs in his first season, but the Generals dropped to 3-7 in 2022. The coach said he believes this year’s squad is capable of getting back to the postseason.

“What I try to get across to these guys is for them to just make one good play at a time,” McGuire said, “and just stay locked in. It’s hard sometimes for young – and old – players to stay focused on the task at hand, but if we can do that it will be a lot easier for this team to do well.”

The Generals have made the playoffs in three of the past 10 years – under four different head coaches. Lee’s last winning season was in 2017, just the second in the past decade. Lee was 5-6 in McGuire’s debut season and fell in the Class 5A playoffs to Leeds.

The Generals enter their second season as a 6A squad – they have jumped up and down between 6A and 5A five times since 2011 – in Region 8 with Buckhorn, Fort Payne, Gadsden City, Hazel Green and Mae Jemison.

McGuire has 14 starters returning and the Generals are also expecting a big season from running back Carlin Long, a transfer from Huntsville High who led Class 7A by rushing for 142.5 yards a game last season with 18 touchdowns.

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Lee will run a power spread offense, the coach said, out of multiple formations and using run-pass options to help create space. Senior Brandon Johnson, a 5-foot-11, 170-pound wide receiver/cornerback/athlete, has been timed at 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash and is a do-it-all performer. Johnson has picked up good yardage taking the ball directly from a shotgun snap.

“I’ve really worked hard on my speed and my strength,” he said. “I mean, I’m a fast guy, but you can always be a little faster and stronger. You know, sometimes we all just stay after practice to work on things after practice.”

Lee’s passing attack should be improved with an aim on getting the ball to senior Namon Hobson, a 6-2, 190-pound wide receiver. Hobson will also add some depth on defense in the secondary.

The Generals will run a 3-3 stack defense led by their strongest player, junior defensive tackle Tyler Garner (6-1, 285) and senior safety Jordy Katane.

Katane said he feels a sense of responsibility to be a leader and help encourage his teammates. “You know when I see guys making mistakes, I just want to let them know we have to forget about that play and move on to the next one,” Katane said. “I remember older guys encouraging me when I was coming up and I just want to do the same.”

The Generals scored 20.5 points a game last season and surrendered 35.2 per outing.

Lee will play a scrimmage game against Tuscaloosa County on Aug. 17 and will open the season hosting Westminster Christian at Milton Frank Stadium on Aug. 25.