Game of the Week: McGill vs. Daphne

DAPHNE, Ala. (WALA) - Week five's High School Football Game of the Week features a monster 6A match-up, as the McGill Toolen Yellow Jackets (4-0) visit the Daphne Trojans (3-1).  Both teams come into the week ranked in the top ten in the state by the Alabama High School Athletic Association.
 
Lining up at both safety and outside linebacker, Daphne’s Trey Jenkins is a dual threat.  His toughness and talent led him to a verbal commitment to the University of Alabama-Birmingham.  So, this senior season should be the best campaign of his high school career. But instead, he plays without the man who taught him everything.

“It was devastating to all of is," Jenkins said.  "When it first happened, we all went to the hospital, and we couldn’t really go in, because his family was in there. But we all prayed for him outside.”

Just a couple weeks prior to the first game of 2012, outside linebacker coach Jacy Todd was critically injured in a car accident.

“It’s just one of those shocks that you think you get used to, but somebody that you care and love so much that just was with us then the next day now he’s in a helicopter fighting for his life," said Daphne head coach Glenn Vickey.  "A lot of prayers went up.”

Todd has endured several surgeries, including one where rods were placed in his back due to a spinal injury.  He is currently rehabilitating in Atlanta.

But it’s a different kind of rehab for his Daphne Trojans, as they continue to learn and grow without Todd on the sidelines.

“Everybody has to step it up," Vickery said.  "You lose a good player; you’ve got to step it up.  You lose a coach; you’ve got to step it up.  So, everybody has rallied, the community has rallied, the administration and our coaches, just for a great family that we love.”

So, I asked the senior if a win over arch-rival McGill-Toolen would be dedicated to his coach.  His answer, just one isn’t enough.

“We are dedicating our season to him.  The whole school is, not just the football team, he was a big part of everything," Jenkins said.  "So, we’re just praying for him, and hoping he comes back to us soon.”