Football 2014

PageO Greenwood Commonwealth / Sunday, August 17, 2014 cllq_^ii=OMNQ =======================================================================================================================================================================

PageP cllq_^ii=OMNQ Greenwood Commonwealth / Sunday, August 17, 2014 =======================================================================================================================================================================

Despite key losses, coach remains upbeat

By BILL BURRUS péçêíë=bÇáíçê

Many may feel this will be a down year for Greenwood High School football.

After all, the Bulldogs lost a ton of talent from last year’s 10-2 squad, including eight who signed college scholarships.

Gone is the school’s all-time leading passer in Kwadra Griggs.

Korey Robertson and Sammie Epps will be catching passes for Southern Miss and Ole Miss, respectively, this season.

Clinton Gatewood understands how people might expect this to be a rebuilding season, but the fifth-year GHS head coach has a message for any doubters.

“We’re going to be pretty good.

We’re not stocked with the talent we had last year obviously, but we have some kids who are eager to

dobbktlla ^ìÖK=OO ~í=eçäãÉë=`Éåíê~ä ^ìÖK=OV ~í=dêÉå~Ç~ pÉéíK=R ~í=`ä~êâëÇ~äÉ pÉéíK=NO dêÉÉåîáääÉ=tÉëíçå pÉéíK=NV ^ã~åÇ~=bäòó pÉéíK=OS ~í=táäâáåëçå=`çìåíó lÅíK=P v~òçç=`áíó lÅíK=NM ~í=v~òçç=`çìåíó lÅíK=NT dÉåíêó=Ee`F lÅíK=OQ lmbk lÅíK=PN `äÉîÉä~åÇ E^ää=Ö~ãÉë=~í=T=éKãKF

OMNP=oÉëìäíë NMJO=lîÉê~ääI=RJM=áå oÉÖáçå=PJQ^ dêÉÉåïççÇ=QVI=iÉÑäçêÉ=`çK=OM dêÉå~Ç~=ONI=dêÉÉåïççÇ=NP dêÉÉåïççÇ=PQI=`ä~êâëÇ~äÉ=OU dêÉÉåïççÇ=PQI=dêÉÉåîáääÉ=S dêÉÉåïççÇ=OMI=bäòó=NS dêÉÉåïççÇ=OSI=táäâáåëçå=`çK=OM dêÉÉåïççÇ=PQI=v~òçç=`áíó=S dêÉÉåïççÇ=OVI=v~òçç=`çK=P dêÉÉåïççÇ=QNI=dÉåíêó=NS dêÉÉåïççÇ=QSI=`äÉîÉä~åÇ=OM kçêíÜ=Q^=mä~óçÑÑë dêÉÉåïççÇ=ROI=eçìëíçå=T i~Ñ~óÉííÉ=TI=dêÉÉåïççÇ=M

show what they can do,” Gatewood said. “I expect us to compete for a division title and again be a part of the playoffs.”

Gatewood is 30-18 and winner of two Region 3-4A titles in his first four seasons at the helm of a Bulldog program that suffered seven straight losing seasons before his arrival. He expects Cleveland and Yazoo County to be Greenwood’s toughest obstacles between the Bulldogs and another Region 3 crown.

Offensively, the Dogs didn’t take as big a hit due to graduation as they did on defense. GHS returns four starters on the offensive line, an 1,100-yard running back in junior JohnDerrick Smith and arguably the most dangerous player in the surrounding area in senior Booker T. Chambers.

With jitterbug-like moves, the 5-foot-8, 150-pound Chambers started at receiver last year and played some quarterback. This year he will start at quarterback and play at receiver and running back.

“We’re expecting so many big things from Booker. He’s a dualthreat quarterback, and when we can get him the ball at receiver, he’s nearly unstoppable,” Gatewood said.

As a junior, Chambers rushed for 478 yards and four touchdowns on 33 carries, threw for 184 yards on 9-of-14 passing with four touchdowns and caught 33 passes for 457 yards and four touchdowns. He also had 260 kickoff return yards and 162 on punt returns.

With defenses having to account for Chambers’ every move, Smith (5-9, 175) could have an even bigger year after rushing for a team-high 1,118 yards and 11 touchdowns on 154 carries as a sophomore.

“With the line we have coming back and the skill guys that we have, I expect our offense to carry us early on while we get our feet under us on defense,” Gatewood said.

Andy Lo

dêÉÉåïççÇ=eáÖÜ=pÅÜççä=Åç~ÅÜ=`äáåíçå=d~íÉïççÇ=ë~óë=áí=ïçìäÇ=ÄÉ=ïêçåÖ=íç=ìåÇÉêÉëíáã~íÉ=Üáë=íÉ~ã=íÜáë ëÉ~ëçå=ÉîÉå=áÑ=íÜÉ=_ìääÇçÖë=äçëí=~=ïÉ~äíÜ=çÑ=í~äÉåí=Ñêçã=íÜÉáê=OMNP=ëèì~ÇK

That line will be anchored by junior Kryroslum Clark (6-1, 235) and senior Timeetric McCray (61, 235), both All-Commonwealth selections in 2013. The other two returning starters are senior Daebrieon Harris (6-0, 240) and senior Edward Howard (6-1, 260).

Juniors Jewon Smith (6-2, 235) and Arcodes West (6-2, 255) are vying for the fifth and final starting spot up front.

Junior Clarence Lowe (5-10, 180) will be at fullback.

Even with the loss of Division-I pass-catchers, Gatewood believes he has another elite receiving corp, led by juniors Tyler Glass (62, 185), Javion Jones (6-1, 175), Ladarius Robinson (6-1, 165) and Cortaveon Mack (6-2, 200).

Glass will also play quarterback when Chambers moves from under center.

The last couple of years the Bulldogs have been a pass-first team, but Gatewood said that won’t be the case this season.

Chambers can, and will do it all for Bulldogs

By BILL BURRUS péçêíë=bÇáíçê

Don’t judge Booker T. Chambers solely on his diminutive size.

That would be a huge mistake, says Greenwood head coach Clinton Gatewood, because Chambers is a warrior with a great heart, work ethic and, most importantly, superb talent.

Gatewood warns opponents and college recruiters not to overlook the multi-dimensional 5-foot-9, 165-pound senior, who will play quarterback, receiver, running back and defensive back.

“The only thing we won’t ask him to do is line up on the offensive or defensive lines even though he would do it without blinking if we asked him to,” Gatewood said.

“He sure as heck doesn’t play small on the field. You can bet on that.

“He’s one of the hardest working guys I’ve ever coached because he’s had to prove himself so much because of his size. He’s got the heart and God-given talent to make up for his size.”

Chambers showed that last season when he earned All-Commonwealth honors after rushing for 478 yards and four

touchdowns on 33 carries and catching 33 passes for 457 yards and four touchdowns.

He also passed for 184 yards and four TDs and accounted for 260 kickoff return yards and 162 on punt returns.

“I enjoy moving around and playing different positions. I think that plays to my strength as an athlete,” Chambers said. “I don’t really have a favorite position. I just want to help my team win.”

Chambers was timed this summer in the 40-yard dash at 4.52 seconds, but it’s his shiftiness in the open field that makes him so dangerous. Very seldom does the first defender on the scene make the tackle on him because he’s so elusive.

“I’ve always worked hard on my speed, quickness and agility to offset my lack of size,” Chambers said. “I don’t worry about size. That’s something I can’t control. I’ve got a big heart and love to compete.”

Gatewood compares Chambers to Mississippi State standout Jameon Lewis when he was a high school quarterback at Tylertown even though Chambers has yet to draw any serious interest from Division I colleges.

“They have similar size and both can do it all offensively and in the return game,”

“We know we can run and pass it. We’re going to pick out the weak point of the defense each week and attack it,” he said. “We have a multiple offense with a lot of different looks.”

Defensively, the Bulldogs return just three starters, albeit three really good ones.

Senior end Bennie Higgins (62, 240) will lead the defensive front. Gatewood calls him the “heart of our defense.”

“He has a motor that never stops. He’s got to be a leader up there, and so far he’s off to a good start,” said the GHS coach.

Higgins, who has excellent speed and quickness to go with about 15 more pounds of muscle on him this season, led the team with 11 sacks in 2013. He finished with 49 solo tackles, 42 assists, five tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and two caused fumbles.

Higgins will serve as the co-captain of the defense along with Jor-

dan Freeman, a third-year starter at strong safety. Gatewood says the 5-9, 175-pound defensive back is naturally a quiet guy who the coaches are asking to be more of a verbal leader since he’s the most experienced player on that side of the ball.

Thurman is likely the fastest Bulldog, according to Gatewood, with 4.4 speed in the 40.

Sophomore Dequon Davis (5-9, 155) will probably start at the cornerback spot opposite of Thurman.

Seniors Stevie Clemon (5-10, 180) and Juan Robinson (6-, 210) and juniors Antwione Williams Jr. (5-11, 175) and Tarren Smith (6-0, 165) are working at the three linebacker positions.

Joining Higgins on the defensive front will be Harris, juniors Tyler Swims (6-1, 300) and Edwin Gray (5-10, 165). n `çåí~Åí= _áää= _ìêêìë= ~í= RUNJ TOPT= çê= ÄÄìêêìë]ÖïÅçããçåJ ïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK=

dêÉÉåïççÇ eáÖÜ= pÅÜççäÛë _ççâÉê=qK=`Ü~ãJ ÄÉêë=êìåë=áå=íÜÉ çéÉå= ÑáÉäÇ= ä~ëí ëÉ~ëçåK= lééçJ åÉåíë= ïáää= ï~åí íç= ãáåáãáòÉ Üçï=ã~åó=íáãÉë íÜÉ= îÉêë~íáäÉ ëÉåáçê= ÖÉíë= áå íÜÉ= çéÉå= ÑáÉäÇ íÜáë= óÉ~ê ÄÉÅ~ìëÉ= ÜÉÛë= ~ íÜêÉ~í=íç=Öç=íÜÉ Çáëí~åÅÉ= ÉîÉêó íáãÉK===

said the GHS head coach. “Booker T. is a legitimate Division I recruit as a returner and slot receiver.”

Chambers wants to play at the next level and is hoping some college will give him that shot, but for now, he’s focused on getting the Bulldogs back to the playoffs to close out his career at GHS. Gatewood is obviously thrilled to have a player of Chamber’s caliber leading his

File photo/Andy Lo

offense this season, but the fifth-year Greenwood head coach says Chambers is a pleasure to be around off the field as well.

“He’s an honor student and a very respectful kid. He loves his mom and his little brother like you wouldn’t believe. He’s also a great leader who is always looking to teach our younger players.” n `çåí~Åí= _áää= _ìêêìë= ~í= RUNJTOPT= çê ÄÄìêêìë]ÖïÅçããçåïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK

PageQ Greenwood Commonwealth / Sunday, August 17, 2014 cllq_^ii=OMNQ =======================================================================================================================================================================

Mustangs looking for bounce-back season

By BILL BURRUS péçêíë=bÇáíçê

First-year Pillow Academy head coach Tripp McCarty won’t be satisfied with just a winning season and making the playoffs.

For some coaches, that might be enough of a turnaround after taking over a program that went 7-24 the last three seasons.

mfiilt ^ìÖK=OO kçêíÜ=aÉäí~ ^ìÖK=OV fåÇá~åçä~ pÉéíK=R ~í=iÉÉ=^Å~ÇÉãó pÉéíK=NO jo^ pÉéíK=NV ~í=háêâI=ETWPMF pÉéíK=OS ~í=g^ lÅíK=P j~Öåçäá~=eÉáÖÜíë lÅíK=NM ~í=eÉêáí~ÖÉ lÅíK=NT= lmbk lÅíK=OQ ~í=eáääÅêÉëí lÅíK=PN t~ëÜáåÖíçå kçîK=T pí~êâîáääÉ E^ää=Ö~ãÉë=~í=T=éKãKF OMNP=oÉëìäíë QJTI=OJR=áå=kçêíÜ=^^^=aáîK=ff máääçï=QVI=kçêíÜ=aÉäí~=OT fåÇá~åçä~=OSI=máääçï=NS iÉÉ=NPI=máääçï=NM jo^=QOI=máääçï=T máääçï=QPI=háêâ=NU g^=RUI=máääçï=M j~Öåçäá~=eÉáÖÜíë=PPI=máääçï=ON máääçï=POI=eÉêáí~ÖÉ=OO máääçï=RNI=eáääÅêÉëí=NP t~ëÜáåÖíçå=OUI=máääçï=NQ pí~êâîáääÉ=OQI=máääçï=M

McCarty just doesn’t see it that way.

“I never been one to sit down and say our goal is to win six games. If six wins is my goal, I need to find something else to do,” said McCarty, who went 25-13 in three seasons at Brookhaven Academy, including a state AA championship in 2012. “Our goal is to win the whole thing no matter what’s happened in the past.

We do too much work to set a goal short of a state championship.”

McCarty was hired in February to replace Michael Fair, who went 33-31 in six seasons at PA before leaving for Senatobia High School.

The Mustangs won a State AAA Division II state title in 2010, but things quickly went south after that.

Numbers began to dwindle.

Attitude and work ethic seemed to drop along with it.

But McCarty, 37, a high-energy coach, has some new faces out this fall and seems to have brought new life to the onceproud program.

McCarty returns only a handful of starters from last year’s 4-7 squad but still feels good about the Mustangs’ potential for 2014.

So what will it take to put together a state championship run?

“We have to be an aggressive football team. That doesn’t necessarily mean in play-calling. It means in the physicality of the game,” said the new Mustang coach. “We’ve got to cut loose, and

Bill Burrus

máääçï=^Å~ÇÉãó=àìåáçê=çÑÑÉåëáîÉ=äáåÉã~å=p~ã=eÉåêó=c~êãÉê=ïçêâë=çå=Üáë=ÄäçÅâáåÖ=íÉÅÜåáèìÉ=ÇìêáåÖ=~ êÉÅÉåí=éê~ÅíáÅÉK=qÜÉ=jìëí~åÖë=Ü~îÉ=ïçå=àìëí=ëÉîÉå=Ö~ãÉë=çîÉê=íÜÉ=ä~ëí=íÜêÉÉ=ëÉ~ëçåëI=Äìí=ÑáêëíJóÉ~ê ÜÉ~Ç=Åç~ÅÜ=qêáéé=jÅ`~êíó=áë=ïçêâáåÖ=íç=íìêå=íÜáåÖë=~êçìåÇK====

to out and strike some folks with physical force.

“I’ve never seen a good football team that wasn’t aggressive when the lights come on. It is a contact game. We need to play physical to have a chance to reach our goal.”

From the day he arrived in March, McCarty has worked

hard to instill a winning attitude to set the groundwork for what he hopes is a quick turnaround.

“This group doesn’t have a tangible idea of what a playoff game or postseason success feels like.

You are telling them about something they have never experienced so that can be a little trying at times,” McCarty said. “The

Coach expects big things from senior

By BILL BURRUS péçêíë=bÇáíçê

As a self-described guy, Pillow Academy’s Steve Pannell has worked on being more vocal for his senior season.

That’s part of a being senior leader, he says.

“I am stepping up as a team leader. That’s what all 12 seniors are doing,” said the 6-foot-3, 185-pound wide receiver/safety/kicker.

“I’ve got to be more vocal for us to communicate on the field and to help coach-up our younger teammates.

“We’ve got a good group of juniors and sophomores, and our job as seniors is try to push them through the

grind of three-a-days and make them want to give their best so we seniors can go out winners.”

Pannell and his fellow seniors only won four games last season and tasted victory just once the year before, so they are hungry to leave their mark on the once-proud football program. He believes the talent and, more importantly, the team chemistry is there to do it.

“I feel like this team is more of a family. There’s more of a bond because nobody is worried about who’s going to get the ball,” he said. “We want to be the senior class that helped turn this thing around.”

File photo/Andy Lo

máääçï=^Å~ÇÉãóÛë=píÉîÉ=m~ååÉää=ï~ë=íÜÉ=íÉ~ãÛë=äÉ~ÇáåÖ êÉÅÉáîÉê=~=óÉ~ê=~Öç=~åÇ=ÅçìäÇ=Ü~îÉ=~å=ÉîÉå=ÄáÖÖÉê=ëÉ~ëçå ~ë=~=ëÉåáçê=ïáíÜ=íÜÉ=jìëí~åÖëK====

First-year PA head coach Tripp McCarty is excited about Pannell’s potential for a breakout offensive season.

“He’s a multi-tool guy who can be a mismatch outside at receiver with his size and athletic ability,” McCarty said. “Steve has a super attitude. He’s put in the work this summer and is primed for a big senior season.”

Pannell credits McCarty for making him a better receiver by teaching him to run more precise routes.

“He’s a perfectionist. If you do what he tells you, you’re going to be open no matter what type of speed you have,” said Pannell,

who led the Mustangs in receiving last season with 34 catches for 411 yards and three touchdowns. “I feel like we will be a runfirst team, but when we do throw I know a lot will be expected of me because we don’t have a lot of experience at receiver.

“When the ball is thrown my way, I’ve got to go up and catch it and then make something happen.”

Pannell was a 2013 AllCommonwealth selection as a kicker after not missing a PAT attempt and hitting on four of his five field goal kicks, including a

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------pÉÉ PANNELLI=m~ÖÉ=R

great challenge for us coaches is to try and give that to them and to this community.”

McCarty, who has gained a reputation for his offensive work in the MAIS over the last 10 years, has installed a new up-tempo, nohuddle spread attack that will ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------pÉÉ PILLOWI=m~ÖÉ=R

New PA coach a believer in hard work

PageR cllq_^ii=OMNQ Greenwood Commonwealth / Sunday, August 17, 2014 =======================================================================================================================================================================

By BILL BURRUS péçêíë=bÇáíçê

Pillow Academy’s Tripp McCarty grew up loving football, but he didn’t know he would one day make his living coaching it.

After a standout playing career at Canton Academy, he went to Mississippi College on a football scholarship with plans of eventually pursuing a law degree.

But that all changed in 1997, when his football career at MC took a bizarre twist and he got his first taste of coaching. McCarty sat out a year, as the Choctaws made the move from Division II to Division III. That allowed him to go back to his high school alma mater to help his former coach, Flip Godfrey, out with two-a-day practices.

After the first day of workouts, he called his mother to inform her he was no longer thinking about law school.

“I told her I had figured out what I wanted to do, and she was fine with it,” said McCarty, 37. “It was just so much fun out there coaching.

“I had always been told find something you’re real passionate about and find a way to make a living at it.

(Coaching) just seemed to resonate with me. The Lord just laid it out there for me.”

McCarty coached football at Canton for three years before graduating from MC in 2000 with a major in English and a minor in criminal justice. His coaching career then took him back to MC, where he had played quarterback and receiver in 1995 and 1996 under Dana Holgorsen, now the head coach at West

máääçï

Virginia.

Soon McCarty developed a reputation as one of the top offensive minds in the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools with stints at Canton, Presbyterian Christian and Madison-Ridgeland Academy.

That opened the door for his first head coaching job in 2010 at Brookhaven Academy.

McCarty went 25-13 in three seasons at Brookhaven and was named the MAIS Class AA Coach of the Year in 2012 after leading the Cougars to a state championship.

“I am a product of having been very fortunate to have coached and played for some great coaches. I have been around some great coaches who I have learned from at every stop,” said McCarty, hired in February to replace Michael Fair.

Fair left Pillow after six seasons to become the head coach at Senatobia High School.

McCarty is trying to revive Pillow’s once-proud football program, which has fallen on hard times since winning a state AAA Division II championship in 2010. The Mustangs have won just seven games the last three seasons.

The new PA head coach is excited and optimistic about turning things around.

“I knew it was going to need some work, and we’re prepared to do that,” McCarty said. “I didn’t take this job as any kind of stepping stone. The community and the administration here had a lot to do with my leaving a very storied program. Brookhaven was a special place, but I want to make Greenwood my

`çåíáåìÉÇ=Ñêçã=m~ÖÉ=Q ----------------------------------------------------------------------work almost exclusively out of the shotgun.

“We can go from three backs to no backs with one signal. We will move all around in many different formations,” he said. “What we try to build is an operating system that can attack any weakness of the defense. That’s the nuts and bolts of it.

“We’re not a running team; we’re not a passing team. We want to be a scoring team. And to do that, you have to be able to attack the defense in multiple ways depending on what the defense is giving us.”

Senior Cooper Dunn (6-0, 185) has made big strides with his technique and throwing motion under McCarty and is battling sophomore Cole Whitfield (5-11, 185) for the starting nod.

“It’s a good competition, and both are progressing as quarterbacks. Both want to see the other succeed because I think they realize that if we have two great quarterbacks, that makes us a great team,” McCarty said. “Both have different strengths and weaknesses, and that can make them interchangeable.”

The PA head coach likes the team’s depth at running back, where returning starter Bay Ben-

home.”

McCarty is the face of the new breed of high school football coaches. He’s young, smart, energetic and a firm believer in an up-tempo, no-huddle offense.

He spends countless hours studying film and drawing up plays on the chalk board, almost like a mad scientist, and McCarty prides himself on being a player’s coach who understands the importance of being able to reach kids and get them to give all they’ve got.

“It can’t always be about football. ... When I ask about their weekend, they’ve got to sincerely know I want to know about their weekend. They have got to believe that you care about them as something more than a football player,” McCarty said.

“And if you don’t sincerely care, you’re missing out on the true reward of being a coach.

“It’s fun having them on the field, but it’s also neat to see them in 10 years and talk to them about what they are doing now or to have a former player call you up and wish you good luck.”

As he begins the rebuilding process at PA, the new coach is striving to make the players the focus of the program.

“It’s not about me. I haven’t scored a touchdown in 20 years,” McCarty said.

“This program is always going to be about the kids.

A lot of coaches might do it a different way, but for me, it’s all about these kids, this school and then the community.”

McCarty’s philosophy for coaching success is sim-

nett (6-0, 190) is back for his senior season. He rushed for a team-high 862 yards and 12 touchdowns on 159 carries last season.

Other running backs who will play are sophomores John Madison Brooks (6-1, 185) and Peyton Turner (5-8, 140) and juniors Will Jennings (6-1, 205) and Dylan Foster (5-10, 200).

“We have a seasoned veteran in Bay, and Dylan and Will give us some big bodies who will bang it up in there,” McCarty said. “And we are real excited about our two young guys.”

At receiver, senior Steve Pannell has the most experience of what is a talented but rather inexperienced group. The 6-3, 185-pounder led the Mustangs last year with 34 catches for 411 yards and three touchdowns.

Senior Raines Cook (6-4, 190) played some last year, and senior Brantley O’Dell (6-3, 205) has moved from center to tight end/receiver. They will be joined in the lineup by two newcomers in seniors Dillon Ussery (5-9, 195) and Adam Horn (5-11, 160).

McCarty calls Horn and Ussery two of the better athletes on the team.

Sophomores Hayden Rideout (5-9, 140), Grayson Quinn (5-10, 140) and Rose Woods (6-0, 145) and junior Harris Fondren (5-11, 155) are also working at receiver.

The offensive line won’t be big, but it will be athletic. Both junior

Bill Burrus

máääçï=^Å~ÇÉãó=ÜÉ~Ç=Åç~ÅÜ=qêáéé=jÅ`~êíó=áë=ÉåíÉêáåÖ=Üáë=NUíÜ=ëÉ~ëçå=Åç~ÅÜáåÖ=ÑççíJ Ä~ääK=_ÉÑçêÉ=ÜÉ=ï~ë=ÄáííÉå=Äó=íÜÉ=Åç~ÅÜáåÖ=ÄìÖI=jÅ`~êíó=éä~ååÉÇ=íç=Öç=íç=ä~ï=ëÅÜççäK= ple — outwork the other guys.

“I try to pride myself in looking across the field every Friday night and knowing I put in more work than the other coach.

I believe in putting in the work to be successful, and that’s what we want our kids to believe in, too.”

Senior quarterback Cooper Dunn is impressed with his new coach’s knowledge of the game and his ability to pass that on to the players. Dunn also likes the way McCarty keeps all 35 players interested in what the coach is teaching.

“He involves everyone in what’s going on and makes it interesting for everyone, not just the 11 starters,” Dunn said.

Outside of football, McCarty enjoys spending

Sam Henry Farmer (6-0, 200) and sophomore Collin Short (5-8, 210) have moved from fullback to offensive line.

Sophomore Jacob Garrard (5-9, 230) will likely start at center, with senior William Dent Brock (6-1, 190) also playing there.

Farmer and junior Ethan Reichle (5-10, 190) will be at the guards.

Junior Casen Giachelli (5-10, 195) and senior Will McMinn (59, 205) will also see action at guard.

Senior newcomer Justin Perkins (6-2, 215) has impressed coaches at tackle. He is one of three seniors playing varsity Perkins football for the first time.

Sophomore Haynes Camp (6-3, 245) will start opposite of Perkins at the other tackle spot. Sophomores Walt Pillow (6-1, 180) and Swayze Pillow (6-1, 180) will see action at tackle. Sophomores Logan Tucker (5-9, 160) and Will Higgason (5-9, 200) are also working on the line.

McCarty says he doesn’t have any superstars on offense but that he has a handful of playmakers who should make the Mustang offense hard to defend for opposing defenses.

Defensively, Pillow has struggled the last three seasons, allow-

time outdoors hunting and fishing, but those hobbies are put on the back burner during the football season.

“My fishing rods stay put up, and my guns remain in their cases until we take up the equipment at the end of the season. But at the same time, we want to balance football with some fun.”

For coaches as dedicated as McCarty, it can be an inseason challenge to carve out enough time for family.

“This profession does rob you of a lot of time with your family. I understand that, and I am very fortunate to have some close family who understand that also,” McCarty said.

He is engaged to be married this December to May McGee. She is well aware of what she’s getting into, said the PA coach.

ing an average of 29 points a contest during that span.

McCarty hopes to trim the number of points allowed considerably with team speed on defense and being aggressive.

“We will have 11 guys on the field who can run. Defense is all about angles and effort,” he said.

“We can’t give up cheap scores.

This day and age, offenses are going to score points; we just have to make them earn it.”

Ussery and Horn will start at cornerback, with juniors Bailey Mangrum (5-11, 160) and Michael Howard (5-10, 145) backing them up.

Dunn will get the start at strong safety with Cook and Whitfield also seeing action there.

Pannell will be at free safety, with Brooks backing him up.

The linebacking corp should be the strength of the unit with all three starters back: junior Carter Kimes (6-0, 190), Jennings and Bennett.

Short and Giachelli will also see action there, with junior Michael Davis (5-10, 170) pushing for playing time.

Reichle and Garrard will start at the tackles, with Giachelli and Perkins being the main backups.

O’Dell, Farmer and Brock will alternate at the two end positions. n `çåí~Åí= _áää= _ìêêìë= ~í= RUNJ TOPT= çê= ÄÄìêêìë]ÖïÅçããçåJ ïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK= cçääçï= çå= qïáíJ íÉêW]_áää|_ìêêìëK=

“This will be her third football season with me.

She is a fanatic, too. She loves football.”

McGee said the demands that coaching puts on her fiance can be taxing, but she understands.

“The long hours aren’t easy to deal with, but it’s all worthwhile when I see all his hard work come to fruition. He coached both of my brothers (at Canton Academy). Tripp has a great ability to reach kids, to connect with them. He’s a born leader.

“And another thing that I like is that he always tries to make everything fun for the kids, no matter what.” n `çåí~Åí=_áää=_ìêêìë=~í RUNJTOPT= çê ÄÄìêêìë]ÖïÅçããçåJ ïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK= cçääçï= çå qïáííÉêW]_áää|_ìêêìëK=

m~ååÉää

`çåíáåìÉÇ=Ñêçã=m~ÖÉ=Q --------------------------------------------------------------game-winner against Heritage.

Pannell is a member of the 2014 preseason All-Commonwealth team as a receiver — an honor Mustang senior quarterback C o o p e r D u n n believes his longtime f r i e n d deserves.

Pannell “With his great hands and big body and athletic ability, you know anything you throw in his direction has a real good chance of being caught,” Dunn said.

“For me, it’s great having a guy like Steve at receiver. You can always trust him to go get the ball and not a defensive back outduel him for it.

“He’s also shown improvement at receiver with his quickness and route running.

I am looking for a big year from him.” n `çåí~Åí= _áää= _ìêêìë= ~í RUNJTOPT=çê=ÄÄìêêìë]ÖïÅçãJ ãçåïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK= cçääçï= çå qïáííÉêW]_áää|_ìêêìëK=

Senior tailback ready to carry load for Leflore

PageS Greenwood Commonwealth / Sunday, August 17, 2014 cllq_^ii=OMNQ =======================================================================================================================================================================

By CALVIN STEVENS péçêíë=têáíÉê

Jonavon Caldwell says he is ready to carry the load for the Leflore County football team.

Caldwell, a senior tailback, will be counted on to do just that when the Tigers open their 2014 season Oct. 3 at Cleveland East Side.

Caldwell and his team-

mates can only play their five district g a m e s because of the state takeover of the Leflore Caldwell County School District in the fall of 2013.

Leflore is also not eligible for the playoffs.

Caldwell has played run-

ning back and some receiver in his first three seasons with Leflore County.

He says he’s quite familiar with head coach Sherrod Gideon’s offensive system.

“I’ve played both positions in my first three years. I’ve the plays down and I know the offense. The biggest thing is working on technique and getting my body in shape,” said Caldwell, a 5-7, 155-pounder

who has been timed at 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

“I’ve mainly been running to stay in shape. We don’t start practice until Aug. 25. Coach says that will be enough time to get us ready for East Side. We just need to stay focused and get prepared for the season.”

The Tigers compete in Region 3-3A with East Side, O’Bannon, Ruleville,

Holmes Central, formerly J.J. McClain, and Humphreys County.

“Each game for us will be like a playoff game. We’re going to take them one game at a time,” added Caldwell. “I’m going to come out and give my best each game and try to leave Leflore in good shape.

“I know we will be rebuilding in a lot of areas, and we have a lot of new faces. That doesn’t mean

Penalties not affecting Elzy’s preparation for shortened 2014 season

By CALVIN STEVENS péçêíë=têáíÉê

Business as usual.

That’s the approach Amanda Elzy seventh-year head coach Eric House is taking as he prepares his team for the upcoming 2014 season.

With the state takeover of the Leflore County School District in the fall of 2013, Elzy’s athletic program lost its accreditation, which meant its athletic teams could only play half of their schedules and could not make the playoffs.

While most high school teams will open Friday, the Panthers kick off their season on Sept. 19 against Region 3-4A and crosstown rival Greenwood High School.

“I guess because we are opening the season with Greenwood, there seems to be something in the air. There’s an excitement that I see in the players and the coaches. That’s our motivation right now,” said House, whose 2013 squad was only 3-7 overall and went 0-5 in league play.

The Panthers will not play any non-district games. Their schedule consists of five district games.

Following the opener vs. GHS, Elzy takes on Yazoo County on Oct. 3 and Gentry on Oct. 10 with both games at home. On Oct. 17, they travel to Cleveland, and on Oct. 31, they close out with a home tilt against Yazoo City.

House enters the season with question marks at several positions. However, as he told his players, positions are wide open.

“It’s made for some interesting competition. There is no position safe. We have some guys who are running ahead of others, but we have a lot of young guys and they want to play as much as the older guys,” House added. “With the extra time we have to prepare, we are spending a lot of time in the weight room working on strength and conditioning. It’s also giving my new coaches a chance to get familiar with the kids and see where they can play.”

House said he has six assistant coaches on staff this season.

Anthony Williams is the lone holdover from the last several years and will again handle special teams and work with conditioning.

Martin Davis, a former player at Leflore County and Mississippi Valley State, has joined the staff and will coach the offensive and defensive lines. The other four on staff are Michael Ward, who will oversee strength and conditioning; Ki Harris, linebackers; Bidal Brown, who played at Stony Brook University and will coach safeties; and Thomas Moore, running backs and special teams.

Moore is a former player at Elzy.

“We have a bunch of young, energetic coaches. Everybody has a role. They are taking on more of the discipline. It’s different for me.

we don’t want to win. We’re going to work hard to win each game.”

Gideon says he expects Caldwell to play a key role.

“We are depending on him a lot. He brings senior leadership, and he’s tough and physical for his size.

I’m expecting him to have a breakout season,” said Gideon. n `çåí~Åí=`~äîáå=píÉîÉåë ~í= ÅëíÉîÉåë]ÖïÅçããçåJ ïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK

biwv pÉéíK=NV ~í=dêÉÉåïççÇ lÅíK=P v~òçç=`çìåíó lÅíK=NM dÉåíêó lÅíK=NT ~í=`äÉîÉä~åÇ lÅíK=PN v~òçç=`áíó E^ää=Ö~ãÉë=~í=T=éKãKF

bäòó=äáåÉã~å=qçããó=têáÖÜí=ÖÉíë=ëÉí=íç=Üáí=~=ÄäçÅâáåÖ=ëäÉÇK

Andy Lo

OMNP=oÉëìäíë PJT=lîÉê~ääI=MJR=áå=oÉÖáçå=PJQ^ jÉãéÜáë=lîÉêíçå=QTI=bäòó=PQ bäòó=OQI=iÉÑäçêÉ=`çìåíó=U bäòó=STI=i~åáÉê=M pçìíÜ=aÉäí~=PUI=bäòó=OQ dêÉÉåïççÇ=OMI=bäòó=NS bäòó=QTI=pKsK=j~êëÜ~ää=M v~òçç=`çìåíó=PMI=bäòó=OQ dÉåíêó=OQI=bäòó=NS `äÉîÉä~åÇ=PQI=bäòó=PM v~òçç=`áíó=OTI=bäòó=NQ

I’m used to doing most of that, but now I’m the good guy,” House said with a laugh. “I’m real excited about this staff. It’s good to have some help.”

House feels confident Amanda Elzy will be able to return to a 10game slate in 2015.

“We are hopeful that next season we will be able to play a full schedule. It all depends on our test scores, but we are optimistic those scores are going to improve.

We need to take care of our business with this football team. Our new principal, Mr. (Joseph) Griffin, has stressed to us that academics are going to come first,” said House. “We understand that’s our No. 1 priority. As a coach, I preach daily to them that without academics there won’t be any athletics.

“We want to be fundamentally sound in all areas of the game. We need to bring toughness back to this program. I feel we can be physical and compete with any

team we play. There are a lot of big shoes to fill on this team from the guys who graduated. There are starting jobs to be won, and every player is competing to be a starter.”

House said he’s been pleased with the players’ participation during summer workouts.

“We stayed pretty consistent.

This is my seventh year and this group has so much passion.

There are a lot of new kids, and I think the new coaches have brought a new energy. We are focusing on the positive things.

We’ve got some time before we play a game, so we are going to use this extra time to be physically and mentally prepared for this first game,” House said.

House said junior Vidarius Maggitt will likely be the starting quarterback. He stepped into that role in the spring with the departure of Dekarius Prayer, who is now at East Mississippi

Community College.

Junior Tyrell Stigler and sophomore Deonta Watkins are vying for playing time at running back.

Working at receiver are seniors Eric Moore and Earl Hill, and juniors Leonard McKinnon and Quintorris Jackson.

Expected to man the offensive line are juniors Maurice Collins and Keelon Fletcher, sophomores Perry Johnson and Jonathan Hodges, and freshman Christopher Glass.

The defense will be led the linebacking crew of juniors Tommy Wright and Daveunta Lehaman and sophomores Perry Moore and Brian Gary.

Across the front are junior Soloman Brown, sophomore Travonte Stovall and freshman Davileonta Linwood. In the secondary are Watkins, senior Durrin Johnson and freshman Jay Thomas. n `çåí~Åí= `~äîáå= píÉîÉåë= ~í ÅëíÉîÉåë]ÖïÅçããçåïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK

I worked hard. I felt like I earned my spot,” said Moore, who stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 175 pounds.

“I’ve worked hard over the summer to improve my foot work and learning the game. I watched Howard, Whitehead and (Dekarius) Prayer last year, and how they studied the opponent.

Juwan spent a lot of time with me.

“I also watched Tommy King and how hard he worked in the weight room. He was a beast when it came to lifting weights. I started lifting when I was in the sixth grade, and I’ve just built up each year. I want to do something with my life, so I’m working hard on and off the field to make that happen.”

Moore said he finished his freshman year as an A-plus student. He credits some good teachers and his parents for his succes

in the class room and being a responsible young man.

“My parents (Teresa and Perry Moore Sr.) want the best for me.

My mom has been a big influence.

She helps me with anything academic wise, and my dad will take off work to make sure I get to practice and wherever I need to be,” Moore said. “I know when I graduate from Elzy that I’m going to need academics, but I want to excel in athletics as well.

“My ultimate goal is to play in the NFL. If not that, I want to be a CEO of a company or a head coach. I’ve got big plans.”

For Moore and his teammates, they are focusing on Sept. 19 when they officially kick off their 2014 campaign against Region 3 nemesis Greenwood High School.

Because of the state’s takeover of the Leflore County School District in the fall of 2013, Elzy lost

its accreditation and is not eligible for the postseason and can only play half of its schedule.

“We can’t worry about what has happened. We can only focus on this season. It never crossed my mind about leaving Elzy. I know some have left because they wanted to play a full season, and for other reasons, but I’ve been here since the first grade,” Moore said.

“Our goal is to go 5-0, and it all starts with beating Greenwood on Sept. 19. Each game we play this season is a playoff game.

“I’m constantly talking to the other players about being mentally and physically ready to play this season. I know I may sound more like a senior, but I’ve got three years left at Elzy and the winning ways need to start now.” n `çåí~Åí= `~äîáå= píÉîÉåë= ~í ÅëíÉîÉåë]ÖïÅçããçåïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK

Elzy sophomore brings surprising maturity to team

By CALVIN STEVENS péçêíë=têáíÉê

Perry Moore is a 15-year old sophomore defensive end/outside linebacker for the Amanda Elzy football team.

However, after his teammates and coaches hear him speak, they think they are listening to a seasoned veteran.

“The other guys call him ‘old man’ because of how mature he is for his age,” said Elzy seventhyear head coach Eric House. “I realized early during summer workouts the type of leadership skills he has for someone his age.

As a freshman, he spent a lot of time with seniors Juwan Whitehead and Denarius Howard. He saw how they conducted themselves on and off the field, and I believe it made an impact on him.

“Perry is a very disciplined kid.

He’s a hard hitter and in very good physical shape for someone his age. He works very hard in the weight room. I like his potential. I really believe as he grows and gets older and learns the game more and more, the sky is the limit.”

Moore started the final five games of the 2013 season.

The Panthers Moore were competitive in most of their contests but only went 3-7 overall and 0-5 in Region 3-4A play.

However, one of the bright spots was the play and emergence of Moore.

“Getting into the starting lineup was something I wanted bad.

PageT cllq_^ii=OMNQ Greenwood Commonwealth / Sunday, August 17, 2014 =======================================================================================================================================================================

Coach thankful to be back at it

By CALVIN STEVENS péçêíë=têáíÉê

CARROLLTON — Jimmy McGregor’s first season as the head football coach at Carroll Academy in 2013 was one of many ups and downs.

In the early part of the season, McGregor was battling a low heart rate and fatigue. By midSeptember, he was having surgery as his heart rate dropped to 24.

“God saved me and brought me through everything I was going through. I thank Him everyday, and I was very appreciative of my assistant coaches for the job they did last year in my absence,” said McGregor, whose 2013 Rebels went 4-7 overall and lost 17-14 to Riverdale (La.) in the first round of the State A playoffs.

“This whole team went through a lot of injuries. We had guys playing hurt, and even one with a broken bone. It was a fun and rewarding season, but it was also difficult for the kids. I know 4-7 doesn’t sound very good, but we accomplished two of our goals. We won the district, and we made the playoffs. There were probably two other games we should have won, so the kids gained confidence during the season,” McGregor added.

“Our schedule was challenging.

We played five AA schools, which in the end helped prepare us for the playoffs. Because of playing those teams it helped our powerpoint rating. The top five teams in Class A got to play at home, and we were the No. 5 team. The kids went through a lot. They came through in so many ways. We emphasized every week about winning the district. We lost to Immanuel in the closing seconds, and then we had our chance to beat Riverdale and missed a field goal with 17 seconds left on the clock.”

McGregor’s 2014 Rebels will be a much younger group. There were 10 seniors on last year’s squad who all played key roles.

This year’s team only has four seniors. They are joined by seven juniors, five sophomores and two freshmen.

“We’re starting the year with 18 players, and some of them are starting for the first time. We are small in numbers. The competition is not as great as I’d like it, but that has to do with the small numbers and so much inexperience,” said McGregor. “They are all going to play somewhere. The freshmen will see time on special teams, and all the seniors and juniors will be on the field. The sophomores are going to contribute as well.”

Calvin Stevens

`~êêçää=^Å~ÇÉãó=âáÅâë=çÑÑ=áíë=OMNQ=ëÉ~ëçå=cêáÇ~ó=åáÖÜí=~í=_~óçì=^Å~ÇÉãóK=qÜÉ=oÉÄÉäë=Ü~îÉ=Ñçìê=ëÉåáçêë=çå íÜáë=óÉ~êÛë=íÉ~ãK=qÜÉó=~êÉ=âáÅâÉê=m~óíçå=kÉ~äI=èì~êíÉêÄ~Åâ=aìëíáå=jÅdÉÜÉÉI=çÑÑÉåëáîÉ=äáåÉã~å=^ìëíáå=gÉååáåÖëI ~åÇ=êìååáåÖ=Ä~Åâ=qêáëí~å=táÖÖáåëK

Not only did McGregor lose 10 seniors off last year’s team, but he lost two coaches as well. Neil Turner left to join the staff at Pillow Academy, and Jason Kelly, who helped with the defense, resigned just two weeks ago to accept a job at Holmes Community College as a teacher.

Ted Ferretti, who worked with McGregor earlier in their careers

at Greenville Christian, joined the CA staff after leaving the Houston, Texas, area. Ty Gregg, a former player at Carroll, works with the strength and conditioning. He is still a student at Mississippi State. Tommy Acy is also new to the staff.

Ferretti will handle most of the duties on offense as he coaches quarterbacks, running backs and

receivers. McGregor, who said he will have input on the offense, will oversee the defense.

The Rebels open their 2014 season Friday night at Bayou Academy.

“I hear they have 26 players, and I know they have an outstanding running back and some ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------pÉÉ REBELSI=m~ÖÉ=U

New coach counting on 12 seniors to lead way

By CALVIN STEVENS péçêíë=têáíÉê

NORTH CARROLLTON — The Ben Burton era will officially kick off Friday night when J.Z. George hits the road to face Winona Christian School.

Burton accepted the head coaching position in the spring and immediately went to work.

The Jaguars spent much of the summer in the weight room getting stronger and bigger.

“We have three guys on the offensive line who bench over 300 pounds and squat over 400 pounds. We have four offensive linemen returning who played last year, and once we hash out that one other position, we are going to be set up front,” said Burton, who served as the Jaguars’ offensive coordinator in 2013 under former coach Joey Tompkins.

Burton is in his second stint at J.Z. George. He served as an assistant coach in 2009 under Chris McRae, who is now on staff at Winona as the head track coach. Familiarity has helped Burton as he makes the transition to head coach.

“The kids are buying into what we are doing as coaches. Joey got this thing rolling two years ago by stressing the need to be in the weight room. We were not going to be able to compete with the teams we play if we didn’t get stronger,” said Burton. “The kids are working hard to be successful.

This was set up three years ago for this to be a good season. We

are led by 12 seniors who will all play somewhere on the field. But we have a good nucleus of young kids, especially sophomores, who will play and provide depth.”

Besides the 12 seniors, Burton has six juniors, 14 sophomores and eight freshmen on this year’s roster.

“All the juniors will play somewhere, and probably six of the sophomores will see considerable time. We may even use a few freshmen as backups or on special teams,” Burton added.

“I really stepped into a good situation. From the day I came here, the kids know I have a passion for this game. I’m not an old guy.

I’m close to their age, so I understand what goes through their minds as young men. I’m not making a bunch Burton of wholesale changes. I may tweak a few things on offense, and we’ve made some changes on defense, but we did that in the spring. I’m expecting us to be rolling by the third week of the season. There will be things we will have to work on from week to week,” Burton said.

The Jaguars are members of Region 3-2A with West Bolivar, South Delta, Simmons, Leland and Riverside. J.Z. George, which was 4-7 overall in 2013, went 3-2 in district play last season as it earned a spot in the North 2A playoffs. Calhoun City ended the

Jags’ run with a 42-6 first-round loss.

The Jaguars pulled off a surprise to many last season as they beat West Bolivar 7-0.

“That was by far our best defensive effort of the entire season. I believe we control our own destiny in the district. If we do what we are supposed to do, good things will happen,” said the firstyear head coach.

One of the changes Burton has made from last season has been on defense. Instead of running a 4-3 scheme, the Jags have switched to a 4-4.

“We went to a 4-4 based on our four linemen and our linebackers.

Our linebackers are going to be our strength. Our secondary is not going to be bad, though,” said Burton. “Another thing is our district. Most of the teams are runoriented. We want to stop the run and force them to throw the ball.”

On offense, Burton had to find a quarterback in the spring and he feels like he has in senior Toby Brown.

“We played three different guys at quarterback last season. Toby has done a good job learning the offense. He is a guy I trust to run the offense, and that’s important,” Burton said of the 5-10, 170pound Brown, who played receiver and defensive back as a junior.

“We won’t be throwing 50-yard bombs. I want us to be efficient on offense. I want us to get four and five yards a play and move the chains. We’ve got some good receivers, and we feel real good about our offensive line.”

Working under center behind Brown are sophomore LeJarvis Jenkins (5-10, 140) and freshman Josh Wiggins (6-3, 205).

Vying for playing time in the backfield are junior Marcus Woods (5-8, 185), sophomores Deangelo Jobe (5-10, 170) and Darren McLemore (5-8, 175) and freshman Tyrus Thomas (5-9, 155).

Jenkins and senior Isaac Hodges (5-10, 170) are the slot receivers, and senior Julius Cook (5-10, 190) and sophomore Caleb Hunt (5-7, 145) are the wide outs.

Senior Larry Lopez (6-0, 240) is at tight end.

The offensive front is anchored by junior right tackle Shaquille Morris (5-10, 285), senior left Brandon tackle Joe Russell (5-11, 235), senior left guard Andre Williams (5-9, 215) and senior right guard Edtavious Brandon (6-0, 220).

Senior Jamie Hearn (6-0, 225) and junior Colby Johnson (6-1, 230) are battling to be the starting center.

On defense, Williams and Russell will be the middle linebackers, and Jobe, junior Broderick Elam (5-10, 165) and sophomore Justin Randle (5-10, 155) are working at outside linebacker.

The defensive front includes senior Benjamin Goodman (6-1, 185), sophomore Austin Arnold (6-0, 200), seniors Deangelo Quarles (6-3, 205) and Edward

gKwK=dblodb

^ìÖK=OO ~í=táåçå~=`Üêáëíá~å ^ìÖK=OV mÜáä~ÇÉäéÜá~ pÉéíK=R jçåíÖçãÉêó=`çK pÉéíK=NO ~í=táåçå~ pÉéíK=NV iÉ~âÉ=`çK pÉéíK=OS ~í=b~ëí=tÉÄëíÉê lÅíK=P ~í=iÉä~åÇ lÅíK=NM pçìíÜ=aÉäí~ lÅíK=NT páããçåë lÅíK=OQ ~í=oáîÉêëáÇÉ lÅíK=PN ~í=tÉëí=_çäáî~ê E^ää=Ö~ãÉë=~í=T=éKãKF

OMNP=oÉëìäíë QJT=lîÉê~ääI=PJO=áå=oÉÖáçå=PJ O^ táåçå~= `Üêáëíá~å= NPI= gKwK dÉçêÖÉ=NO dÉçêÖÉ=POI=jçåíÖçãÉêó=`çK=M táåçå~=NPI=gKwK=dÉçêÖÉ=T iÉ~âÉ=`çK=PMI=gKwK=dÉçêÖÉ=M b~ëí=tÉÄëíÉê=PPI=gKwK=dÉçêÖÉ=OM gKwK=dÉçêÖÉ=OOI=iÉä~åÇ=NS pçìíÜ=aÉäí~=QMI=gKwK=dÉçêÖÉ=NQ páããçåë=QSI=gKwK=dÉçêÖÉ=OS gKwK=dÉçêÖÉ=QNI==oáîÉêëáÇÉ=M gKwK=dÉçêÖÉ=TI=tÉëí=_çäáî~ê=S kçêíÜ=O^=mä~óçÑÑë `~äÜçìå=`áíó=QOI=gKwK=dÉçêÖÉ=S

Lee (6-0, 190), and junior Thomas Rias (5-10, 245) at defensive end.

Morris and senior Elias Dunbar (6-2, 260) are in the trenches.

Brown and sophomore Greg Smith (5-9, 180) are at cornerback, and Jenkins is at safety.

Brown will handle all the kicking and punting duties. n `çåí~Åí= `~äîáå= píÉîÉåë= ~í ÅëíÉîÉåë]ÖïÅçããçåïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK

ju tim

los lov ne be ru su W ta

CA senior moves into quarterback position

PageU Greenwood Commonwealth / Sunday, August 17, 2014 cllq_^ii=OMNQ =======================================================================================================================================================================

By CALVIN STEVENS péçêíë=têáíÉê

CARROLLTON — Dustin McGehee is all about the team.

With Carroll Academy’s starting quarterback (Jake Streater) of the last two years graduated, the Rebels needed someone to step up and play quarterback.

McGehee volunteered.

“I told Coach (Jimmy) McGregor I’d do my best and give it a shot. We needed somebody, and I volunteered. It’s been fun learning the system and knowing where everybody is supposed to be on every play,” said McGehee,

oÉÄÉäë

`çåíáåìÉÇ=Ñêçã=m~ÖÉ=T ---------------------------------------------------------------------good receivers,” said McGregor.

“They have 14 players returning with experience. They beat us 250 last year. I think we jumped offsides seven times and fumbled the ball several times. It definitely wasn’t our best effort.”

“I believe defense is what wins championships. My philosophy is to get five guys to the ball on every play. People love to see the offenses run up and down the field, but we need to play solid defense,” McGregor said. “We’re not the best offensive team. I’m telling you now we are going to run the football. We have been in the weight room all summer, and we have some pretty good size up front.”

Carroll’s front line on offense will have senior Austin Jennings at left tackle, sophomore Cole

a 5-8, 155-pound senior who also plays safety on defense.

“I think I can do the job. I’m going to do my best and do what I can to help this team. I feel like I have the respect of my teammates. Respect is earned, and you only get it by being a good example. We’ve been lifting since May three times a week, and I’ve been here every day. I’m doing everything I can to be a good quarterback and leader for this team.”

Carroll is coming off a 4-7 campaign, which included a 17-14 loss in the first round of the North A playoffs against Riverdale (La.).

The Rebels also graduated 10

Lake Streater at left guard, freshman Andrew Montgomery at center, junior Parker Jennings at right guard and junior Mason Greenlee at right tackle. Others who could see time on the line are juniors Conner Stephenson and Peyton Weems.

Senior Dustin McGehee has moved from receiver to quarterback. Senior Tristan Wiggins will serve as his backup.

Junior Jake Liddell and Wiggins are the running backs, and junior Bailey Howard is the fullback. Sophomores Abel Ezell and Michael Sheppard and freshman Jacob Randle are working at wide receiver.

The defense will have Stephenson, Greenlee, Weems, Parker Jennings and Montgomery playing tackle. Sophomores Luke Womble and Rhett Brewer will play defensive end. Austin Jennings, Liddell and Howard will be the linebackers, and Wiggins, McGehee, Randle and Sheppard will be in the secondary. Senior Payton Neal will do the kicking.

seniors, so numbers are a little thin going into this season.

“Last year taught us to be ready for whatever is going to happen. We only have 18 on the team. Coach has moved up some ninth-graders to play. Everybody will need to contribute this season, but if we stick together and play as a team, I think we can get back to the playoffs,” said McGehee.

“I learned a lot from Hunter (McCorkle) and Jake. Hunter was a good leader of this team. He led by example. He played a lot of games hurt. We only have three seniors. Tristan (Wiggins), Austin

`^oolii ^ìÖK=OO ~í=_~óçì ^ìÖK=OV j~åÅÜÉëíÉê pÉéíK=R `çäìãÄìë=`Üêáëíá~å pÉéíK=NO _Éåíçå pÉéíK=NV ~í=aÉÉê=`êÉÉâ pÉéíK=OS ~í=fåÇá~åçä~ lÅíK=P ~í=táåçå~=`Üêáëíá~å lÅíK=NM háêâ=Ee`F lÅíK=NT ~í=dêÉÉåîáääÉ=`Üêáëíá~å lÅíK=OQ `Éåíê~ä=eçäãÉë E^ää=Ö~ãÉë=~í=T=éKãKF

OMNP=oÉëìäíë QJT=lîÉê~ääI=OJN=áå=aáëíêáÅí=O^ _~óçì=ORI=`~êêçää=M `~êêçää=NQI=j~åÅÜÉëíÉê=S fãã~åìÉä=NUI=`~êêçää=NR _Éåíçå=PQI=`~êêçää=M `~êêçää=NQI=aÉÉê=`êÉÉâ=M fåÇá~åçä~=PVI=`~êêçää=M táåçå~=`Üêáëíá~å=PSI=`~êêçää=M háêâ=PRI=`~êêçää=M `~êêçää=ONI=dêÉÉåîáääÉ=`Üêáëíá~å=S `~êêçää=OTI=`Éåíê~ä=eçäãÉë=OM pí~íÉ=^=mä~óçÑÑë oáîÉêÇ~äÉI=i~K=NTI=`~êêçää=NQ

(Jennings) and me are the only seniors. It’s our job to lead and pick everybody up.”

Wiggins will play running back and cornerback, and Jennings plays on the offensive and defensive lines.

McGehee played some running back and outside linebacker last season. He said he’s picking up the offense as Coach McGregor adds on a few new things from last year.

“I’m learning and Coach McGregor has put in a few new plays. We’re going to mainly be a running team. I’m going to be more of a running quarterback.

We have pass plays, but nothing that goes real deep,” said McGehee. “I feel I can run the McGehee ball. We have keeps and roll-outs. Our offensive line is going to average 225-230 pounds. They are big and strong.

We got a couple guys back who were injured last year. We’re going to be pretty good up front.”

McGehee has been at Carroll since K-5.

Knowing this is his last season to wear a Carroll uniform makes this season pretty special.

PageV cllq_^ii=OMNQ =======================================================================================================================================================================

Greenwood Commonwealth / Sunday, August 17, 2014

With only five games, Tigers waiting to start

By CALVIN STEVENS péçêíë=têáíÉê

With the season opener slated for Oct. 3, Leflore County High School head coach Sherrod Gideon has opted to take a different approach to the 2014 season.

“We’re going to start Aug. 25.

That will give us six weeks to get ready for the opener. We just want to pick up where we left off in the spring and continue the four-game winning streak we ended with last season,” said Gideon, who is in his fourth season at the helm of the Tiger football program.

Gideon has an overall record of 18-16 in his first three years. The Tigers were 4-1 in Region 3-3A play last season, but because of the state takeover of the Leflore County School District in the fall of 2013, they were ineligible for the playoffs.

That’s one reason for the late start. With the takeover still in effect, Leflore County can only play half of its games and those must be the district contests. The Tigers cannot qualify for the playoffs, either.

“We would have won the district last year by the way things played out in the last week,” said Gideon. “With the way things are this season, I’d rather have played the first five games of our schedule. I’d rather play the rival games since the district games really don’t count in the standings.”

Because of the takeover, Leflore will not face two of its biggest rivals — Amanda Elzy and Greenwood High. Those are not only big rival games but also big money games for the school.

“It’s a tough deal because the games we are playing don’t count in the standings. Hopefully, we will get a better resolution before next year. It puts people in a tough predicament. It’s out of our hands, and it’s the way it is done,”

ibcilob

lÅíK=P lÅíK=NM lÅíK=NT lÅíK=OQ lÅíK=PN

iÉÑäçêÉ=`çìåíóÛë=gçå~îçå=`~äÇïÉää=ENQF=êÉíìêåë=~í=êìååáåÖ=Ä~Åâ=Ñçê=Üáë=ëÉåáçê=ëÉ~ëçåK

said Gideon. “We only have two games at home. One will be homecoming and the other will be senior night. I think the fans will still come out because we have a good following.”

The Tigers ended 2013 with a 6-5 overall record. However, they were 2-5 after losing to East Side 58-40 in an offensive shootout.

Leflore reeled off wins over O’Bannon (52-28), Ruleville (448), J.J. McClain (42-0) and Humphreys County (34-28).

Gideon will be looking at a lot of new faces on offense. All five starting linemen have to be replaced, his top running back graduated and three of his top receivers graduated as well. To make matters worse, starting quarterback Damarius Ray, who is a junior this year, has transferred to West Harrison High School, where his father, Milton Ray, coaches boys basketball.

Ray was blossoming into a big threat for the Tigers. He threw for 1,788 yards on 104 of 203 attempts with 19 touchdowns for

LC product relishes time with Navy team

By BILL BURRUS péçêíë=bÇáíçê

Itta Bena’s DeBrandon Sanders is taking on a more important role this season for the Navy football team.

The former Leflore County High School standout will start at slot back in the team’s option attack and be much more of a leader in his third year with the Midshipmen.

“I am striving to be a better leader, trying to teach the younger guys the offense and how we do things here,” said the 5foot-7, 160-pound speedy slot back. “I feel like I can I have a big season for us as a first-year starter now that I have a year of experience under my belt and a much better understanding of the offense.”

Last season, he played in 12 of Navy’s 13 games in his first action with the varsity squad, starting in three contests, while rushing for 339 yards and a touchdown.

He finished with an average of 8.1 yards per carry for an offense that ranked No. 2 nationally in rushing with 325.4 yards per game.

His lone touchdown came in his team’s 24-7 Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl victory over Middle Tennessee State.

Sanders was tied for first in receiving in 2013 in the Midshipmen’s run-heavy attack with 13 catches for 223 yards and a touchdown out of the backfield, with an impressive 17.2 yards per reception.

Showing he’s an ultimate team player, Sanders says he spent a lot of time in the offseason working on his blocking to open things up for other players. One of those who will benefit from Sanders’ improved blocking is quarterback Keenan Reynolds.

Reynolds rushed for 31 touchdowns last season, setting an NCAA record for quarterbacks and a school record for any position.

Sanders believes he is a part of a special time in recent Navy football history under head coach Ken Niumatalolo.

Navy completed last season 94, won the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy for the ninth time in 11 years, extended its series-record winning streak against Army to 12 and won its eighth bowl game

and 11 interceptions as a sophomore. He also ran for 193 yards on 57 carries and scored seven times.

Gideon is turning the ship over to freshman Darius McClung (511, 170).

“He’s a decent athlete. He did his thing in junior high, and I’m confident he will be ready to go.

We realize he’s young, and we’ll have to live with his mistakes. I will break it down for him so he can read defenses and know what to expect,” said Gideon.

Gideon believes he has some talented receivers vying to replace the Crow twins — Dominique and Devante — and Temerius Spivey. The Crow brothers both signed with Northwest Mississippi Community College.

Senior Jacques Greer, junior Frager McCline and sophomore Xavier Manning are the top three receivers heading into camp.

Senior Jonavon Caldwell (5-7, 155) and junior Eries Pittman (62, 225) will be expected to carry

File photo/Andy Lo

the load at running back. Caldwell started in the early part of last season, but gave way to speedy Darius Coleman, who rushed for 673 yards and 11 touchdowns on 89 carries. He also caught 14 passes for 237 yards.

Caldwell has played running back since he was a freshman, and Gideon is expecting big things from his senior back, who could also line up at receiver.

Junior James Carr and sophomore Justin Cole are working at fullback. Junior Victor Martinez is the tight end.

The big question mark is on the line. Four linemen graduated and the fifth, Timothy Spivey, is now at the Mississippi School for Math & Science in Columbus. A sixth lineman, Kariff Stanley, graduated early.

Senior LaDarius Ross is working at right tackle and fellow senior Jerry Edwards is at left guard. Juniors Edward Lee and Tavoris Carter are at right guard and center, respectively, and freshman Keshon Vance is at left

~í=b~ëí=páÇÉ lÛ_~ååçå ~í=oìäÉîáääÉ eçäãÉë=`Éåíê~ä ~í=eìãéÜêÉóë=`çK

OMNP=oÉëìäíë SJR=lîÉê~ääI=QJN=áå=oÉÖáçå=PJP^ dêÉÉåïççÇ=QVI=iÉÑäçêÉ=`çK=OM ^ã~åÇ~=bäòó=OQI=iÉÑäçêÉ=`çK=U iÉÑäçêÉ=`çK=QMI=_êç~Ç=píêÉÉí=U oçë~=cçêí=QSI=iÉÑäçêÉ=`çK=S iÉÑäçêÉ=`çK=PMI=dÉåíêó=NO `Ü~êäÉëíçå=QOI=iÉÑäçêÉ=`çK=NO b~ëí=páÇÉ=RUI=iÉÑäçêÉ=`çK=QM iÉÑäçêÉ=`çK=ROI=lÛ_~ååçå=OU iÉÑäçêÉ=`çK=QQI=oìäÉîáääÉ=U iÉÑäçêÉ=`çK=QOI=jÅ`ä~áå=M iÉÑäçêÉ= `çK= PQI= eìãéÜêÉóë= `çK OU

tackle.

The defense could be a step ahead of the offense when the season starts. The strong point will be the three linebackers — senior Devin Green and juniors Venarius Bowman and Pittman.

Two others who will play in the middle are senior Keshun Jackson and junior Markovic Dixon.

Expected to see time on the defensive line are senior Deauntae Whitehead, juniors Ashton Freeman and Ladarius Jones, Cedric Cross and Justin Carr and sophomore Jarvis Ross.

Greer, McCline and Caldwell will play cornerback, and Manning and Jackson will be at safety.

“Every game for us this season is a playoff game. We’ve got to take all this in stride, come out and compete and play solid football,” Gideon said.

“I know people aren’t expecting much from us, but I feel like we will do just fine.” n `çåí~Åí= `~äîáå= píÉîÉåë= ~í ÅëíÉîÉåë]ÖïÅçããçåïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK

AP

k~îó=ëäçí=Ä~Åâ=aÉ_ê~åÇçå=p~åÇÉêë=ÄêÉ~âë=äççëÉ=Ñçê=~=ÄáÖ=Ö~áå=ÇìêáåÖ=~=Ö~ãÉ=ä~ëí=ëÉ~ëçåK=qÜÉ=iÉÑäçêÉ `çìåíó=eáÖÜ=pÅÜççä=éêçÇìÅí=ïáää=ëí~êí=~ë=~=àìåáçê=Ñçê=íÜÉ=jáÇëÜáéãÉå=áå=OMNQK=

in school history.

Sanders, a four-sport standout at Leflore County in basketball, baseball, football and track, believes the Midshipmen could have an even better season in 2014, but the Midshipmen do face a daunting opener Aug. 30 against Ohio State at M&T Bank Stadium, home of the NFL’s Bal-

timore Ravens.

The Leflore County product is proud of his work at the Naval Academy and has no regrets about making a few sacrifices to attend school there.

“It’s fun once you get used to the structure and all that because it’s not as strict here as you might think,” Sanders said. “I really like

it here and I like the coaches too.”

Sanders, who is majoring in quantitative economics at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, isn’t sure what his future holds once he graduates in a couple of years. n `çåí~Åí= _áää= _ìêêìë= ~í= RUNJ TOPT= çê= ÄÄìêêìë]ÖïÅçããçåJ ïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK=

J.Z. George LB exudes confidence

Greenwood Commonwealth / Sunday, August 17, 2014 PageNM cllq_^ii=OMNQ =======================================================================================================================================================================

2014 PRESEASON ALL-COMMONWEALTH TEAM

_llhbo=qK=`e^j_bop pêKI=n_I=RJUI=NRM dêÉÉåïççÇ

^=ëìéÉê=í~äÉåíÉÇ éä~óÉê= ïÜç= Å~å Çç= áí= ~ää= Ô ~åÇ ïáääK= oìëÜÉÇ= Ñçê QTU=ó~êÇë=~åÇ=Q qaë= çå= PP= Å~êJ êáÉë=ä~ëí=ëÉ~ëçåI íÜêÉï= Ñçê= NUQ ó~êÇë=çå=V=çÑ=NQ é~ëëáåÖ= ïáíÜ= Ñçìê=qaëI= Å~ìÖÜí PP=é~ëëÉë=Ñçê=QRT=ó~êÇëK iÉg^osfp=gbkhfkp pçéÜKI=toI=RJNMI=NQM gKwK=dÉçêÖÉ

pÜçïÉÇ= ëáÖåë ä~ëí= ëÉ~ëçå= çÑ Üáë= ~íÜäÉíáÅ éêçïÉëëK=mä~óÉÇ êÉÅÉáîÉêI= èì~êJ íÉêÄ~Åâ= ~åÇ ë~ÑÉíó= çå ÇÉÑÉåëÉK= táää éä~ó=~ää=íÜêÉÉ=éçëáíáçåë=íÜáë=ëÉ~J ëçåK hovolpirj=`i^oh gêKI=liI=SJNI=OPR dêÉÉåïççÇ

`~ãÉ=çå=ëíêçåÖ áå=ëÉÅçåÇ=Ü~äÑ=çÑ OMNP= ëÉ~ëçå ~åÇ= ÄÉÅ~ãÉ ~åÅÜçê= çÑ= íÜÉ çÑÑÉåëáîÉ=äáåÉK=

p^j=ebkov=c^ojbo gêKI=aiI=SJMI=OMM máääçï=^Å~ÇÉãó

^= íêìÉ= ÖêáåÇÉê ïÜç= äçîÉë= íÜÉ Ö~ãÉK= j~ÇÉ= ~ ÖççÇ= ã~åó éä~óë=~í=ÉåÇ=~ë=~ ëçéÜçãçêÉ= ~åÇ ÅçìäÇ= Ü~îÉ= ~ ÄêÉ~âçìí= ëÉ~J ëçå=~ë=~=àìåáçêK=

`^oqbo=hfjbp gêKI=i_I=SJNI=NVM máääçï=^Å~ÇÉãó

iÉ~êåÉÇ= çå= íÜÉ Ñäó= ä~ëí= ëÉ~ëçå ~ë=~=ëçéÜçãçêÉ ~í=~=åÉï=éçëáíáçå ~åÇ= ëÜçïÉÇ ÖäáãéÉë=çÑ=ÄÉáåÖ ~=Ü~êÇ=ÜáííÉêK=^ ëíêçåÖ=âáÇ=ïáíÜ=~ ÖêÉ~í=ïçêâ=ÉíÜáÅK

gloa^k=cobbj^k pêKI=a_I=RJVI=NTR dêÉÉåïççÇ

^= íÜáêÇJóÉ~ê ëí~êíÉêI= Üçåçê ëíìÇÉåí= ~åÇ Ü~êÇ=ÜáííÉê=~í=ÑêÉÉ ë~ÑÉíó= Ñçê= íÜÉ _ìääÇçÖëK= eÉ ÇçÉëåÛí=ë~ó=~=äçíI àìëí=äÉíë=Üáë=é~Çë Çç= íÜÉ= í~äâáåÖK= e~Ç= PS= ëçäç ëíçéë=~åÇ=~ëëáëíÉÇ=çå=PS=çíÜÉê ëíçéë=ä~ëí=ëÉ~ëçåK

glekaboof`h=pjfqe= gêKI=o_I=RJVI=NTR dêÉÉåïççÇ

eÉ=êìëÜÉÇ=Ñçê=~ íÉ~ãJÜáÖÜ=NINNU ó~êÇë= ~åÇ= NN íçìÅÜÇçïåë= çå NRQ=Å~êêáÉëK=qÜÉ RJVI= NTRJéçìåÇ í~áäÄ~Åâ= ~äëç Ü~Ç=ÉáÖÜí=êÉÅÉéJ íáçåë= Ñçê= NOU ó~êÇëK= eÉ= ~îÉê~ÖÉÇ= NMPKU= ~ääJ éìêéçëÉ=ó~êÇë=éÉê=Ö~ãÉK qvibo=di^pp gêKI=toI=SJOI=NUR dêÉÉåïççÇ

^= í~äÉåíÉÇ= âáÇ ïÜç= Ü~ë= ÄÉÉå ï~áíáåÖ= áå= íÜÉ ïáåÖë= Ñçê= íÜÉ _ìääÇçÖëK= táää ~äëç= éä~ó= ëçãÉ èì~êíÉêÄ~ÅâK

_^v=_bkkbqq pêKI=o_I=SJMI=NVM máääçï=^Å~ÇÉãó

iÉÇ= íÜÉ= jìëJ í~åÖë=áå=êìëÜáåÖ ~åÇ=ëÅçêáåÖ=ïáíÜ USO= ó~êÇë= ~åÇ NO= íçìÅÜÇçïåë çå= NRV= Å~êêáÉëK ^äëç=Ü~Ç=~=ÅçìJ éäÉ=çÑ=qa=êÉÅÉéJ íáçåëK= t~ë= ~äëç íÜÉ=íÉ~ãÛë=äÉ~ÇáåÖ=í~ÅâäÉê=ïáíÜ NOU=ëíçéë=~í=äáåÉÄ~ÅâÉêK==

_o^kqibv=lÛabii= pêKI=aiI=SJPI=OMR máääçï=^Å~ÇÉãó

^å=~íÜäÉíáÅ=éä~óJ Éê= çå= íÜÉ= ÉÇÖÉ Ñêçã= Üáë= ÉåÇ ëéçíK= eÉ= áë ÉñéÉÅíÉÇ= íç Ü~îÉ=~=ÄêÉ~âçìí ëÉåáçê= ëÉ~ëçå ~ÑíÉê= ëÜçïáåÖ ëçãÉ=Ñä~ëÜÉë=ä~ëí=ëÉ~ëçåK

^kaob=tfiif^jp pêKI=i_I=RJVI=ONR gKwK=dÉçêÖÉ

táää= éä~ó= ÄçíÜ ï~óë= Ñçê= íÜÉ g~Öì~êëK= táää ëí~êí= çå= íÜÉ çÑÑÉåëáîÉ= äáåÉ= ~í äÉÑí= Öì~êÇ= ~åÇ éä~ó=ãáÇÇäÉ=äáåÉJ Ä~ÅâÉê= çå ÇÉÑÉåëÉK=t~ë=íÜÉ=äÉ~ÇáåÖ=í~ÅâJ äÉê=ä~ëí=ëÉ~ëçåK

glpe=qeroj^k pêKI=a_I=RJNMI=NTM dêÉÉåïççÇ

^=ëéÉÉÇóI=ÉñéÉJ êáÉåÅÉÇ= âáÇ= ïáíÜ ÖççÇ= Ä~ää= ëâáääëK qÜÉ= _ìääÇçÖë ~êÉ= ÜçéáåÖ= ÜÉ Å~å= ÄÉ= ~= äçÅâJ Ççïå=ÅçêåÉê=Ñçê ïÜ~í= ïáää= ÄÉ= ~å çíÜÉêïáëÉ= óçìåÖ= ÇÉÑÉåëÉ= íç ëí~êí= íÜÉ= ëÉ~ëçåK=e~Ç= SP= íçí~ä í~ÅâäÉë=~ë=~=àìåáçêK

^= ÄáÖ= í~êÖÉí Å~é~ÄäÉ= çÑ= ÄáÖ éä~óëK= iÉÇ= íÜÉ jìëí~åÖë= áå êÉÅÉáîáåÖ= ä~ëí óÉ~ê= ïáíÜ= PQ Å~íÅÜÉë=Ñçê=QNN ó~êÇë=~åÇ=íÜêÉÉ íçìÅÜÇçïåëK= ^äëç= ëí~êíë= ~í ë~ÑÉíó=Ñçê=íÜÉ=jìëí~åÖëK=

glb=orppbii pêKI=liI=RJNNI=ORR gKwK=dÉçêÖÉ

^rpqfk=gbkkfkdp pêKI=liI=SJPI=OSR `~êêçää=^Å~ÇÉãó

pe^n=jloofp gêKI=liI=RJNMI=OUR gKwK=dÉçêÖÉ

_bkkfb=efddfkp pêKI=aiI=SJOI=OQM dêÉÉåïççÇ

bñéÉÅíÉÇ= íç= ÄÉ çåÉ=çÑ=íÜÉ=äÉ~ÇJ Éêë= Ñçê= íÜÉ g~Öì~êë=çå=ÄçíÜ ëáÇÉë=çÑ=íÜÉ=Ä~ääK ïáää= ëí~êí= ~í= äáåÉJ Ä~ÅâÉê= çå ÇÉÑÉåëÉ= ~ë= ïÉää ~ë=äÉÑí=í~ÅâäÉ=çå=çÑÑÉåëÉK

qfjbbqof`=jÅ`o^v pêKI=liI=SJNI=OPR dêÉÉåïççÇ

eÉ= áë= íÜÉ= èì~êJ íÉêÄ~Åâ= çÑ= íÜÉ _ìääÇçÖëÛ= çÑÑÉåJ ëáîÉ=äáåÉ=Ñêçã=Üáë ÅÉåíÉê= éçëáíáçåK qçìÖÜ= ÄäçÅâÉê ïáíÜ= ÖççÇ= ÑççíJ ïçêâK

pqbsb=m^kkbii pêKI=toI=SJPI=NUR máääçï=^Å~ÇÉãó

pÅÜççäK

bñéÉÅíÉÇ= íç= ÄÉ çåÉ=çÑ=íÜÉ=äÉ~ÇJ Éêë= çÑ= ~= ëíêçåÖ äáåÉ= Ñçê= íÜÉ g~Öì~êëI= ïÜç çéÉå= cêáÇ~ó åáÖÜí=~í=táåçå~ `Üêáëíá~å

tfii=gbkkfkdp gêKI=i_I=SJNI=OMR máääçï=^Å~ÇÉãó

qÜÉ=ãáÇÇäÉ=äáåÉJ Ä~ÅâÉê= Ü~ë= ~ ÖêÉ~í= åçëÉ= Ñçê ÑáåÇáåÖ= íÜÉ= ÑççíJ Ä~ääK= eÉ= ÑáåáëÜÉÇ ëÉÅçåÇ= çå= íÜÉ máääçï= íÉ~ã= áå í~ÅâäÉë=ïáíÜ=NNQ íçí~ä=ëíçéë=~ë=~=ëçéÜçãçêÉK

arpqfk=jÅdbebb pêKI=a_I=RJUI=NRR `~êêçää=^Å~ÇÉãó

jÅdÉÜÉÉ éä~óÉÇ= ëçäáÇ= áå íÜÉ= ëÉÅçåÇ~êó Ñçê= íÜÉ= oÉÄÉäë ä~ëí=ëÉ~ëçåK=eÉ ~äëç= éä~óÉÇ ëçãÉ= ïáÇÉ êÉÅÉáîÉêK= qÜáë óÉ~êI=ÜÉ=ãçîÉë=íç=èì~êíÉêÄ~Åâ ~åÇ=ïáää=éä~ó=ë~ÑÉíó=~åÇ=ÅçêåÉêJ Ä~ÅâK

ql_v=_oltk pêKI=^ääJ~êçìåÇI=RJNMI=NTM gKwK=dÉçêÖÉ

táää=éä~ó=äÉÑí=í~ÅâJ äÉ= çå= çÑÑÉåëÉ ~åÇ= äáåÉÄ~ÅâÉê çå= ÇÉÑÉåëÉ= Ñçê íÜÉ=oÉÄÉäëI=ïÜç éä~ó=cêáÇ~ó=åáÖÜí ~í=_~óçì=^Å~ÇÉJ ãóK

^=íêìÉ=ÇÉÑÉåëáîÉ ëíìÇK= e~ë= ÖêÉ~í ëéÉÉÇ= ~åÇ èìáÅâåÉëë= ~í ÉåÇK= eÉ= äÉÇ íÉ~ã= ä~ëí= óÉ~ê ïáíÜ= NN= ë~Åâë ~åÇ=Ñçìê=ÜìêêáÉëK eÉ= ÑáåáëÜÉÇ= ïáíÜ= QV= ëçäçëI= QO ~ëëáëíëI=ÑáîÉ=í~ÅâäÉë=Ñçê=äçëëK mboov=jllob pçéÜKI=i_I=RJNMI=NTR ^ã~åÇ~=bäòó

jççêÉÛë= ÜÉ~Ç Åç~ÅÜ=áë=ÉñéÉÅíJ áåÖ= ÖêÉ~í= íÜáåÖë Ñêçã= íÜáë= óçìåÖ ã~åK= eÉÛë ~äêÉ~Çó= ëÜçïJ áåÖ=ÖççÇ=äÉ~ÇÉêJ ëÜáé= ëâáääë= ~åÇ Ü~ë=~=åçëÉ=Ñçê=íÜÉ=ÑççíÄ~ääK

g^`nrbp=dobbo pêKI=a_I=RJTI=NRM iÉÑäçêÉ=`çìåíó

táää=éä~ó=ÅçêåÉêJ Ä~Åâ= ~åÇ= ïáÇÉ êÉÅÉáîÉê= Ñçê= ~ óçìíÜÑìä= qáÖÉê ëèì~Ç= íÜáë= ëÉ~J ëçåK= `ç~ÅÜ= áë ÉñéÉÅíáåÖ= ÄáÖ íÜáåÖë= Ñêçã dêÉÉê=~í=ÄçíÜ=éçëáíáçåëK

`llmbo=arkk pêKI=^ääJ~êçìåÇI=RJNNI=NSR máääçï=^Å~ÇÉãó

táää= éä~ó= èì~êJ _êçïå= ã~âÉë íÉêÄ~Åâ= ~åÇ íÜÉ= àìãé= Ñêçã ïáÇÉ=êÉÅÉáîÉê=çå ïáÇÉ=êÉÅÉáîÉê=íç çÑÑÉåëÉ= ~åÇ èì~êíÉêÄ~Åâ=íÜáë ëíêçåÖ=ë~ÑÉíó=çå Ñ~ää= Ñçê= íÜÉ ÇÉÑÉåëÉK= ^= îÉêJ g~Öì~êëK= e~ë ë~íáäÉ= ~íÜäÉíÉ ëÜçïå= ÖççÇ ïÜç= Ü~ë= ã~ÇÉ äÉ~ÇÉêëÜáé=ëâáääëK eÉ= ïáää= ~äëç= äáåÉ= ìé= ~í= ÅçêåÉêJ ÜìÖÉ=ëíêáÇÉë=~ë=~=èì~êíÉêÄ~Åâ Ä~Åâ= çå= ÇÉÑÉåëÉK= eÉ= éä~óÉÇ ~åÇ=~ääJ~êçìåÇ=ÑççíÄ~ää=éä~óÉêK íÜ~í=éçëáíáçå=ä~ëí=ëÉ~ëçåK=eÉ=ïáää Çç= íÜÉ= âáÅâáåÖ= ~åÇ= éìåíáåÖ= ~ë ïÉääK

By CALVIN STEVENS péçêíë=têáíÉê

NORTH CARROLLTON — If Joe Russell is an example of the confidence of the J.Z. George football team, the Jaguars could be in for a very productive season.

Russell is a 5-foot-11, 255-pound middle linebacker and offensive tackle for the Jaguars, who open their season Friday night at Winona Christian School.

J.Z. George went 4-7 overall in 2013, losing 42-6 to Calhoun City in the first round of the North 2A playoffs. The Jaguars posted a 3-2 mark in Region 3-2A play with one of the wins being a 7-6 decision over West Bolivar.

“We may have lost that last game, but the way we played at the end of the season, and the fact that we only lost four or five seniors who played, we are coming into this season with a lot of confidence,” said Russell, who played defensive end and offensive guard last season.

“We are way stronger up Russell front. We have three offensive linemen who are bench pressing over 300 pounds, and all of the linemen are squatting above what they did last year. We’ve got 13 seniors, and we’ve all been together since the eighth grade. I feel like we have the tools and the coaching staff to do something.”

The Jaguars are under new leadership. Ben Burton, an assistant last season, is now the head coach as Joey Tompkins accepted the head coaching job at Winona High School.

“Joe has proven he has good leadership skills with the younger kids. He sets a good example of how to do things. He works hard in the weight room and on the field,” said Burton, who served as offensive coordinator last season.

“A good example of how hard he works is what he did during track season. He was throwing the shot 39 feet a year ago, and he got in the weight room and got stronger, and ended the season throwing 46 feet. He easily benches 300 pounds and squats 450. He has tremendous lower-body strength.

“We moved him from defensive line to linebacker. With Andre Williams and him in the middle of our new 4-4 scheme, they are going to make a lot of tackles for us. Those two will also play left tackle and left guard, so you can guess which way we’ll go with running plays,” Burton said.

Burton believes Russell can qualify and possibly play on the junior college level if he continues to put in the work this season.

“Even though we have a new head coach, it hasn’t been much of a change. Coach Burton was here last year, and he was here when I was in junior high,” said Russell. “He’s an energetic coach. He does a lot of the same things Coach Tompkins did. The biggest change was on defense. The 4-4 scheme will help us stop the run against our district teams.

“We’ve got a tough district, but we can be the top team in the district. West Bolivar is always tough, and South Delta is going to be good.

When we beat West Bolivar last year, it was like wow. They are one of the top teams in the state. I never imagined we could beat a team like that, but after that win our confidence level took off. Coach Tompkins kept telling us that we just needed to quit beating ourselves.

We still believe that. Coach Burton says the same things.”

Russell said this group of seniors believes they can make a run at the district title and the playoffs.

“We’ve been together for four years. We’ve been saying all along that this will be our year.

I look at our offensive line and the guys on the defensive line, and I don’t see other teams able to stop us,” he said. n `çåí~Åí= `~äîáå= píÉîÉåë= ~í ÅëíÉîÉåë]ÖïÅçããçåïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK

PageNN cllq_^ii=OMNQ Greenwood Commonwealth / Sunday, August 17, 2014 =======================================================================================================================================================================

New coach trying to build winner at Valley

By BILL BURRUS péçêíë=bÇáíçê

Mississippi Valley State’s football futility is well documented.

The Delta Devils have only 14 winning seasons in 60 years of football, the last coming in 2006.

Then there are the financial limitations, trying to build a winner with Southwestern Athletic Conference’s smallest budget.

During the last seven seasons, Valley has won just 17 games.

That’s 2.4 wins per season on a shoe-string budget.

You don’t have to remind firstyear MVSU head coach Rick Comegy about it. Well, then again, you may have to.

“We understand the challenge and are taking it head-on,” Comegy said. “I tell our guys all the time to forget yesterday because we can’t do anything about it.

We’re looking to move forward.”

Comegy, 60, who was fired last December after eight seasons at Jackson State, admits to facing financial obstacles at MVSU that he didn’t have at Jackson State, but he isn’t making any excuses.

“I can’t worry about that. I can’t worry about what’s on another man’s table.”

Comegy says losing can be just as “contagious” as winning, and that his biggest obstacle to turning things around in Itta Bena is changing the attitude.

“The first thing is changing the attitude and mentality of the players. We want players who want to be at Valley. We’ve seen improvement there already,” Comegy said. “The kids feel good about what we can possibly do here.

“I’m not going to say I can win quickly, and I’m not even going to predict anything. I think we have an opportunity, and with an

jspr

^ìÖK=PM pÉéíK=S= pÉéíK=NP= pÉéíK=OM pÉéíK=OT= lÅíK=Q lÅíK=NN= lÅíK=NU= kçîK=N kçîK=S= kçîK=NR=

råáîK=çÑ=c~áíÜ=========R=éKãK ~í=fääáåçáë=pí~íÉ=SWPM=éKãK= ~í=^ä~ÄK=pí~íÉ=======R=éKãK ^äÅçêå=pí~íÉ=========Q=éKãK ^ä~Ä~ã~=^Cj====Q=éKãK ~í=qÉñK=pçìíÜÉêå==T=éKãK ~í=g~Åâëçå=pí~íÉ==O=éKãK mê~áêáÉ=sáÉï=========O=éKãK ~í=r^m_==============O=éKãK dê~ãÄäáåÖ=píK==SWPM=éKãK ~í=pçìíÜÉêå=========S=éKãK

opportunity, you can always have a chance. If the kids believe, then everything else is easy.”

The new Valley coach added: “When something is new, it’s always an adjustment. But it’s the welcoming that you get from the people, (like) the president, the welcoming that you get from the athletic director, the alumni. I mean, we were so welcomed to be there and you could feel it and that inspired me.”

Valley was recently picked to finish fourth among the five teams in the SWAC’s Eastern Division. Comegy had fun with that at SWAC media day.

“I’m looking to sneak up on some people,” he said. “I’m hoping I get overlooked so I can sneak up on you. Watch out. I’m going to try anyway.”

If the Delta Devils are going to surprise anyone this year, they must pick up the pace offensively.

The team ranked eighth in scoring offense, last in total offense, ninth in passing offense, last in passing efficiency, last in first downs gained and last in thirddown conversions.

Comegy has brought Shawn Gregory back for a second stint as offensive coordinator and is

counting on Gregory to turn things around quickly.

“We will be much more of a wide-open spread attack, with a lot of formations. We won’t run a lot of plays out of all those formations, but we do want to give opposing defenses a lot to get ready for,” Comegy said. “We need to produce more big plays and find a way to finish off drives with touchdowns.”

Senior quarterback Patrick Ivy, who battled a groin injury the second half of last season, believes it will be a breakout year for the Delta Devil offense.

“This is an offense that fits the players we have, getting the ball to our speedy guys on the edge,” said the senior signal caller. “We will play at a much higher tempo and speed.”

Ivy (6-4, 215) completed 101 of 239 passes for 1,443 yards, 10 touchdowns and nine interceptions in nine games. He was also the team’s leading rusher with 260 yards and five TDs on 75 carries.

Ivy started preseason camp as the No. 1 quarterback, but Comegy is hoping juco transfer Quaintavous Peterson (6-1, 200) out of Coahoma CC will push Ivy for the starting nod. Also, vying for time under center are senior Carl Davis (6-1, 180), freshman Grant Simms of Itta Bena (6-2, 178), freshman Marcus Reed (6-3, 185) and sophomore Rashad Jones (59, 200).

Davis, who held the starting job during his freshman season, appeared in three games in 2013.

“I am hoping for a lot of competition at quarterback. We need these guys to push each other to get better. We will not put pressure on them to be stars. We want to put them in the best situations we can,” Comegy said.

Andy Lo

jáëëáëëáééá= s~ääÉó= pí~íÉ= êìååáåÖ= Ä~Åâ= `çÇó= dáäÅÜêáëí= EPPF= Öê~Äë= ~ éáíÅÜ= ~ë= ÜÉ= íêáÉë= íç= ~îçáÇ= ÇÉÑÉåëáîÉ= äáåÉã~å= hÜ~äáä= vçìåÖ= ÇìêáåÖ ëéêáåÖ=éê~ÅíáÅÉK

Led by senior Julian Stafford (5-10, 180) and junior Jerrell Moore (5-11, 185), the receiving corp should be the strength of the offense.

Stafford recorded at least 50 receptions for the second straight year in 2013 with 52 catches for 694 yards and three touchdowns.

Stafford has earned a spot on the 2014 CFPA Kickoff Returner Award Watch List after returning 32 kickoffs for 738 yards with an average of 23.1 yards per return.

Moore became an integral part of the MVSU offense late last season, finishing with 21 receptions for 362 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Another receiver who may contribute is freshman Joshua Rice (5-10, 155), the nephew of MVSU legendary receiver Jerry Rice.

Sophomore Natron Brooks (63, 210) has been named preseason second-team All-SWAC after starting all 11 games last season for the Delta Devils.

Defensively, the Delta Devils

are replacing eight starters from a unit that ranked fourth overall in the SWAC last season and fifth in points allowed.

The defense will be led by senior cornerback Avery Boykin (6-0, 190), a first-team All-SWAC pick. He had 57 tackles, seven pass breakups and a league-high six interceptions in 2013.

Another player to watch for is defensive end Sean Fugate, who splashed onto the scene last season with a team-high 15 tackles for loss, four sacks and three forced fumbles.

Antonio Benson (6-1, 215) will anchor the linebacking corp after leading MVSU in tackles last season with 78 (seven for loss).

Defensive back Terrance Hudson (5-9, 180), a junior from Greenwood, could also be a key player in the secondary. n `çåí~Åí= _áää= _ìêêìë= ~í= RUNJ TOPT= çê= ÄÄìêêìë]ÖïÅçããçåJ ïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK= cçääçï= çå= qïáíJ íÉêW]_áää|_ìêêìëK=

Valley offers Comegy shot at former school

By BILL BURRUS péçêíë=bÇáíçê

First-year head coach Rick Comegy is excited about building a winning program at Mississippi Valley State.

He understands the mountain-sized challenge that lies before him, but yet he remains confident hungry Valley fans will get the success they’ve craved for so long.

Valley hasn’t had a winning season since 2006 and has just 14 winning seasons in the 60-year history of the program.

Comegy isn’t ready to make any promises on when that time will come or even what the upcoming season holds.

“I don’t want to have a team that wins one year then goes away,” said Comegy. “I want to build a program here where the team is consistently winning every year. And it takes a little while to build a program, but if we get some guys who are committed, a

staff who is committed, we can do it. I can tell that we have a city that’s committed here.

“We’ve got a great president, a great AD. I’m excited, the town is excited. The players are starting to feel that something is about to happen. You’ve got to know that you’re accepted. I feel accepted and I feel at home.”

But as far as a certain number of wins he has in mind for 2014, Comegy says there isn’t one.

“I try not to set goals like that. I just play football,” he said. “I will be looking to see if we are getting better each week and not beating ourselves.”

Greenwood alumnus Ronnie Stevenson says Comegy has injected some much-needed new life into the Valley’s struggling program.

“Everybody is excited about this season and the future because for the first time in some time we have what I think is a bona fide coach. He has a proven

record as a head coach,” Stevenson said. “I don’t expect miracles in the first year, but I do think we’ll see much improvement and a competitive product on the field.”

This latest run for the veteran coach is not only a chance to build a winner at Valley but a shot at personal redemption.

Comegy, 60, was fired at Jackson State last December after eight seasons. He coached the Tigers to backto-back Southwestern Athletic Conference championship appearances, losing both in overtime.

Comegy is a proven winner with a career record of 171–87–2 over 22 seasons at Tuskegee, Cheyney State, Central State and Jackson State, but at his age, this is might be his last coaching stop.

And the fact it comes in the same league as JSU, the Eastern Division of the SWAC, only adds to the fire for Comegy, even though he is saying all the right things.

“We had a great ride,” Comegy said of his time at J-State. “I can’t show them they made a wrong decision because the decision they made was best for them. And I know the decision Mississippi Valley made was best for them. So let’s just go forward and do this thing right.”

Comegy’s coaching move within the conference and the same division as his former team was a big storyline a month ago at SWAC media day.

And he was ready for that.

“Oh I expected it, yes,” Comegy said. “You know how life is. I prayed before I went down. I gave it up to God and said, ‘Just let me stand tall.’”

Comegy will again be bombarded with those same type of questions before Valley plays at JSU on Oct. 11.

The Delta Devils have lost 19 straight to in-state rival JSU. Comegy can quickly endear himself to the MVSU faithful by end-

AP

cáêëíJóÉ~ê=jspr=ÜÉ~Ç=Åç~ÅÜ=oáÅâ=`çãÉÖó=ï~ë=ÑáêÉÇ=~í g~Åâëçå=pí~íÉ=~í=íÜÉ=ÉåÇ=çÑ=íÜÉ=OMNP=ëÉ~ëçåK=eáë=aÉäí~ aÉîáäë=ïáää=éä~ó=~í=gpr=çå=lÅíK=NNK=

ing that streak that he helped build the previous eight years in Jackson.

Comegy was recently seated right next to current JSU head coach Harold Jackson at SWAC media day.

“Coach Comegy is a great guy,” Jackson said. “He has

moved on. That’s the way this business is.”

Moved on, yes. Forgotten about being fired, probably not. n `çåí~Åí=_áää=_ìêêìë=~í RUNJTOPT= çê ÄÄìêêìë]ÖïÅçããçåJ ïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK= cçääçï= çå qïáííÉêW]_áää|_ìêêìëK=

PageNO Greenwood Commonwealth / Sunday, August 17, 2014 cllq_^ii=OMNQ =======================================================================================================================================================================

MDCC coach trying to turn corner

PageNP cllq_^ii=OMNQ =======================================================================================================================================================================

Greenwood Commonwealth / Sunday, August 17, 2014

By BILL BURRUS péçêíë=bÇáíçê

Jeff Tatum believes things are looking up for his alma mater.

Tatum returned to Moorhead last year to try and revive the once-proud Mississippi Delta Community College program that won a national championship in 1993 with Tatum serving as offensive coordinator.

Taking over a program that won just four games the previous four seasons, Tatum went 2-7 in his first season back with the Trojans. He says the program made some improvement even though it didn’t show in the win column.

“I know we went 2-7, but we did make some strides. Our guys never quit after an 0-5 start, then won two straight with a chance to win a third straight. We’ve got a good group of sophomores coming back who have bought in to what we’re doing.

“When we get this program back to where it needs to be, this group will be a big part of it. This is the group that it all started with.”

Tatum, who played quarterback for the Trojans in the 1980s, is excited about the upcoming season and says a lot of his optimism is based on Tatum a solid group of players from Greenwood and Leflore County.

“This group of Greenwood guys has really worked hard, have become great leaders for us and really are the backbone of this team,” said the MDCC coach.

Former GHS standout Alex Johnson moved from outside linebacker to inside linebacker as a freshman. He had 24 total tackles

last season, including eight solo stops and one sack.

Tatum says Johnson, a 6-2, 245-pounder, is firmly intrenched as a starter and leader for the Trojans defense this year.

“He has slowly adjusted well to the move and showed that with a great spring practice. We expect big things from Alex this season,” Tatum said.

“He will graduate at Christmas and will have a chance to play at the next level. A lot of mid-major colleges are looking at him right now.”

Johnson will be joined at inside linebacker by fellow GHS teammate Dwight Griggs, who came to MDCC a year ago as a defensive end. Former Bulldogs Khalil Johnson, a defensive back, and Broderick Hodo, a linebacker, will be freshmen defenders for the Trojans.

Freshman Denarius Howard out of Amanda Elzy is battling for

the starting job at either strong safety or free safety.

Offensively, former Elzy standout Jaylon Daniels is back after starting a few games at quarterback last season. He is in a threeway battle with a pair of newcomers, Devin Adams and Kohi Hill, to be the starter this year.

Tatum says it’s Daniels’ job to lose as the Trojans’ Aug. 28 opener nears.

GHS product MacJarvis Tims will start at center, a position that is new to him since the team broke from spring training in March.

Former Greenwood standout Kameron Carter is the Trojans’ leading returning receiver with 10 catches for 95 yards and two touchdowns as a freshman.

Last year, MDCC ranked 12th among the state’s 14 teams in total offense with 266 yards per game. Tatum blames a lot of those woes on his inability to find

jfppK=abiq^= ^ìÖK=OU= pÉéíK=Q= pÉéíK=NN= pÉéíK=NU= pÉéíK=OR= lÅíK=O= lÅíK=V= lÅíK=NU= lÅíK=OP=

b~ëí=`Éåíê~ä======T=éKãK ~í=pçìíÜïÉëí=====T=éKãK ~í=`çJiáå===========T=éKãK `ç~Üçã~==========T=éKãK ~í=eçäãÉë==========T=éKãK kçêíÜÉ~ëí==========T=éKãK ~í=kçêíÜïÉëí=SWPM=éKãK fí~ï~ãÄ~=Ee`F=O=éKãK ~í=b~ëí=jáëëK=====T=éKãK

a consistent quarterback.

“We had three inexperienced guys moving in and out of the rotation at quarterback, and that made it impossible to get anything going,” said the Trojan coach.

Other Trojans with local connections are freshmen Quatez Harris, a linebacker, and ZsaTrellius Moore, a defensive lineman. n `çåí~Åí= _áää= _ìêêìë= ~í= RUNJ TOPT= çê= ÄÄìêêìë]ÖïÅçããçåJ ïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK= cçääçï= çå= qïáíJ íÉêW]_áää|_ìêêìëK=

Pillow product primed for big year at Gulf Coast

By BILL BURRUS péçêíë=bÇáíçê

Greenwood’s Kevin Phillips has some lofty goals for his second season at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.

The Pillow Academy product Phillips wants to earn juco All-American honors as a punter while also making the academic All-American squad.

Phillips earned secondteam all-state honors last

State loaded with much juco talent

By BILL BURRUS péçêíë=bÇáíçê

The juco recruiting trail can serve as a key tool to a major college football program.

Schools like Kansas State, Kansas and Auburn are known to be receptive to juco recruits, among others.

When a program signs a junior college recruit, they’re expected to contribute immediately due to their experience.

And Mississippi is where many college coaches look first to find the best junior college talent.

“The state is loaded with talent this year,” CopiahLincoln coach Glenn Davis said earlier this summer.

“Trust me, I know that. All across the board, there’s talent.”

Mississippi had 17 players listed on Rivals.com’s Top 50 JUCO rankings for the 2015 class, which is the most from the state in the last 10 years, according to Clarion-Ledger recruiting reporter Riley Blevins. Of those 17, 12 were in the top 25 — and three made the ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------pÉÉ PLAYERSI=m~ÖÉ=NR

season as a freshman with the Bulldogs as the team went 8-2 and lost in the first round of the state playoffs to eventual state champion East Mississippi. He had 34 punts for an average of 39.2 yards with a long of 54 yards and landed five of those punts inside the 20-yard line.

“I felt like it was a pretty good freshman year. I have been working a lot in the offseason on my consistency because that is a big selling point for Division I

schools. I am just trying to hit every rep every time,” Phillips said.

The former Pillow standout said he is hearing from a couple of bigger schools already but hopes that interest in him as a punter will increase once the 2014 season gets under way.

“Colleges don’t usually show up until September through late October for special teams recruits,” he said.

Phillips’ other big goal for this year comes away from

the field. He wants to make the juco academic AllAmerican team after just missing that honor as a freshman, when the business administration major finished with a 3.58 GPA. The minimum GPA for academic All-American honors is 3.6.

Phillips said he is lucky to be a part of a school with such great football tradition and great coaches.

“The staff here is so good at growing players, making them better and sending

them on to the next level,” Phillips said. “I feel fortunate to be here.

“I approached Gulf Coast first while I was at Pillow. I sent them some film, and they asked me to visit the school. On that visit, they offered me, and I accepted.”

The only down side to being a punter at a school like Gulf Coast is that you don’t get a lot of opportunities with the high-powered offense the Bulldogs usually have.

Phillips only averaged

3.9 punts per game as the team averaged 35.5 points a contest in 2013.

The Bulldogs, ranked No. 9 nationally in the JCGridiron.com Dirty 30 poll, open the season Aug. 28 at home in Perkinston against Northeast Mississippi seeking their eighth straight trip to the postseason. n `çåí~Åí=_áää=_ìêêìë=~í RUNJTOPT= çê ÄÄìêêìë]ÖïÅçããçåJ ïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK= cçääçï= çå qïáííÉêW]_áää|_ìêêìëK=

Greenwood Commonwealth / Sunday, August 17, 2014 PageNQ cllq_^ii=OMNQ =======================================================================================================================================================================

PageNR cllq_^ii=OMNQ Greenwood Commonwealth / Sunday, August 17, 2014 =======================================================================================================================================================================

lk=`^jmrp

eÉêÉÛë=~=äççâ=~í=ïÜÉêÉ=ÑçêãÉê=dêÉÉåïççÇJ~êÉ~=ÜáÖÜ=ëÅÜççä=ÑççíÄ~ää éä~óÉêë=~êÉ=åçï=éä~óáåÖ=áå=ÅçääÉÖÉW jfppfppfmmf=s^iibv=pq^qb

dê~åÇÉêëçå=dáîÉåë hÉîáå=e~óãçêÉ iÉÛqêÉó=gçåÉë qÉêê~åÅÉ=eìÇëçå aÛlåÇêÉ=g~Åâëçå dê~åí=páããë

li a_ a_ a_ ai n_

pÉåáçê gìåáçê= gìåáçê= gìåáçê gìåáçê cêÉëÜã~å

^ã~åÇ~=bäòó dêÉÉåïççÇ dêÉÉåïççÇ dêÉÉåïççÇ dêÉÉåïççÇ iÉÑäçêÉ=`çìåíó

jfppfppfmmf=abiq^=`ljjrkfqv=`liibdb

Elzy product set for his senior season at Auburn

AP

^ìÄìêå=ÑêÉÉ=ë~ÑÉíó=gÉêã~áåÉ=tÜáíÉÜÉ~ÇI=~=ÑçêãÉê=^ã~åÇ~=bäòó=ëí~åÇçìíI=ÇáîÉë=íç=ã~âÉ=~=í~ÅâäÉ ä~ëí=óÉ~êK=eÉ=ïáää=ÄÉ=~=íÜêÉÉJóÉ~ê=ëí~êíÉê=íÜáë=ëÉ~ëçå=Ñçê=íÜÉ=pb`=ÇÉÑÉåÇáåÖ=ÅÜ~ãéáçå=qáÖÉêëK=

By BILL BURRUS péçêíë=bÇáíçê

Former Amanda Elzy standout Jermaine Whitehead will be the unquestioned leader of the Auburn secondary this season.

Defensive backs Chris Davis, Ryan Smith and Ryan White, each a starter in 2013, have moved on to the NFL, leaving Whitehead as the most experienced player on the backend of the Tiger defense.

Already established as the starter at free safety in Auburn’s 4-2-5 and a veteran with 26 career starts under his belt, Whitehead, a 6-foot, 200pounder, is now in charge of helping teach the defense to a group of young secondary players vying for starting roles.

A cerebral player with great knowledge of Ellis Johnson’s defense, Whitehead, who makes a lot of the calls and checks for Auburn’s secondary, finds himself in a natural leadership role, although he’s working with a new partner.

“You know, I really think me and Chris kind of shared the role last year,” Whitehead said. “(Jonathon) Mincy has taken on that role this year with me.”

Whitehead’s leadership role is crucial as the Tigers break in emerging players like Derrick Moncrief and Rudy Ford at a safety position that was thin most of last season.

Whitehead knows the scheme almost as well as his coaches, and he’s got an ability to pass that on to other players, helping them absorb the scheme faster. If that’s leadership, then it’s something Whitehead has been doing for a while.

“I don’t really think we have a quote-unquote leader,” Whitehead said. “I think it’s just the guy who wants what’s best for the team, what’s best for the defense, who’s been here, who knows what it’s supposed to look like. If that’s who we’re going to call the leader, then I guess that’s what we are.”

“Jermaine has been back there for awhile. We know what they can do,” Johnson said. “It’s a matter of him just continuing to improve his craft and to get better as a leader and player.”

Whitehead, a preseason allSEC third-team by Athlon’s, and the rest of the Auburn secondary had some struggles last

season but usually made the plays when it mattered the most.

The former Elzy standout started all 14 games at safety for the SEC champions. He finished with 65 tackles for the season, fourth on the squad.

He had an interception and six tackles against Missouri in the SEC championship game and three solo tackles and a tackle for a loss vs. Florida State in the BCS championship.

Whitehead recently graduated from Auburn in three years with a degree in accounting and will be working toward a political science degree this semester.

While he’s trying not to think about a chance at the next level as he prepares for his senior season at Auburn, Whitehead admits he just can’t help himself.

“You want to stay focused on your last year in college, but I think about playing in the NFL every day. That’s what I’ve wanted to do since I was 10,” he said. “I think I have the durability and the intellect to be successful in the NFL.” n `çåí~Åí= _áää= _ìêêìë= ~í RUNJTOPT= çê= ÄÄìêêìë]ÖïÅçãJ ãçåïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK=

Tigers striving to be ‘13 seconds better’

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — The theme around Auburn’s football building since January has been about being “13 seconds better.”

Just being better than ’13 is a lofty enough goal.

The Tigers won’t be able to sneak up on anyone again after winning the Southeastern Conference and making it to the brink of the 2013 national title, before Florida State’s game-winning touchdown with 13 seconds remaining in the championship game.

“This year we’re going to be circled,” said coach Gus Malzahn, who directed the biggest one-year turnaround in SEC history during his debut season. “We told our players that. We’re going to have to be better in every phase, especially early in the season.”

The Tigers might be better and still not duplicate last

year’s run that included one win on a deflected Hail Mary (Georgia) and another on a last-play return of a missed field goal (Alabama).

Shon Coleman replaces the second overall NFL draft pick Greg Robinson at left tackle four years after being diagnosed with leukemia. The Tigers also must replace defensive end Dee Ford, also a first-rounder, and Heisman Trophy finalist tailback Tre Mason. Quarterback Nick Marshall, receiver Sammie Coates and leading tackler Cassanova McKinzy are back.

Center Reese Dismukes said the “13 seconds” anthem has been a motivator but a big takeaway from last season is “knowing that we’re never out of it. Anything can happen.”

Fans will have to wait a bit

to see how much Marshall’s work on his passing has paid off since he won’t start against Arkansas as punishment after being cited for having a small amount of marijuana in his car.

mä~óÉêë

`çåíáåìÉÇ=Ñêçã=m~ÖÉ=NP ------------------------------------------------------------------------top 10.

Auburn commit and Mississippi Gulf Coast defensive back Tony Bridges is the state’s highest-rated player according to Rivals at No. 4.

East Mississippi’s D.J. Jones wasn’t far behind at No. 6, and Mississippi State commit Donald Gray of Co-Lin was listed in the seventh spot.

This year’s crop of top juco sophomores is especially rich in defensive linemen.

Nearly seven in-state defensive

j~Åg~êîáë=qáãë g~óäçå=a~åáÉäë aïáÖÜí=dêáÖÖë ^äÉñ=gçÜåëçå h~ãÉêçå=`~êíÉê _êçÇÉêáÅâ=eçÇç hÜ~äáä=gçÜåëçå nì~íÉò=e~êêáë wë~qêÉääáìë=jççêÉ aÉå~êáìë=eçï~êÇ

li n_ ab i_ to i_ a_ i_ ai a_

pçéÜçãçêÉ pçéÜçãçêÉ pçéÜçãçêÉ pçéÜçãçêÉ pçéÜçãçêÉ cêÉëÜã~å cêÉëÜã~å cêÉëÜã~å cêÉëÜã~å cêÉëÜã~å

dêÉÉåïççÇ ^ã~åÇ~=bäòó dêÉÉåïççÇ dêÉÉåïççÇ dêÉÉåïççÇ dêÉÉåïççÇ dêÉÉåïççÇ dêÉÉåïççÇ dêÉÉåïççÇ ^ã~åÇ~=bäòó

p~ããáÉ=bééë=

to

cêÉëÜã~å===

dêÉÉåïççÇ

to

cêÉëÜã~å===

dêÉÉåïççÇ

hï~Çê~=dêáÖÖë=

n_

cêÉëÜã~å===

dêÉÉåïççÇ

açãáåáèìÉ=`êçï= aÉî~åíÉ=`êçï gÉêã~áåÉ=gçåÉë

to to li

cêÉëÜã~å=== cêÉëÜã~å cêÉëÜã~å

iÉÑäçêÉ=`çìåíó iÉÑäçêÉ=`çìåíó iÉÑäçêÉ=`çìåíó

aÉâ~êáìë=mê~óÉê

a_

cêÉëÜã~å

^ã~åÇ~=bäòó

li

pçéÜçãçêÉ

iÉÑäçêÉ=`çìåíó

a~êáìë=`çäÉã~å aÛg~êáìë=gçìêåÉó

o_ ab

cêÉëÜã~å cêÉëÜã~å

iÉÑäçêÉ=`çìåíó iÉÑäçêÉ=`çìåíó

oççëÉîÉäí=e~êêáë

to

pçéÜçãçêÉ

^ã~åÇ~=bäòó

hÉîáå=mÜáääáéë=

m

pçéÜçãçêÉ

máääçï=^Å~ÇÉãó

a_

pÉåáçê

^ã~åÇ~=bäòó

o~âÉÉã=eìåí=

a_

cêÉëÜã~å

^ã~åÇ~=bäòó

aÉ_ê~åÇçå=p~åÇÉêë==

p_

gìåáçê

iÉÑäçêÉ=`çìåíó

^êíÉò=táääá~ãë

a_

cêÉëÜã~å

dêÉÉåïççÇ

hçêÉó=oçÄÉêíëçå=

lib=jfpp

plrqebok=jfpp

fq^t^j_^=`ljjrkfqv=`liibdb

kloqetbpq=`ljjrkfqv=`liibdb

b^pq=jfppfppfmmf=`ljjrkfqv=`liibdb

gìëíáå=p~åÇáÑÉê=

efkap=`ljjrkfqv=`liibdb

`l^elj^=`ljjrkfqv=`liibdb

elijbp=`ljjrkfqv=`liibdb

dric=`l^pq=`ljjrkfqv=`liibdb

gÉêã~áåÉ=tÜáíÉÜÉ~Ç=

^r_rok

kloqeb^pq=`ljjrkfqv=`liibdb k^sv

`bkqo^i=^oh^kp^p

linemen were included in the top 25, with Itawamba’s Larry Jefferson and Copiah-Lincoln’s Demond Tucker just missing at Nos. 26 and 28, respectfully.

That group is led by Jones. He’s billed as a big, strong kid who will jump right into a starting role as an interior D-lineman wherever he ends up.

East Mississippi, the defending MACJC state and NJCAA national champion, also has the state’s No. 3 prospect in defensive tackle Dante Sawyer, who has an active motor, gets off the ball well and beats offensive linemen in several different ways. The 6-foot-3, 270pounder had been reported to be clocked with a 4.6 second 40-yard

dash time.

“If you need D-line help, well this is the state for you,” Davis said.

“But it’s just an outstanding bunch overall.”

During Mississippi Delta’s hey days of the early 1990s, the Trojans routinely generated top Division-I talent, but that pipeline has all but dried up in the last 10 years as the once-proud program has fallen on hard times.

But second-year MDCC head coach Jeff Tatum says his staff will soon bring the talent pool back up in Moorhead. This year, Tatum says his top Division-I talent is sophomore offensive lineman Josh Cooper, a 6-3, 305-pounder from Yazoo City.

Freshmen seeking playing time right away

Greenwood Commonwealth / Sunday, August 17, 2014 cllq_^ii=OMNQ =======================================================================================================================================================================

PageNS

By BILL BURRUS péçêíë=bÇáíçê

A pair of true freshmen out of Greenwood High School will have a chance to make their mark this season at the Division I level.

Sammie Epps may play a big role in the Ole Miss offense. The 6-foot-4, 215-pounder was moved from tight end to slot receiver just a few days into preseason camp.

Rebel head coach Hugh Freeze said the move was made because of the lack of depth in the slot and to give the team more size there.

“We needed a bigger body that can do some of the things (Tread-

Could be good year for Braves

well) did in our run game and our screen game last year. We decided for (Epps’) freshman year to move him there.

I don’t know if he’ll remain Epps there throughout his career. We’ll see how his body develops. But we were all in agreement that was best for him this year.”

Epps, who will wear No. 12 this season for the Rebels, saw his recruiting stock jump some after

his senior season with the Bulldogs when he was named MVP for Mississippi in the AlabamaMississippi All-Star Game after catching seven passes for 125 yards and a touchdown.

Epps signed with Ole Miss in February as a 4-star prospect and the 10th-best tight end in the country, according to Scout.com, which also listed him as the eighth-best prospect overall in Mississippi.

He hauled in 46 catches for 808 yards and 11 touchdowns his senior season at GHS. It appears Robertson has a little more work to do to break into

the playing rotation at Southern Miss. The 6-1, 200-pounder is part of a deep receiving corp in Hattiesburg.

Robertson, who also played Robertson in the AlabamaMississippi AllStar Game, is one of many newcomers at receiver.

The others are junior college transfers Mike Thomas, Kyle Foster, Chad Cook and JaMichael Willis, as well as Division I transfer Casey Martin.

Contenders outside those named Winston

By BILL BURRUS péçêíë=bÇáíçê

It’s been a while since Alcorn State was considered a favorite in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, but this may be the year of the Braves.

With all the changes in the Eastern Division (new head coaches at Jackson State, Mississippi Valley State and Alabama A&M) and the fact that the Braves lost only six seniors and return most of their starters, Alcorn will be one of the teams to beat.

Jay Hopson, the third-year Alcorn State head coach, is pleased his team was selected to finish second in the SWAC’s Eastern Division, two points shy from the first spot.

But that doesn’t mean much if his players don’t put in the work.

“A lot of times when you finish strong, a lot of people will think it will carry over to next season,” Hopson said. “But these guys (the players) know that they still have to go out and prepare for this year.”

After finishing 4-7 in 2012, the Braves jumped to 9-3 in Hopson’s second year by winning six of their last seven games. It was the most wins for the program in some time.

With the Braves returning a majority of last year’s unit that defeated both SWAC title game representatives Jackson State and Southern, there is a buzz in Lorman.

“We’re blessed to have a lot of guys back, but it only means something if you take advantage of that,” Hopson said.

“We’ve got a lot of seniors and juniors, so we have a lot of leadership on this team. And we got to go out and do it on Saturday.”

Six players were selected on the preseason All-SWAC firstteam, including defensive line-

The preseason front-runner for the Heisman Trophy last season was easy. Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel won it as a freshman the year before, so there was little reason to pick against him.

No different this year. Florida State’s Jameis Winston won it as a freshman last season while leading the Seminoles to the national title, so, again, no sense in looking elsewhere.

But Winston is far from a lock.

Manziel couldn’t come through with another Heisman last season and there has only been one repeat winner — Archie Griffin in 1974 and 1975 — in the 78-year history of college football’s most prestigious award.

With that in mind, we are going to run down five other players who TROPHY should have a chance at taking home the Heisman: n Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon.

The Ducks’ leader was a strong Heisman contender last season before being derailed by a knee injury. He still set a school record with 4,380 yards of total offense and accounted for 40 TDs, though he was disappointed when Oregon fell out of national-title contention. After bypassing a shot at the NFL, the junior returns to lead an offense that piles up points and yards like a video game. n Braxton Miller, QB, Ohio State.

The Buckeyes are taking it slow with Miller after offseason shoulder surgery, but he is expected to be ready for the opener against Navy on Aug. 30. Despite missing nearly three full games with a sprained knee last season, he passed for 2,094 yards and 24 touchdowns, and ran for 1,068 yards and 12 scores. n Bryce Petty, QB, Baylor. The Bears set an NCAA record with 52.4 points per game last season, and Petty was the conductor, setting 17 school records while leading Baylor to its first Big 12 title and only BCS bowl. n Myles Jack, LB, UCLA. UCLA teammate Brett Hundley might have a better shot at winning the Heisman, but we wanted to get a defensive player in the mix. Jack made a big splash as a freshman last season by becoming a where-did-he-comefrom two-way player, rushing for 120 yards in his first game. n Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia. Gurley missed three games last season with an ankle injury and wasn’t right when he came back as the Bulldogs limped to an 8-5 finish. Fully healthy again, this bulldog of a Bulldog — 6foot-1, 226 pounds — has his eyes set on a 2,000-yard season and possibly a spot in New York.

ebfpj^k

AP

^ä~Ä~ã~=^Cj=Åç~ÅÜ=g~ãÉë=pé~ÇóI=äÉÑíI=^ä~Ä~ã~=pí~íÉ=ÜÉ~Ç=Åç~ÅÜ=oÉÖÖáÉ=_~êäçïI=ÅÉåíÉêI=~åÇ=^äÅçêå pí~íÉ= Åç~ÅÜ= g~ó= eçéëçåI= í~äâ= çå= íÜÉ= ëí~ÖÉ= ÇìêáåÖ= íÜÉ= pçìíÜïÉëíÉêå= ^íÜäÉíáÅ= `çåÑÉêÉåÅÉ= ÑççíÄ~ää ãÉÇá~=Ç~ó=áå=gìäóK=

man Deion Roberson and defensive backs C.J. Morgan and Devon Francois.

“We’re all a well-oiled machine,” junior quarterback John Gibbs said. “Everyone has bought into the system. We’re all excited to pick up where we left off last season.

“It’s kind of crazy because you can see how guys who didn’t buy into the system are buying into the system.”

The Braves’ offense will be without one key weapon, though, in the SWAC’s leading rusher last year, Arnold Walker, who totaled 1,191 rushing yards.

In the East, Jackson State was picked third, Mississippi Valley State fourth and Alabama A&M fifth.

JSU is one of four SWAC programs under new leadership in 2014. Harold Jackson has taken over for Rick Comegy, who was fired at the end of the 2013 season and later hired to replace

Karl Morgan at MVSU. Despite finishing runner-up in last year’s SWAC championship game, the new coaching staff, as well as the loss of some key players, makes JSU more of a mystery for this season.

Sophomore LaMontiez Ivy is projected to be the Tigers’ starting QB. That comes after a spring season in which Evan Ingram, last season’s backup quarterback, was making his case for the position.

“You know what, (Ivy) was the starting quarterback last year before he got hurt, and I don’t think (anybody) loses their job because of injury,” Jackson said.

“When we go back, that’s his job to lose.”

Ivy, the younger brother of Mississippi Valley State quarterback Patrick Ivy, was injured in the first game of last season and has not played football for the better part of two years after redshirting as a freshman.

“I feel 98 percent. The rest of it

is just mental,” the younger Ivy said at SWAC media day.

“Everything feels good. I’m just waiting to get back on 11-on-11s, people getting around my feet, trying to see how I handle that.

And getting used to the footwork that I use for each play.”

Alabama State was picked for the third straight year to win the East by coaches, sports information directors and media members at media day. Defending league champion Southern is favored to repeat in the West.

“This is the third year in a row they’ve picked us. Obviously it says the coaches and SIDs don’t know what they’re talking about,” Alabama State coach Reggie Barlow quipped.

Alabama State has gone 7-2 in SWAC play the past three years but fallen short of the championship game each time. n `çåí~Åí=_áää=_ìêêìë=~í=RUNJ TOPT= çê= ÄÄìêêìë]ÖïÅçããçåJ ïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK= cçääçï= çå= qïáíJ íÉêW]_áää|_ìêêìëK=

Alabama hoping for another powerful rebound

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Reeling from a loss that ended Alabama’s national championship hopes during the 2008 season, the Crimson Tide followed up with a shaky Sugar Bowl performance.

After losses to Florida and Utah, respectively, the Tide rebounded with

Robertson had a standout career at GHS, where he tallied 147 career receptions for 2,340 yards (15.92 average) and 26 touchdowns.

He is hoping to follow in the footsteps of another former Greenwood receiver at USM, Sherrod Gideon.

Gideon, now the head football coach at Leflore County High School, holds several USM receiving records, including all-time yardage with 3,214 yards. n `çåí~Åí= _áää= _ìêêìë= ~í= RUNJ TOPT= çê= ÄÄìêêìë]ÖïÅçããçåJ ïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK= cçääçï= çå= qïáíJ íÉêW]_áää|_ìêêìëK=

three national championships and 49 wins over four years. The challenge now is to do it again after a similar end-of-season fade — a last-play loss to Auburn and a beating from Oklahoma in New Orleans. “The time is now to resurrect the identity of the Alabama football program,” coach

Nick Saban said.

It might be more of a reboot than a resurrection, but the ending did cast a pall on a season that seemed pointed toward a shot at a third straight national title.

There’s little question Alabama remains talented enough to again contend for at least a South-

eastern Conference title, even minus stars like quarterback AJ McCarron and linebacker C.J. Mosley.

The T.J. Yeldon-led backfield is loaded.

Amari Cooper headlines a deep, talented group of receivers. The defense has preseason first-team All-SEC picks in safety

Landon Collins, linebacker Trey DePriest and defensive end A’Shawn Robinson.

And the latest No. 1 recruiting class is in place to lend a hand. The newcomers include the leading contender to be the starting quarterback, Florida State transfer Jacob Coker.

PageNT cllq_^ii=OMNQ Greenwood Commonwealth / Sunday, August 17, 2014 =======================================================================================================================================================================

Freeze ahead of schedule going into third year lib=jfpp

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By BILL BURRUS péçêíë=bÇáíçê

Ole Miss has shown marked improvement in its first two years under Hugh Freeze.

The Rebels return 15 starters from last year’s 8-5 squad that won a second straight bowl game, including nine on defense. They have one of the best returning quarterbacks in senior Bo Wallace in the Southeastern Conference.

So is this the year Freeze’s Rebels make the next jump by becoming a serious contender in the SEC West?

The third-year head coach says the program is much farther along than first anticipated, but he isn’t making any bold predictions.

But he expects the Rebels to be “very relevant in the SEC West.”

Ole Miss has never been to the SEC championship game since the league split into two divisions in 1992.

“The journey we’ve been on is faster than I thought possible,” Freeze said. “When I first arrived (at Ole Miss), I really thought we would hopefully go to a bowl in year three. We were able to do that in year one and two, and win both of them.

“This is the first year that we’re at the full allotment of 85 scholarships. My first year, we were around 68. Last year, I awarded six scholarships to walk-ons to fill out the 85.”

Alabama and Auburn are still the most popular preseason picks in the West, but many have made a case for Ole Miss to shake things up this season.

If that happens, the sensational sophomore class of Tony Conner, Evan Engram, Robert

ob_bip=

^ìÖK=OU _çáëÉ= pí~íÉ= E~í ^íä~åí~I=d^F pÉéíK=S= ~í=s~åÇÉêÄáäí pÉéíK=NP ri=i^c^vbqqb pÉéíK=OT= jbjmefp lÅíK=Q= ^i^_^j^ lÅíK=NN= ~í=qÉñ~ë=^Cj lÅíK=NU= qbkkbppbb lÅíK=OR= ~í=ipr kçîK=N= ^r_rok kçîK=U= mobp_vqbof^k kçîK=OO= ~í=^êâ~åë~ë kçîK=OV= jfppK=pq^qb

Nkemdiche, Laquon Treadwell and Laremy Tunsil will have to lead the way. Talent was never an issue with that group, which now has valuable experience gained as true freshmen.

But Ole Miss will go only as far as Wallace can carry them. He threw for 3,346 yards and 18 touchdowns last season despite dealing with a surgically-repaired throwing shoulder that he says wasn’t always 100 percent.

Expect Wallace to play like a man on a mission because this is his last chance to push Ole Miss to the top of the West. He was quite irked by being named thirdteam preseason All-SEC behind Nick Marshall of Auburn and Dak Prescott of Mississippi State.

He says the perceived slight “adds another chip on my shoulder that I play with anyway.”

Also adding to that chip is Wallace’s poor outing in last year’s 1710 overtime loss in the Egg Bowl where he fumbled on the last play of the game on what was going to be a touchdown run.

“I think about it every day,” Wallace said. “I work every day to make sure it doesn’t happen

again.”

Freeze is excited to see Wallace bounce back.

“The guy has a chance to own every passing record in Ole Miss history before he leaves,” said the Rebel coach. “Like I’ve said in many interviews, there’s no way we win two bowl games without him the past two seasons.”

Wallace is a dual threat guy. He ran for 355 yards and six touchdowns last season.

He has key weapons in speedy wide receiver Treadwell and a healthy tight end in Engram.

Ole Miss had a top five offense in the SEC last season and has a chance to finish at No. 1 as Wallace enters his third year as the starter in Freeze’s fast-paced spread attack. Points should come easy for this year’s Rebels.

Greenwood’s Sammie Epps may play a big role in the Rebel offense as a true freshman.

The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Greenwood High School product was moved from tight end to slot receiver just a few days into preseason camp.

Freeze said the move was made because of the lack of depth there and to give the team a bigger body in the slot.

“We needed a bigger body that can do some of the things (Treadwell) did in our run game and our screen game last year. We decided for (Epps’) freshman year to move him there. I don’t know if he’ll remain there throughout his career. We’ll see how his body develops. But we were all in agreement that was best for him this year.”

Defensively, Ole Miss is young and full of potential starting with Robert Nkemdiche, who was the nation’s top recruit from a year ago. He’ll have a chance for a

Mullen trying to move Dogs up in SEC pecking order

jfppfppfmmf=pq^qb

AP

_ç=t~ää~ÅÉ=áë=Ä~Åâ=Ñçê=Üáë=ëÉåáçê=ëÉ~ëçå=~í=èì~êíÉêÄ~ÅâK=fí=ïáää=ÄÉ Üáë=íÜáêÇ=óÉ~ê=~ë=~=ëí~êíÉê=áå=íÜÉ=oÉÄÉä=çÑÑÉåëÉI=ïÜáÅÜ=ïáää=çÑÑÉê=t~äJ ä~ÅÉ=~=äçí=çÑ=ïÉ~éçåë=íÜáë=ëÉ~ëçåK

breakout season and should feel comfortable in this defense by now.

Ole Miss also has a talented secondary with Senquez Golson, Cody Prewitt and Derrick Jones leading the way. All-American safety Prewitt led the SEC with six interceptions and also had 71 tackles.

Linebacker Serderius Bryant is a serious play-maker with his speed. He had 78 tackles, including 12½ for a loss.

Ole Miss has the potential to be

this year’s Auburn if everything goes well and Wallace avoids another injury.

“We’re excited and hopefully can embrace the opportunity and the magnitude it will have on expanding our brand nationally,” Freeze said.

Ole Miss opens the season with a high-profile game against Boise State on Aug. 28 in Atlanta. n `çåí~Åí= _áää= _ìêêìë= ~í= RUNJ TOPT= çê= ÄÄìêêìë]ÖïÅçããçåJ ïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK= cçääçï= çå= qïáíJ íÉêW]_áää|_ìêêìëK=

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By BILL BURRUS péçêíë=bÇáíçê

With what is likely his most talented team yet, can Dan Mullen get Mississippi State over the hump in the SEC West?

The sixth-year Bulldog head coach has notched four straight winning seasons and is 3-1 in bowl games. He has built a consistent winner, but State has never done better than 4-4 in the SEC in that stretch.

The numbers show the Bulldogs have yet to join the upper echelon in the SEC West.

Mullen is pleased with the progress, but he wants more.

Mullen “I think this is one of these years we’ve built a foundation for our program,” Mullen said. “By going to four straight bowl games, by winning four out of five Egg Bowls within the state, we’ve built a solid foundation for our future.

“Upon that foundation, we’re trying to build a championship program. I don’t think you can

_riialdp

^ìÖK=PM= pÉéíK=S= pÉéíK=NP pÉéíK=OM= lÅíK=Q= lÅíK=NN= lÅíK=OR= kçîK=N= kçîK=U= kçîK=NR= kçîK=OO= kçîK=OV=

plrqebok=jfpp r^_ ~í=pçìíÜ=^ä~Ä~ã~ ~í=ipr qbu^p=^Cj ^r_rok ~í=hÉåíìÅâó ^oh^kp^p rq=j^oqfk ~í=^ä~Ä~ã~ s^kabo_fiq ~í=läÉ=jáëë

build that program without that foundation existing. We’ve been able to do that over the last couple years.”

To take the next step, the Bulldogs have to find their way past Alabama, LSU and a now resurgent Auburn. And with Texas A&M and archrival Ole Miss added to the mix, it has State looking up in the pecking order most of the time.

The 2014 season, however, could be different. The Bulldogs have a talented dual-threat quarterback returning in Dak Prescott, as well as 17 other

starters and the momentum of a three-game winning streak to close out 2013.

State has 30 players back who started at least one game, most of that due to a rash of injuries Mullen said he’d never seen before.

Offensively, the Bulldogs return almost everyone except two offensive linemen (one who was drafted in the third round) and running back LaDarius Perkins.

The unit is now fully on Prescott’s shoulders, and at his feet since he is a dual-threat QB, who is a perfect fit for Mullen’s spread attack. He led the Bulldogs with 829 rushing yards on 134 carries and 13 touchdowns.

For the Dogs to have any shot at moving up in the West, Prescott has to stay healthy and has to show improvement in his passing. Against ranked opponents in 2013, Prescott threw two touchdowns and had six interceptions.

Mullen said Prescott’s improved footwork has led to better arm action therefore upping his accuracy.

“I think he’s a much better passer this year coming into this

AP

jáëëáëëáééá= pí~íÉÛë= a~â= mêÉëÅçíí= ïáää= åÉÉÇ= íç= ëí~ó= ÜÉ~äíÜó= áÑ= íÜÉ _ìääÇçÖë= ~êÉ= ÖçáåÖ= íç= í~âÉ= íÜÉ= åÉñí= ëíÉé= áå= íÜÉ= ÄìáäÇáåÖ= éêçÅÉëë ìåÇÉê=ÜÉ~Ç=Åç~ÅÜ=a~å=jìääÉåK

year than he was last year,” said the MSU coach. “He’s working on the skill of throwing the ball and being comfortable in the pocket.”

Despite losing Perkins, Josh Robinson should be able to plug that gap, but he’s still untested as the go-to back. Good news for Prescott is that all of his favorite targets return. Jameon Lewis, Malcolm Johnson, Robert Johnson and De’Runnya Wilson return to give Prescott some familiar targets.

Butkus candidate Bernardrick McKinney highlights a defense with nine starters back from a unit that ranked fourth overall and fifth in points allowed in the SEC. All eyes will be on heralded tackle Chris Jones, who has the physical tools to be a star. He showed glimpses of that as a true freshman last year. n `çåí~Åí= _áää= _ìêêìë= ~í= RUNJ TOPT= çê= ÄÄìêêìë]ÖïÅçããçåJ ïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK=

Statesmen enter season with high expectations

cllq_^ii=OMNQ

PageNU

By ANDY COLLIER _çäáî~ê=`çããÉêÅá~ä

The Delta State Statesmen will enter 2014 with some pretty big expectations.

Last season, DSU went 7-3 in Todd Cooley’s first year as head coach. DSU was preseason ranked No. 2 in this year’s Gulf South Conference Coaches Preseason Football Poll. The Statesmen racked up 30 points and received two first place votes.

Cooley, who is in his second year, said even though last year was solid, the team can’t live in the past.

“Last year is Cooley over with,” Cooley said. “This year is a new season. We’re excited about the team that’s here right now. We’ve just got to get better. We have a long way to go. We feel like we’ve got some talent here and feel like we’ve got a good group of guys here.”

Another reason that has DSU fans hoping for big things is the new artificial surface with shock pad and drainage system that was

added to Parker FieldMcCool Stadium.

The Statesmen offense has become an up-tempo attack that runs a lot of plays since Cooley took over as head coach. He said the new turf has worked out just fine, especially considering the type of offense the team has.

“It just ensures that we’re going to have a constant, consistent field surface that you plant and cut off of,” Cooley said. “That’s what I care about. When it rains, we don’t have to slow down for anything, so that’s good.”

On offense last year, DSU scored an average of 40 points per game, second most in the GSC, and racked up 472.7 yards of total offense a night.

The Statesmen were fifth in the nation in passing offense with 358.7 yards per game. The Statesmen also ran an average of 82.2 plays a game.

The Statesmen have several returning players that should produce big time. At the quarterback position, sophomore Tyler Sullivan (6-3, 236) and senior Travis Champion (6-2, 225) are the team’s top two returners.

Sullivan became the starter in the second half of last season and completed

131-of-201 passes for 1,764 yards with 15 touchdowns and just four interceptions.

Sullivan, who was selected preseason third-team AllAmerican by USA College Football, can make things happen with his feet as he rushed for 146 yards with four touchdowns on 44 carries.

Champion was the starter in the first half of 2013 and finished up with 1,670 yards with 10 touchdowns an six interceptions.

In the ground game, the Statesmen return sophomore running backs Timothy Foy (5-9, 195) and DaJuan Bellaire (5-6, 175) and junior running back Justin McArthur. Foy was DSU’s leading rushing last season as he ran for 343 yards with five touchdowns on 100 carries. He also caught 20 passes for 151 yards with two touchdowns.

At wide receiver, Delta State has two players returning in senior Ricky Hunt (5-10, 180) and junior Casey Osborne (6-3, 205), who are both preseason AllGSC selections.

On the offensive line, the top two returners for DSU are seniors Cortez Hibbler (6-4, 290) and Michael Gibbs (6-2, 300). Hibbler was selected preseason AllGSC.

Greenwood Commonwealth / Sunday, August 17, 2014

PageNV cllq_^ii=OMNQ Greenwood Commonwealth / Sunday, August 17, 2014 =======================================================================================================================================================================

dobbktlla efde=p`elli

`^oolii ^`^abjv

OMNQ=eáÖÜ=pÅÜççä=cççíÄ~ää=pÅÜÉÇìäÉë

~í=eçäãÉë=`Éåíê~äI=T=éKãK=^ìÖK=OO ~í=dêÉå~Ç~I=T=éKãK============^ìÖK=OV ~í=`ä~êâëÇ~äÉI=T=éKãK=========pÉéíK=R dêÉÉåîáääÉ=tÉëíçåI=T=éKãK=pÉéíKNO ^ã~åÇ~=bäòóI=T=éKãK=== pÉéíK=NV ~í=táäâáåëçå=`çìåíóI=T=éKãK pÉéíK=OS v~òçç=`áíóI=T=éKãK================lÅíK=P ~í=v~òçç=`çìåíóI=T=éKãK= lÅíK=NM dÉåíêó=Ee`FI=T=éKãK======== lÅíK=NT lmbk========================= lÅíK=OQ `äÉîÉä~åÇI=T=éKãK========= lÅíK=PN=

~í=_~óçìI=T=éKãK=========================^ìÖK=OO j~åÅÜÉëíÉêI=T=éKãK= ^ìÖK=OV pÉéí=R `çäìãÄìë=`Üêáëíá~åI=T=éKãK _ÉåíçåI=T=éKãK======================= pÉéíK=NO ~í=aÉÉê=`êÉÉâI=T=éKãK pÉéíK=NV ~í=fåÇá~åçä~I=T=éKãK===== pÉéíK=OS ~í=táåçå~=`Üêáëíá~åI=T=éKãK====== lÅí=P háêâ=Ee`F================================ lÅíK=NM ~í=dêÉÉåîáääÉ=`Üêáëíá~åI=T=éKãK lÅíK=NT `Éåíê~ä=eçäãÉëI=T=éKãK lÅíK=OQ

gKwK=dblodb efde=p`elli

~í=táåçå~=`Üêáëíá~åI=T=éKãK=^ìÖK=OO mÜáä~ÇÉäéÜá~I=T=éKãK ^ìÖK=OV jçåíÖçãÉêó=`çKI==T=éKãK pÉéíK=R ~í=táåçå~I=T=éKãK=============pÉéíKNO iÉ~âÉ=`çKI=T=éKãK======= pÉéíK=NV ~í=b~ëí=tÉÄëíÉêI=T=éKãK pÉéíK=OS ~í=iÉä~åÇI=T=éKãK==================lÅíK=P pçìíÜ=aÉäí~I=T=éKãK======= lÅíK=NM páããçåëI=T=éKãK======= lÅíK=NT ~í=oáîÉêëáÇÉ lÅíK=OQ ~í=tÉëí=_çäáî~êI=T=éKãK= lÅíK=PN=

ibcilob=`lK ~í=b~ëí=páÇÉI=T=éKãK==============lÅíK=P efde=p`elli lÛ_~ååçåI=T=éKãK======================= lÅíK=NM

~í=oìäÉîáääÉI=T=éKãK========= lÅíK=NT eçäãÉë=`Éåíê~äI=T=éKãK lÅíK=OQ ~í=eìãéÜêÉóë=`çK=T=éKãK= lÅí=PN

mfiilt ^`^abjv

kçêíÜ=aÉäí~I=T=éKãK=============^ìÖK=OO fåÇá~åçä~I=T=éKãK ^ìÖK=OV ~í=iÉÉ=^Å~ÇÉãóI=T=éKãK pÉéíK=R jo^I=T=éKãK================== pÉéíKNO ~í=háêâI=T=éKãK========= pÉéíK=NV ~í=g^I=T=éKãK pÉéíK=OS j~Öåçäá~=eÉáÖÜíëI=T=éKãK=lÅíK=P ~í=eÉêáí~ÖÉI=T=éKãK=== lÅíK=NM lmbk=================== lÅíK=NT ~í=eáääÅêÉëíI=T=éKãK= lÅíK=OQ t~ëÜáåÖíçåI=T=éKãK=kçîK lÅíK=PN pí~êâîáääÉI=T=éKãK==============kçîK=T

^j^ka^=biwv efde=p`elli ~í=dêÉÉåïççÇI=T=éKãK======

pÉéíK=NV v~òçç=`çìåíóI=T=éKãK= lÅí=P dÉåíêóI=T=éKãK lÅíK=NM ~í=`äÉîÉä~åÇI=T=éKãK============ lÅíK=NT v~òçç=`áíóI=T=éKãK===== lÅí=PN

_bpq=lc=ir`h=ql=^ii=lc=lro=^ob^=qb^jp=fk=qeb=OMNQ=cllq_^ii=pb^plk>

PageOM Greenwood Commonwealth / Sunday, August 17, 2014 cllq_^ii=OMNQ =======================================================================================================================================================================

OFF L 0 0 0 $6 ON AL MSRP 201450’S!!!

F-1 D R O F

hÉîáå=bî~åë=EdÉåÉê~ä=j~å~ÖÉêF= C=dê~ååó

ALL 2014 FORD EXPEDITIONS

$8000 OFF MSRP!!!

`~êçä=tçãÄ~ä

^ëëáëí~åí= dÉåÉê~ä=j~å~ÖÉê

táääáÉ=táåíÉêë gÉååáÑÉê=eççâÉê _êó~å=_çääáë _çÇó=pÜçé=péÉÅá~äëáëí `~ëÜáÉê p~äÉë=`çåëìäí~åí

^ìëíáå=eçêåÉ _çÇó=pÜçé=péÉÅá~äáëí

aÉ~å~=táäâÉêëçå pÉêîáÅÉ=^Çîáëçê

aÉãÉíêáÅ=iÉïáë qÉÅÜåáÅá~å

tKaK=^åÇÉêëçå pÉêîáÅÉ=qÉÅÜåáÅá~å

gçÉ=dáÄëçå pÉêîáÅÉ=j~å~ÖÉê

a~îáÇ=kÉ~ä qÉÅÜåáÅá~å

iÉÉ=cçêã~å cCf=j~å~ÖÉê

^ã~åÇ~=`ä~êÇó m~êíë=péÉÅá~äáëí

g~ã~äÉ=oáÅÜ~êÇëçå _êÉíí=_~êíçå _çÇó=pÜçé=péÉÅá~äáëí pÉêîáÅÉ=qÉÅÜåáÅá~å

jáÅÜ~Éä=p~éé qÉÅÜåáÅá~å

oÉ~=aÉååáë pÜçé=cçêÉã~å

`Ü~êäÉë=táääá~ãë aÉí~áä=j~å~ÖÉê

eÉ~íÜÉê=içíí fåíÉêåÉí=p~äÉë

_áää=sÉåíìê~ m~êíë=j~å~ÖÉê

o~äÉáÖÜ=táåíÉêë aÉí~áäë=péÉÅá~äáëí

pÅçí=`êáÅâ

_çÇó=pÜçé=j~å~ÖÉê

qêÉó=oçÄÉêëçå pÉêîáÅÉ=mçêíÉê

g~ãÉë=_êçïå p~äÉë=`çåëìäí~åí

`Ü~êäÉë=táääá~ãëI=gêK ^åíçåá~=aáñçå oçÄÉêí=táääá~ãë `Ü~Ç=e~óÉë pÉêîáÅÉ=qÉÅÜåáÅá~å== p~äÉë=`çåëìäí~åí _çÇó=pÜçé=péÉÅá~äáëí aÉí~áäë=péÉÅá~äáëí

gçÜåáÉ=táääá~ãë qÉÅÜåáÅá~å

qáÑÑåÉó=j~êíáå pÉêîáÅÉ=^Çîáëçê

All prices plus tax, title, and fees. Must finance through Ford for part of Rebate. See dealer for details.