BREMEN, Ala. – Fueled by a 4-1 home record, the Cold Springs Eagles are coming off a 6-4 finish and close playoff miss in 2025.
The offense under quarterback Ayden Black was nothing short of spectacular, averaging just under 36 points per contest.
In 2026, head coach Brandon Voce will need to keep his offense hot, as the Eagles head into a challenging new region.
“It’s gonna be a very competitive region. We got Gordo, who is just a powerhouse football team at whatever classification you put them in. I think they spent some time last year ranked number one in 3A. It’s a tradition-rich program. Then, you’ve got a Locust Fork team that’s been very solid the last few years,” Voce said. He added, “So- it’s gonna be a very tough region, but I think it’s going to be a fun one, too.”
After Black’s graduation earlier this year, the Eagles have spent the summer trying to iron out who QB1 will be on August 28 when Cold Springs opens their season at county-rival Vinemont.
As it stands, the battle for starting signal caller has come down to 6-foot senior Ethan Day and sophomore Brandon Chasteen.
On Day, Voce said, “He’s an athlete- a true playmaker for us. He was on pace to have a phenomenal junior year for us at slot receiver, but he broke his ankle and ended up missing 3/4s of the season. He’s played quarterback for us in the past, so we know he’s capable.”
The two will continue to rotate, with one taking snaps at quarterback and the other in the slot. Either quarterback will have a solid supporting cast, starting in the backfield with senior back Cason Alexander and Cooper Johnson, who Voce said is the team’s, “power-back.”
On the perimeter, Eli Voce had nearly 700 yards receiving last season and is complemented by towering senior tight end Breydon Hallmon, who stands at 6-foot-7.
Making room for their skill players in Voce’s “Gun-T” offense, the offensive line will see plenty of new faces this season. The lone returning starter is senior guard Bailey Gann, who has three full years of starting experience to his name already.
“Gann’s a very good one to have lead this group of kids. But- even though we’ve got four new guys on the line, the four guys we have are very capable.
They’re strong, very athletic- big kids. Most all of them would have started last year had it not been that we just had kids who had experience, so we’re excited about what we’ve got.”
The Eagles’ defense was solid in 2025, giving up 21.4 points per game, but will look to further iron out inconsistencies this season.
Due to the nature of offenses at the 2A level, with very few teams utilizing a true spread offense, the Eagles’ scheme is a hybrid of the 3-4 and 4-3.
Important to either, the defensive line is an area Cold Springs feels is a strength, with Voce saying the group has stood out since the spring game.
Many of the standouts on the defensive side of the ball are also offensive stars, with running back Cooper Johnson starting at middle linebacker alongside Brooks Black. Additionally, Hallmon is a key piece of the pass rush at defensive end.
Despite some turnover, the Eagles remain confident in their roster, especially after starting their fall camp in August.
“We went to four different seven-on-sevens over the summer and have been seeing a lot of improvement with our passing game and our maturity on the defensive side especially. So, so far I’d say summer has surpassed expectations.”
