By Loyd McIntosh Photo by Jordan Wald
Midway through the 2025 high school football season, Homewood is on a roll. At the time of this writing, the Patriots are 4-0, tied for first place with defending state champions Parker in 6A Region 5, and have outscored their opponents by a combined score of 179-22.
That is not a misprint: 179-22.
The 2025 Patriots are loaded with talent on both sides of the ball; however, the catalyst for this group of guys is quarterback Kaleb Carson. A senior who is, perhaps, more well-known for his work on the basketball court, is raising eyebrows for his performance on the football field this season.
Carson’s statistics through the first four games are eye-popping. So far, Carson has completed 54 of 82 passing attempts for a completion percentage of 65.9 percent, amassed 809 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, an average of 9.9 yards per completion, and only one interception.
He’s pretty good on the ground as well, although Homewood Head Coach Ben Berguson says the coaching staff hasn’t let him run as much as they would like to just yet. After the first four games of the season, Carson has 15 carries for 115 yards, averaging 7.8 yards per carry, and one touchdown.
Berguson says Carson “sees the field really well,” whether he’s passing or running, and his athleticism makes him a handful for opposing defenses. However, Berguson also says that what really sets Carson apart is between the ears. “As far as his personality goes, he is really cool and calm. He’s in complete control,” Berguson says. “You can’t rattle him at all. He has a high level of confidence that’s really infectious to the team, and we go as he goes.”
Berguson adds, “He’s not a real vocal guy, but they just respond to him. They’re all really close, which helps when they get on the field.”
Frankly, Carson’s numbers could be much better since he has barely played a snap in the second half in 2025, a testament not only to the Patriots’ offensive firepower but also to a defense that has shut opposing offenses down.
However, with key region games against Parker and Gardendale, as well as an out-of-region matchup with Mountain Brook, looming on the schedule, Berguson says that he and offensive coordinator Heath Brunner are about to loosen the reins. “We really haven’t turned him loose running the ball yet, because we don’t want to risk any injury, but that’s coming soon,” Berguson says. “We’re going to turn him loose when it matters. We’re about to play some four-quarter games in the next few weeks, so his numbers should really go up.”
With a mile-wide smile and easy-going, fun-loving attitude, it’s clear to see why the Patriots are experiencing success with Carson under center. While he is confident in his own abilities, he’s quick to praise his teammates with whom he is close friends on and off the field, many of whom have played together since their pee-wee football days.
“I’m just taking it game by game and getting the ball out to my receivers because they’re athletes, and they’re doing the rest,” says Carson. “Most of the team has been playing together since elementary school, so they know what I can do, and I know what they can do. They trust me, and I trust them.”
Starting 2024 as a wide receiver and backup quarterback, Carson got his first real action under center in relief of injured starting quarterback Will Myers during the Patriots’ 23-7 win over Gardendale in early October. He had 60 yards passing and 47 yards rushing that night and earned significant minutes at quarterback throughout the second half of the season.
Carson says the 2024 experience prepared him for this moment. With the full support of the coaching staff and teammates, Carson has the Patriots offense humming on all cylinders. He also says the team has a score to settle after a three-point loss to Fort Payne in the second round of the AHSAA playoffs last year.
“I think playing last year helped a lot with where I am today. My confidence is through the roof right now,” Carson says. “Knowing that I have teammates around me and coaches around me that believe in me, that helps.
Carson continues, “Everything’s working. We’ve been practicing hard since the summer because we came up short last year, and we don’t want to come up short again. So we’ve been taking this step by step, and everything’s been clicking.”
