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Photo by Barry Stephenson
Hoover's DJ Waluyn (1) stops Vestavia Hills' Carter Metcalf (22) during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met.
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Hoover's Donnell Williams(26) and Hoover's DJ Waluyn(1) team up to bring down Vestavia Hills' Carson Mann (5) during a game between Hoover High School and Vestavia Hills High School on Friday, October 25, 2024, at the Hoover Met in Hoover, AL. Photo by Barry Stephenson
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Photo by Savannah Schmidt
Hoover FS DJ Waluyn (1) grabs for punt during the Hoover vs Thompson game at Warrior Stadium on Oct. 18, 2024.
Wednesday marks two days until the Hoover High School football team kicks off the 2025 season.
Hoover defensive back DJ Waluyn will lead the Bucs onto the field later this week, as they host national power IMG Academy out of Florida at the Hoover Met on Friday night.
Waluyn is a player Hoover head coach Chip English as a potential breakout star this season. He will command attention from opposing offenses as someone who can change the game on the defensive side of the ball.
Preparation is underway for this year's award-winning Under the Lights preseason magazine. Stay tuned to Hoover Sun and to the Under the Lights social media channels to follow along, as the 2025 season approaches.
Under the Lights covers Hoover among its 11 schools and is counting down the days until the start of the season.
51 days: Vestavia Hills QB Charlie Taaffe
50 days: Chelsea RB Chase Malone
49 days: John Carroll WR/DB Jackson Rankin
46 days: Hewitt-Trussville RB Deuce Alston
45 days: Hoover WR Jonah Winston
44 days: Mountain Brook RB Stuart Andrews
43 days: Vestavia Hills OL Caleb Boylan
42 days: Briarwood DL Garrett Witherington
39 days: Homewood QB Kaleb Carson
38 days: Clay-Chalkville QB Aaron Frye
37 days: Spain Park QB Brock Bradley
36 days: Mountain Brook QB Cayden Hofbauer
35 days: Vestavia Hills DL Josh Arendall
32 days: Oak Mountain DB Kolby King
31 days: John Carroll LB Alex Plaia
30 days: Hewitt-Trussville WR Dylan Cope
29 days: Hoover WR Jeremiah Tabb
28 days: Mountain Brook WR Sam Smith
25 days: Vestavia Hills LB Owen Wilbanks
24 days: Chelsea OL Adam Brooks
23 days: Spain Park OL Hudson Reed
22 days: Homewood TE Hayes DeCoudres
21 days: Clay-Chalkville OL JT Jones
18 days: Mountain Brook DB Mac Mandell
17 days: Briarwood DB Sam Canale
16 days: Homewood LB Joey Luckianow
15 days: Hewitt-Trussville LB Parker Floyd
14 days: Hoover DL Tyson Bacon
11 days: Mountain Brook DB Hayes Windle
10 days: Hoover DL Justyn Hartley
9 days: Chelsea LB Porter Schott
8 days: Briarwood OL Carter Fountain
7 days: Oak Mountain DB Jayden Aparicio
4 days: John Carroll QB Garrett Barnes
3 days: Hewitt-Trussville ATH James Kelly
2 days: Hoover DB DJ Waluyn