Friends will become foes for one night

LEIGHTON - Scott Basden's tenure at Muscle Shoals begins tonight, and the new coach will try to get his first win at the expense of Colbert County, which is coached by second-year coach Cody Gross.

It's the same Cody Gross who was taking snaps from Basden in 1995 during a championship season at the University of North Alabama.

How well do Basden and Gross know each other? Probably about as well as any center-quarterback ever get to know each other.

Basden, a center, and Gross, a quarterback, were teammates for four seasons at UNA between 1991-1995, including all three of the Lions' championship years.

"I'm not going to snap him the ball, and I'm not going to block for him," Basden said, laughing. "We're great friends, and nobody will pull harder for Colbert County except for those three hours (tonight) than me. Cody is a class act."

Gross returned the compliment.

"We've talked every day this week," he said. "There's no doubt that Muscle Shoals hired the right guy. He's going to do it the right way on and off the field."

Basden and Gross are just two of nine former UNA coaches or players who will be on the sidelines. Lee Craft, Kenyatta Jones, Jon Thompson and former head coach Bill Hyde are Colbert County assistant coaches. Gerald Smith, Woody Smothers and John Ritter are former UNA players on the Muscle Shoals staff.

Gross expects a different, tougher Muscle Shoals team tonight than the one that beat him in his inaugural game at Colbert County last season.

"Last year, they lined up in the spread," he said, "and this year, they are going to line up and run the football. That's what Scott did last year at Cordova. He's been successful doing that."

Basden directed Cordova to the Class 3A state championship last season. He said he is laying the foundation for the future at Muscle Shoals.

"This community is hungry for a team that can go out there and compete for a state championship," he said. "That's the job I have in front of me, and the community and administration support has been great. It's not going to happen overnight."

Gregg Dewalt can be reached at 740-5748 or gregg.dewalt@timesdaily.com.