Monroe Football Book 2018

FOOTBALL SEASON PREVIEW AUGUST 2018

INSIDE: PREVIEWS FOR AREA PREP, COLLEGE AND PRO TEAMS

ROAD SUPERDOME to the

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THENEWSSTAR.COM ❚ 2018 ❚ 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

COVER STORY

High Schools West Monroe .................Page 10 Ouachita .....................................14 Ruston ........................................16 Neville ........................................18 Bastrop ......................................22 West Ouachita .........................24 Wossman ...................................26 Franklin Parish .........................28 Union Parish .............................29 Richwood ...................................31

ULM ............................................63

DOME DREAMS

Louisiana Tech .........................65

Adam Hunsucker | Monroe News-Star

Carroll ........................................33 Rayville ......................................35 Sterlington ................................39 Oak Grove ..................................41 Ouachita Christian ..................43 St. Frederick .............................45 Cedar Creek .............................48 Mangham ..................................50 River Oaks .................................52 Riverfield ...................................54 District previews .....................56 Schedules .................................58 Colleges

PREP FOOTBALL IS BACK ... SO ARE VISIONS OF THE SUPERDOME

USA TODAY NETWORK

Grambling .................................68 LSU ..............................................70

“I try all things, I achieve what I can.”

NFL

Herman Melville, “Moby Dick”

New Orleans Saints ................74

get back (to

Understand the odds aren’t good. Have they improved?

Executive Editor Jeff Gauger Editor Barbara Leader Advertising sales Mike Nugent Chad Eymard Justin Lawrence Gette Manuel Sports Planning Editor Scott Ferrell Sports Staff Cory Diaz Adam Hunsucker Designer Jeremy Gustafson Visual Journalist Nicolas Galindo 4 ❚ 2018 ❚ THE NEWS-START

Know that few will ever win a state championship. That isn’t up for debate. No mitigating factors — public/private school splits, population booms, hirings and firings— will change the universal truth of high school football.

“I have a note my wife wrote reminding me of all the different teams and years it took just to get that first taste,” Richwood coach Robert Arvie said. “Once you get down to the Superdome and experience that feeling, nothing else is the same.”

GETTY IMAGES

FOOTBALL

the state championship game). We

Maybe.

ABOUT THE SECTION

“

“Our goal is to

Continued on Page 6

understand

the challenges that come

with that and the thing you have to do is stay the course and find ways to get better each day.”

Jerry Arledge

West Monroe coach

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Continued from Page 4

Arvie won't be the last head coach to carry the burden of firsts. Richwood had never experienced the Mercedes-Benz Superdome before last season.

There the Rams were playing for that indispensable piece of wood while the pride of an entire region rested with them.

Great job, Coach. Now do it again.

There’s a reason northeast Louisianans make their respective Friday night fall pilgrimages. Since 1982, at least one team from the area has played for a state championship.

South Louisiana can condescend towards the state’s northern borders in several pursuits. Football, for better or worse, is not one of them.

“That stat says a lot for the importance of the game to all our communities,” said Neville coach Mickey McCarty, who leads all area coaches with six state championship game appearances.

“We’ve been fortunate to coach so many good, quality kids that have played hard for us and that will always give you a chance to be successful.”

A chance doesn’t guarantee success. Only one team in each classification leaves the Dome unscathed. The rest are left to ponder the great what-ifs found in the level of Hell reserved for second guessing.

“We’ve lost when we felt lucky to be there and we’ve lost when we were the favorite. I’m not sure if one feels any worse than the other,” said Mangham coach Tommy Tharp, a threetime state runner-up in his decade with the Dragons.

“There are no do-overs, but

Pictured clockwise from top: Richwood became the latest team from northeastern Louisiana during the 2017 season to experience the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

Sterlington head coach Lee Doty led the Panthers to an undefeated regular season.

Ryan Gregory hopes to get Oak Grove back to the Superdome. NEWS-STAR FILE PHOTOS

and 13 runner-up finishes. Only Evangel Christian, Haynesville and John Curtis surpass each Blueprint of a Blueblood school’s individual championship accolades.

It shouldn’t surprise anyone broke Neville’s YOUR Lakeshore SUBSCRIPTION that Neville and West Monroe near six-year stranglehold on qualify for blueblood status.

Class 4A in last year’s quarterConsider this. final round. The loss, the first Neville and West Monroe in the playoffs outside the have 20 combined state titles Dome since 2013, was a shock

there is always the next year and that’s what keeps you going.”

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to the system.

“At this point in my career, I’ve made it a personal challenge to move outside my comfort zone,” McCarty said.

“We’ve taken a hard look at some things as a staff and made some changes that are beneficial, but we aren’t going Continued on next page

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Continued from previous page

to get away from what’s made us successful.

“I’ve gone down to the Dome enough and seen less talented teams with more desire win and that’s something we’ve stressed to our team.”

McCarty enters Year 17 at Neville tied with Ouachita Christian’s Steven Fitzhugh with an area-best four state championship wins. The duo inherited the title from the late Don Shows, the catalyst for West Monroe’s eight Class 5A state championships.

No one has played for the Class 5A title more than the Rebels since the classification’s inception.

New Orleans seemed like a birthright on the west side of the Ouachita River, but those trips have become fewer.

West Monroe has played for the Class 5A crown just once in the past six seasons, resulting in a blowout loss to LandryWalker in 2016, but expectations endure.

“Our goal is to get back (to the state championship game),” West Monroe coach Jerry Arledge said. “We understand the challenges that come with that and the thing you have to do is stay the course and find ways to get better each day.”

A Rivalry is Born The story of Class 3A runner-up Richwood’s unprecedented rise can’t be told without Sterlington.

It’s easy to forget that Sterlington was once the golden child of the 2017 season. The Panthers left Class 2A with a mic drop of a state champion-

Neville's Mickey McCarty enters his 17th season as head coach having led the Tigers to four Class 4A state championships and two runner-up finishes. MICHELLE TRIPP/THE NEWS-STAR

ship and picked things up in Class 3A with an undefeated regular season and No. 1 playoff seed.

All undone by a playoff upset that linked both teams in perpetuity.

“I hate to say it, but it didn’t matter who beat us,” Sterlington coach Lee Doty said. “It didn’t matter whose name was on the front of the jersey, it was a devastating loss.

“The driving force wasn’t who beat us. It was that we lost in the quarterfinals and felt like we had the better team.”

We won’t find out who the better team is in this newest of rivalries until Nov. 1 at Panther Field. It’ll be well worth your time and admission.

Until then, Richwood and Sterlington are taking the Hy-

dra approach to rebuilding.

When one senior graduates, another shall take his place.

Upperclassmen-laden rosters are the norm at Sterlington. Not so much at Richwood, where Arvie is finally reaping the benefits of rebuilding.

“You can’t overstate how important that experience is,” Arvie said. “Our guys are hungry to finish the job this time after getting to New Orleans.”

Over the Top Ryan Gregory’s outlook for the fall is as no nonsense as the town he coaches in.

Oak Grove has one goal every year; win a state championship. Nothing less is acceptable for the small school juggernaut.

“NO FOOD ALLOWED.” TO “HOW OLD ARE THESE FRIES?” FROM

“We talk about it every year,” said Gregory, a native son entering his fifth-year as head coach.

“It’s not about winning district titles or getting to the semis. The bar is set high and we all have a responsibility to keep it there.”

Any talk of the Dome is also accompanied by the streak.

Oak Grove hasn’t played for a state title since 2004. It’s a mind-boggling statistic for a program with four state championships and four runner-up finishes.

Oak Grove has been close.

The past three seasons have all ended in the semifinals. None more painful than last year’s loss to Kentwood at Tiger Stadium.

“The bottom line is we have to get over the top,” Gregory said. “That falls on me as the head coach and it’s time for us to find a way after being so close.”

Therein lies the allure of a new season. All is forgiven.

Past transgressions matter not.

This nexus of proud communities could just be trapped in a perpetuating cycle of disappointment. But that would be too simple. Nor would it address the why or the what.

Why keep coming back?

Where is the line between optimism and obstinance?

What happens when the goal is attained? Does the hunger for a state championship subside or intensify for another?

It’s hard for anyone to answer until they’ve done.

And that’s why they keep coming back.

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THENEWSSTAR.COM ❚ 2018 ❚ 9

WEST MONROE REBELS | SEASON OUTLOOK DEFENSE STANDS OUT, WILL CARRY REBELS EARLY IN SEASON Cory Diaz Monroe News-Star USA TODAY NETWORK

When the West Monroe coaches rolled the footballs out onto the turf for day one of preseason practice, Jerry Arledge found himself just watching his players, especially on the defensive side, a little more than normal.

“I kind of like to use the whole-part method, throw as much at them (at) this stage in one day, the first three days, as much as you can try to install everything,” said Arledge, going into his fifth year as the Rebels head coach. “Then come back and start teaching it. There wasn’t a whole lot of teaching necessary. We made those calls and the kids could execute and knew what to do.

“That’s always a good feeling on the first day of practice.”

Last season, the defense helped the Rebs stave off opponents and win a handful of games, but most Louisiana high school football followers harkened them to an offense-first squad behind senior quarterback and LSWA All-State player Slade Bolden and a senior-laden offensive line.

By attrition and inexperience at key spots, the first glances may tilt to the defensive side of the ball in 2018. The star power rests on that side of the line of scrimmage thanks to senior defensive tackle and UL Lafayette

West Monroe running back Cameron Wright will likely be a big part of the Rebels’ offense in 2018. NEWS-STAR FILE PHOTO

commit Dalvin Hutchinson, who made the Class 5A AllState team as a junior, and Sterlington linebacker transfer and Northwestern State commit Chandler Moncrief.

In all, eight starters are back on defense compared to four on offense. Replacing J.B. Gullatt, West Monroe’s “tackling machine,” along with Javorius Harris was a big concern entering the offseason, but Moncrief and Tanner Zordan have stepped up.

“We’ve got more retuning kids on that side of the ball.

We’ll primarily be a senior ballclub on defense,” Arledge said.

“We should be a better defensive team this year. Of course, we got a tough job in replacing our two linebackers that graduated.

That’s a big loss for us.

“Most of the guys up front are returning and we got a couple of youngsters that can step in, play and give us depth there. Secondary-wise, we probably have more depth than we’ve had in a long time. Got a good mix of juniors and seniors back there, kids that can run and played a lot last year. We feel good about our defense.”

While it’ll take West Monroe’s offense a few weeks early in the season to adjust to life after Bolden, the way quarterback Garrett Kahmann stepped in the second half of the semifinal playoff game at Rebel Stadium last year has Arledge and new Continued on next page

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WEST MONROE REBELS Continued from previous page

quarterbacks coach Joey Adams confident there won’t be any dropoff with the 6-foot-3, 190-pound junior running the offense.

To add more experience and create competition, Carson Jones shifted over to quarterback after starting the last two years at safety. “(Garrett’s) a guy that has a lot of confidence in himself.

Those type guys are the ones that gravitate to quarterback.

It takes a skill set, but also takes a mental attitude and he fits the bill very well,” Arledge said. “Garrett is a surprisingly good athlete. He comes from a very athletic family, he’s got very good genes. We have great hopes and expectations of him. Not only is he a good athlete, but he’s a very fine young man and he’ll be a great leader for us.

“One of the things that we’ve done is move Carson Jones to quarterback. We felt like we needed a seasoned guy in a situation where there is competition. It’ll make Garrett and Carson much better. They both can run and they both can throw. We don’t want to get caught in a situation when we lost Jon Randall Belton those two years and were not prepared as we should’ve been. This will give us the chance.”

Having a steady run game will also help smooth the transition and senior tailback Cam Wright appears set to have a bigger role in the Rebels’ attack.

“Cam never ceases to amaze me. The thing that I love about him is attitude. We talk about a lot with the team.

And he has a great attitude,” Arledge said. “He’s a lot better athlete than we realized.”

Undoubtedly the biggest question is up front on the offensive line as all five spots had to be replaced from a year ago. Junior T.J. Bush made the move over from defensive line to guard, while senior Victor Cutler, who holds a ULM offer, along with other juniors Ethan Boyer, Blake Everett and Daniel Hawthorne, all backups last season, are getting their shot.

“What are our expectations? It’s your time, it’s time to play. We have all the confidence that’s exactly what they’ll do,” the coach said.

“They probably as a group are going to be a little more athletic offensive line than we’ve had through the years.”

Staying the course. That’s what Arledge’s bunch plans to do, despite not advancing to the Superdome last season, and navigating what he feels is a tougher schedule in 2018.

“It’s not where you start, it’s where you finish. We want to finish strong.”

“We’ll primarily be a senior ballclub on defense.

We should be a better defensive team this year.”

Jerry Arledge

3 KEYS TO SUCCESS 1. Wright stuff: Senior running back Cam Wright may take on a bigger role in West Monroe’s offense. Looking at his role deeper, consistent production from him can ease some of the burden off first-year starting quarterback Garrett Kahmann.

2. Defense sets tone: Generating more possessions will go a long way in the offense’s progression and there’s where the defense comes in. The Rebels defense will need to set the tone.

3. OL chemistry: How quickly the new offensive line can find chemistry will be paramount for the team’s offense.

TEAM INFORMATION District: 2-5A Coach: Jerry Arledge 2017 record: 14-1 Playoff streak: 22 seasons Home field: Don Shows Field at Rebel Stadium School phone: (318) 323-3771 Tickets: $9 Radio: KLIP, 105.3 FM

KEY NUMBER 84: One of the more impressive high school football streak in the country, the Rebels have won 84 straight district games heading into 2018.

2018 schedule

2017 results

Aug. 3 .................................John Ehret

Beat John Ehret 47-32

Sept. 7...........................McGill-Toolen (Mobile, Alabama)* Sept. 14 ................................Wossman Sept. 21...................Noxubee County

Beat Booker T. Wash. 30-21 Beat Wossman 50-12 Beat Noxubee County 38-26 Beat Neville 27-7 Beat Ruston 28-14

Sept. 26 .....................................Neville

Beat Alexandria 55-20

Oct. 5.....................................at Ruston

Beat Pineville 63-10

Oct. 12 ................................Alexandria

Beat Ouachita 14-13

Oct. 19.....................................Pineville Oct. 26 ..............................at Ouachita Nov. 2 ..............Natchitoches Central *Shreveport

Beat Natchitoches Central 53-7 Beat C. Baton Rouge 51-15 Bbeat Dutchtown 49-21 Beat Barbe 31-17 Lost to Zachary 29-27

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THENEWSSTAR.COM ❚ 2018 ❚ 13

OUACHITA LIONS | SEASON OUTLOOK COMING OFF BACK-TO-BACK PLAYOFF WINS, LIONS EYE MORE

Senior running back Dylan Roberts rushed for a team-high 1,126 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. MICHELLE

Adam Hunsucker Monroe News-Star USA TODAY NETWORK

TRIPP/THE NEWS-STAR

The sign is impossible to miss upon entry into the Ouachita field house.

“You get what you demand, you encourage what you tolerate.”

The point behind it is twofold. The Lions won playoff games in back-to-back seasons, a feat not accomplished since 2012, but they’re eyeing bigger goals in Class 5A. “The second round isn’t good enough,” senior C.J. Brown said. “It comes down to what you do when no one is watching. That’s something we’ve really taken to heart as a team and we want to be the group that gets Ouachita back to the Dome.”

The bar is set high, but sixth-year Ouachita coach Jeff Fitzgerald said the Lions have earned the right to think big.

“I love being around these kids,” Fitzgerald said. “I’m with them every day and I see how hard they work and what they’ve got inside them. We can do whatever we set our minds to do. It’s just a matter of doing it.”

Whatever Ouachita does in 2018, Brown will be a vital part of it at wide receiver, defensive Continued on next page

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OUACHITA LIONS Continued from previous page

back and kick returner. The versatile Lion has scholarship offers from ULM, McNeese State and Northwestern State.

Sophomore Zach Shaw secured the vacant quarterback spot in the spring and attended the Manning Passing Academy over the summer. Underclassmen signal callers are rare at Ouachita, but Shaw has a supporting cast capable of easing any transition.

Senior running back Dylan Roberts rushed for a teamhigh 1,126 yards and 10 touchdowns while junior Chaunzavia Lewis added 826 yards and seven touchdowns out of offensive coordinator Kevin Davis’ run-oriented spread attack.

In addition to Brown, senior DaTavion Kerry and Terrance Logwood are potential targets for Shaw in the passing game.

“Zach brings a charisma to the huddle,” Fitzgerald said.

“Our team is learning to follow his lead and that’s what

you want from the quarterback.”

Ouachita’s 4-2-5 defense has the ability to counteract any offensive growing pains with nine starters back. Defensive coordinator Marcus Yanez returns after overhauling a group that went from surrendering 31 points per game to 19 last season.

Linebackers DeKevion Woods, a senior, and junior Carl Glass were first-team All-District 2-5A performers.

Defensive tackle Jaquez Jackson led Ouachita with 5.5 sacks and has offers from Kansas State and ULM. "We've all played a lot of football and this is our time to shine," Jackson said.

Fitzgerald said Ouachita’s senior leadership is a team strength.

“Not to say we haven’t had more seniors in the past, but we’ll have more of them on the field than any other time since I’ve been here,” Fitzgerald said.

“These guys have great camaraderie and we’re hoping it leads to great things.”

3 KEYS TO SUCCESS IN 2018 1. Veteran defense: Ouachita has nine starters back on a defense that made strides last season under first-year coordinator Marcus Yanez. The Lions allowed 19 points per game after giving up 31 the previous year.

2. Tailback two-step: Dylan Roberts returns for his senior season after leading Ouachita with 1,126 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns. Junior Chaunzavia Lewis ran for 826 yards and seven touchdowns as a sophomore.

3. Sophomore signal caller: Ouachita named sophomore Zach Shaw its starting quarterback entering fall camp. Backup Cayle Wheeler, also a sophomore, was moved to free safety.

TEAM INFORMATION District: 2-5A Coach: Jeff Fitzgerald (seventh season) 2017 record: 7-5 Playoff streak: 13 years Home field: The Lion’s Den School phone: (318) 343-2769 Tickets: $8 for chairback seats, $7 without Radio: KXRR 106.1 FM

KEY NUMBER 6: Ouachita hasn't advanced past the second round of the Class 5A playoffs in six seasons.

2018 SCHEDULE

2017 RESULTS

Aug. 31 .................................Richwood

Beat Richwood 42-6

Sept. 7 .................................at Sulphur Sept. 14 .................................at Neville

Beat Sulphur 34-21 Lost to Neville 23-14 Beat Carencro 34-14

Sept. 21 .................................Carencro

Lost to Plaquemine 24-21

Sept. 28 .......................at Plaquemine

Beat Pineville 26-6

Oct. 5.......................................Pineville

Lost to Ruston 31-28

Oct. 12 .......................................Ruston Oct. 19 ........at Natchitoches Central

Beat Natchitoches Central 54-14 Lost to West Monroe 14-13 Beat Alexandria 53-21

Oct. 26...........................West Monroe

Beat Terrebonne 35-17

Nov. 1 .............................at Alexandria

Lost to Covington 35-28

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RUSTON BEARCATS | SEASON OUTLOOK IF BEARCATS CAN CLEAN UP MISTAKES, BIGGER THINGS AWAIT

Ruston quarterback Eric Outley (7) will return to lead the Bearcats offense in 2018. EMERALD

Cory Diaz Monroe News-Star USA TODAY NETWORK

MCINTYRE/THE NEWS-STAR

One day a week for the first 13 weeks of the 2018 calendar year, Ruston players were viscerally reminded of how last season ended in heartbreaking fashion.

In the film room inside “Chick” Childress Fieldhouse on those days, the players filed in with open ears and eyes, reliving every single snap of their 2321 LHSAA second round home loss to eventual Class 5A state runner-up Hahnville.

“We talked about it as coaches beforehand and I wanted to point out every point in the game that could’ve gone differently to give us an opportunity to win. It took us three months, it was March before we got through entire ballgame,” Ruston head coach Jerrod Baugh said. “The point I was trying to make was, ‘Yeah, we missed two field goals and could’ve won the game at the end,’ but if you go back and look at different circumstances all throughout that game. They’re a good football team, but it didn’t have anything to do with what they did. If we would have taken care of some things earlier on, it didn’t have to be every one of them, one or two things go differently, that whole game is completely different.

“I wanted our football team to realize that. If we clean up a few mistakes, it doesn’t come down to a field goal. If we take a little

bit more care with what we’re doing, iron out things, we’re right where we need to be to make a run to the state championship. I think they realize that.”

Truthfully, the Bearcat players, nor their coaches needed the weekly reminder of how just one play turning out differently might’ve opened the door for them to make a run.

“We haven’t gotten over that.

You can tell talking to coaches and kids afterwards. It consistently played on everybody’s mind when we were going through our offseason,” Baugh said. “It kept our kids motivated as we moved along. It was really good what we did with the video.”

Since finishing up the breakdown of the Hahnville loss, the Bearcats honed their sting and have solely focused on learning from it and turning it into a reinvigorated effort to never let a game like it occur again.

Overall, Ruston sports a younger roster in 2018 and has to replace a couple of key players like “Swiss Army knife” Tahj Samuel, who lined up at what seemed like every position in the defensive front seven. On offense, running back and receiver has required most of Baugh, who has an extensive offensive background, as well as receiver coach Earl Griffin, who assumed the role of offensive coordinator after Andy RobinContinued on next page

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3 KEYS TO SUCCESS

son took the head coaching job at St. Frederick back in April.

As they always do, things will start at quarterback and one of the team’s most experienced players is senior Eric Outley, who shared snaps last season with now LSU baseball player C.J. Willis. Outley returns to captain the spread attack. The 5-foot-7, 150-pound signal caller has gotten more developmental help this offseason with the addition of quarterbacks coach Todd Garvin, who left the same position at West Monroe in July.

“Eric’s the guy. I don’t believe there’s any confusion on that with as much experience that he has. There’s nobody else that has that experience,” Baugh said. “We’re doing some option stuff under center, worked on that a bunch. Eric has gotten a lot better. The (shotgun) comes natural for him.”

The Bearcats will lean heavily on their offensive line with all five starters back in junior left tackle Jordan McClaine, senior left guard Hayden Savage, junior center Raytavious Kelly, senior right guard Taiwan Levi, senior right tackle Eric Hopkins, along with senior tight end Ray Parker, who’s rated Louisiana’s 10th best prospect as a fourstar recruit at offensive line and has offers from six SEC schools with LSU the expected favorite to land him.

Replacing running back Deandre Marcus, now at Louisiana Tech, as well as a trio of receivers including Donald

1. QB development: The overall development of quarterback Eric Outley, as the full-time starter, could set the Bearcats up for a successful season.

2. Who’s next?: Baugh and his staff spent the majority of spring trying to create as much depth as possible and with key holes to fill at linebacker, defensive end and the skill positions offensively, they hope the competition makes Ruston better.

Tight end Ray Paker (85) is considered to be among the state’s top recruits. EMERALD MCINTYRE/THE NEWS-STAR

“Red” Johnson, now at Grambling State, has been a work in progress. Baugh has liked what he’s seen from Camdyn Crowe and Marcus Harris out wide, while tailback Hahsan Jackson, who got playing time last year, is ready for his time to start.

Defensively, senior Jhakobian Sears, junior Payton Martin and Jalen Penegar have stuck out to the defensive coaching staff to assume defensive end and linebacker spots, respectively. Jordan Spencer and Tyler Mansfield return at cornerback and safety Barrett Nelson all look to keep the defensive backfield locked down.

An offseason that started with a ton of time in the film room, then creating depth in the spring before players attacked preseason practice pushed by last season’s tough end coupled with implementing all it retained from the loss, Ruston realizes one rep in practice or a game separates it from where it belongs.

“We’re not that far away.”

3. Getting physical: They’re bigger, stronger and more physical.

The Bearcats’ offensive line were challenged in the offseason and the five returning starters accepted and completed it. Now it’s time for the big guys up front to produce.

TEAM INFORMATION District: 2-5A Coach: Jerrod Baugh 2017 record: 8-3 Playoff streak: 13 seasons Home Field: L.J. “Hoss” Garrett Stadium School phone: (318) 255-0807 Tickets: $8 Radio: KXKZ 107.5 FM

KEY NUMBER 1: At times the last two seasons, consistency on offense appeared to be held back by rotating quarterbacks. Outley is now “the guy,” and him on the field full-tome will go a long way for Ruston’s consistency.

2018 SCHEDULE

2017 RESULTS

Aug. 31.......................................Neville

Beat Neville 19-10

Sept. 7 ...................................Acadiana Sept. 14..................................at Airline

Beat Airline 36-18 Beat West Ouachita 32-21

Sept. 21..................Longview (Texas)

Lost to West Monroe 28-14

Sept. 28..................at West Ouachita

Beat Ouachita 31-28

Oct. 5 .............................West Monroe

Beat Alexandria 56-14

Oct. 12...............................at Ouachita Oct. 19............................at Alexandria Oct. 26 ............Natchitoches Central

Beat Natchitoches Central 41-7 Beat Pineville 54-21 Beat East St. John 35-25 Lost to Hahnville 23-21

Nov. 2 .................................at Pineville

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Lost to Acadiana 28-6

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NEVILLE TIGERS | SEASON OUTLOOK AFTER LOPSIDED QUARTERFINAL LOSS, NEVILLE EYES A RETURN TO SUPERDOME Adam Hunsucker Monroe News-Star USA TODAY NETWORK

The idea that a quarterfinal appearance made for a “long offseason” still draws a wry smile from Mickey McCarty.

“We have used that phrase but that’s a great thing to say when going out in the quarters is early,” said McCarty, who enters 17th season as Neville’s football coach.

“The way we went out in the playoffs, we got it handed to us, and that made it even easier to get back to work.”

A 55-24 loss to state runner-up Lakeshore caused a double-take throughout Class 4A. Lopsided final scores aren’t uncommon at Neville, but rarely are the Tigers on the receiving end.

“That game really carried us through workouts and the summer,” senior Logan Newell said. “Our goal is still the Superdome and we’ve got a group that’s focused on getting there.”

Newell, a UL Lafayette commit, and seniors Tanner Kirk and Jake Newton give Neville a stabilized presence

Bastrop cornerback Phillip Jackson (21) tackles Neville quarterback Jordan Thomas (10) during the first half of the Rams' home game against the Tigers at Bastrop High School. NEWS-STAR FILE PHOTO

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NEVILLE TIGERS Continued from previous page

on the offensive line. That always helps when there’s a quarterback competition.

Incumbent senior Jordan Thomas split time with Payton Batteford last year and is being pushed by Neville legacy Andrew Brister, the son of former NFL quarterback Bubby Brister. Brister, a junior, transferred from Class 5A Mandeville High School.

“It’s wide open,” McCarty said. “The thing about it is we’ll play both of them early because we won’t know until they get out there and get some snaps.

“We do feel fortunate to have two very talented guys that bring different things to the table and we’ll let that competition play out.”

Whoever wins the job will have senior Tavis Butler at wide receiver. Butler missed the bulk of the 2017 season with a broken collarbone.

Neville also added West Monroe transfer Max Hunter, a junior, to a running back rotation that includes seniors Tylor Brown and Andrew Greeley.

McCarty and offensive coordinator Taylor Bunch have incorporated the runpass option (RPO) into Neville’s power-based spread playbook. Former St. Frederick coach Jeff Tannehill returned to the staff as tight ends/kickers coach.

Defensively, the strength of the Tigers is on the line with senior defensive end Lakamion Franklin and senior defensive tackle Martre-

vious Johnson.

3 KEYS TO SUCCESS IN 2018 Franklin was a wrecking 1. QB competition: Who's your pleasure? The dual-threat ability ball in Neville’s secondof senior Jordan Thomas gives Neville an added dimension but round playoff win over junior transfer Andrew Brister has an arm befitting of his NFL McDonogh #35 with seven lineage. tackles, three sacks, a fumble recovery and a blocked 2. Into the fire: While the roster is once again stocked with jupunt. niors and seniors, game experience is lacking. Neville's success in “It’s part of our job as sen2018 depends on how this talent group handles the transition iors to help these young guys from backups to starters. get up to speed,” Franklin 3. Trenches: The offensive and defensive lines are filled with said. “The talent is there but experience. Senior Logan Newell, a multiyear starter on the ofright now we’re trying to figfensive line, is committed to UL Lafayette and senior defensive ure out the best way to use end Lakamion Franklin emerged as a disruptive force last season. it.”

Neville’s defense has TEAM INFORMATION evolved from its 4-2-5 roots under sixth-year coordinaDistrict: 2-4A tor Benjy Lewis into a more Coach: Mickey McCarty (17th season) multiple scheme that values versatility. Senior Carl Ed2017 record: 8-4 monds moved from cornerPlayoff streak: 19 seasons back to strong safety and senior Zorian Littleberry has Home field: Bill Ruple Stadium manned multiple safety School phone: (318) 323-2237 spots.

The linebacker spots are Tickets: $6 in advance, $7 at gate set with juniors Javon Carter Radio: 101.9 FM and Iken Tankchell.

McCarty said junior corKEY NUMBER nerback Charles Straughter had one of the best offsea10: Neville has won 10 consecutive District 2-4A championships sons of anyone on the team. and hasn’t lost a district game since 2008.

Neville once again has a full complement of juniors and seniors, but like last 2018 SCHEDULE 2017 RESULTS season, game experience is Aug. 31..................................at Ruston Lost to Ruston 19-10 lacking.

Lost to Warren Central (Miss.) 17-7 Sept. 7 ........................Warren Central “There are some question Beat Ouachita 23-14 marks but I’m looking forSept. 14..................................Ouachita Beat Carroll 53-7 ward to coaching this team Sept. 21 .................................at Carroll Lost to West Monroe 27-7 and watching these guys Sept. 28 ....................at West Monroe Beat Franklinton 27-22 step into bigger roles,” McCarty said.

Oct. 5.................................OPEN DATE Beat West Ouachita 43-14 “This is still Neville. Our Beat Franklin Parish 51-14 Oct. 12 ...............................Franklinton goal is to win the last gameYOUR SUBSCRIPTION Beat Bastrop 10-0 of the year and that won’t Oct. 19 .........................West Ouachita Beat Woodlawn-Baton Rouge 28-3 change.”

Oct. 26 ....................at Franklin Parish Beat McDonogh #35 14-13 Follow Adam on Twitter Nov. 1........................................Bastrop Lost to Lakeshore 55-24 @adam_hunsucker

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BASTROP RAMS | SEASON OUTLOOK

The Bastrop defense allowed 23 points per game last season.

NEWS-STAR FILE PHOTO

22 ❚ 2018 ❚ THE NEWS-START

FOOTBALL

BASTROP RAMS

BURNETTE BACK TO CONTINUE REBUILDING BASTROP’S CONTINUITY Adam Hunsucker Monroe News-Star USA TODAY NETWORK

The fact that Adrian Burnette is back for a second year at Bastrop is a win in itself.

A turf war between members of the Morehouse Parish School Board almost left Burnette unemployed in January, which would have given the Rams five football coaches in as many years. Cooler heads prevailed and Burnette was reinstated within 24 hours.

Burnette’s return is a step toward rebuilding the continuity Bastrop once took for granted.

“We’re going into the season with more experience as players and coaches,” Burnette said. “Everyone in this program has a better understanding of our vision and what it’s going to take to be successful.”

The bulk of Bastrop’s experience lies with its explosive offense. Senior quarterback Quarterious Hawkins has two years of starting experience and total grasp of Burnette’s spread offense.

“It all starts with the quarterback,” Burnette said. “He’s taken his bumps and now he’s ready to lead this team.

We have a great nucleus around him starting with our offensive line.”

The Rams are never without big-play receivers and have two dependable seniors in Calvert Johnson and former All-State selection Christian Smith. The goal is to spread the ball around and let

depth take over.

Bastrop scored 28 points per game and topped 40 points on three different occasions last season.

“The biggest thing with this offense is any receiver can have over 100 yards and a couple touchdowns,” Burnette said. “Our wide receivers are legitimately happy for whoever gets the touches.”

Bastrop is also stressing continuity on defense with nine starters back. Burnette talked veteran defensive coordinator Earl Thaxton out of retirement for another season.

The Rams allowed 23 points per game in 2017 and held Neville to 10 points in the regular season finale.

“He was thinking about retiring but I wanted for the kids to come in knowing the schemes and what to do,” Burnette said. “Now they can play fast and show off their athleticism without having to think too much.”

Burnette called senior defensive backs Charles Mullens and Phillip Jackson the “heartbeat” of the defense.

Both are multi-year starters at safety that can cover and tackle.

“Those two are our leaders on defense and we’ll go as they go,” Burnette said.

Bastrop once again opens the season with George Washington Carver, who the Rams also played in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs. The schedule includes road games at Airline, Calvary Baptist, Brother Martin, West Ouachita and Neville.

The Bastrop Rams look to improve on last year’s 5-6 season.

NEWS-STAR FILE PHOTO

3 KEYS TO SUCCESS IN 2018 1. Hawkins-to-Smith: Seniors Quarterious Hawkins and Christian Smith could emerge as the most lethal quarterback/wide receiver combination in the area. Hawkins is entering his third season as Bastrop's signal caller and Smith is a former first team AllState selection.

2. Experience on defense: The Rams return nine starters on an improving defense. Head coach Adrian Burnette was able to talk defensive coordinator Earl Thaxton out of retiring in the offseason.

3. Continuity: The recent turnover at what was once one of the state's most stable programs appears to be over. Burnette is the first coach to lead the Rams into two consecutive seasons since current Alexandria coach Thomas Bachman.

TEAM INFORMATION District: 2-4A Coach: Adrian Burnette (second year) 2017 record: 5-6 Playoff streak: Six seasons Home field: Rams Stadium School phone: (318) 281-0194 Tickets: $6 in advance, $7 at gate Radio: KMYY 92.3 FM

KEY NUMBER 4: Bastrop has the same head coach in back-to-back seasons for the first time in four years.

2018 SCHEDULE

2017 RESULTS

Aug. 31..............................G.W. Carver

Lost to G.W. Carver 20-12

Sept. 7....................................at Airline

Lost to Airline 27-26

Sept. 14 .................at Calvary Baptist

Beat Calvary Baptist 45-30

Sept. 21................................Richwood

Beat Richwood 38-17

Sept. 28 .............Holy Savior Menard

Beat Holy Savior Menard 46-6

“Everyone in this program has a better understanding of our vision and what it’s going to take to be successful

Oct. 5......................at Brother Martin

Lost to Brother Martin 26-20

Oct. 12...............................OPEN DATE

Beat Franklin Parish 53-52

Oct. 19 .........................Franklin Parish

Beat West Ouachita 38-23

Oct. 26....................at West Ouachita

Lost to Neville 10-0

Adrian Burnette

Nov. 1.....................................at Neville

Lost to G.W. Carver 50-24

THENEWSSTAR.COM ❚ 2018 ❚ 23

WEST OUACHITA CHIEFS | SEASON OUTLOOK YOUNG CHIEFS FACE TOUGH ROAD TO IMPROVEMENT Cory Diaz Monroe News-Star USA TODAY NETWORK

In northeast Louisiana, you’d be hard-pressed to find a younger football team than West Ouachita this season.

Aside from attempting to shake mediocrity – the Chiefs have managed just three winning seasons in 11 years – that’s restrained the football program, head coach Matt Middleton will try to circumvent the usual challenges an overly youthful squad presents amid battling tough district opponents like perennial 4A state championship contender Neville.

“You knew this was going to happen and when you look at it, you’re playing in the district we’re playing and you’re starting nine, 10 sophomores or close to it,” Middleton said. “It’s good for the future, but right now, we’re just young, probably the youngest (team) in this area, so it’s challenging.

“But youth can be a good thing.”

Along with the close to double-digit first-time starters on both sides of the ball, West Ouachita will also be breaking in a new starting quarterback. Last year’s starter Peyton Parker, who would’ve been a senior this year and provided much-needed experience at a crucial position in Middleton’s hurry-up offensive attack, gave up football to focus on baseball, opening

Matt Middleton’s West Ouachita Chiefs look to bounce back this season. MATT SANCHES/THE NEWS-STAR

24 ❚ 2018 ❚ THE NEWS-START

FOOTBALL

the door for senior Kyler Rawls, who normally plays safety, to go under center.

An offseason ACL injury to sophomore Luke Middleton forced the move of junior Tobias Owens from quarterback to tailback, a main focal point in West Ouachita’s run-oriented ground game. Owens will run behind an offensive line headlined by senior guard Dustin Deville and newcomer senior tackle Wess Carter.

“Our plan is still to be more of a run-oriented team this year. I mean, that's no secret, people see that on tape. So, it's not hiding anything, it's just the way it is. We do know that we got to be able to control the ball more, you know. We've got to be able to run the ball. We also know when we throw the ball, we need some big chunk plays and be able to have some explosive plays,” Middleton said. “I think that's the key for us.

“We need our defense to be off the field as much as they can and protect them – we got to protect our youth. We need to sustain some time of possession and find a way to put the ball in the end zone more.”

Rising senior Garrison Lowder, an All-District 2-4A performer, will anchor the defensive front at end for new defensive coordinator David Batson, a West Monroe native who comes to the Chiefs from Hendrix ColContinued on next page

WEST OUACHITA Continued from previous page

3 KEYS TO SUCCESS

lege, a Division III program in Arkansas. Defensive backfield will be the most experienced unit on the team, with Rawls, Blake Lindsay and senior Zak Ponder all back.

Featuring a little more of an attacking and blitzing style on that side of the ball, Middleton lauded Batson and the job the players have done buying into the three-man front, mostly zone coverage scheme.

“Tons of movement defensively is what you'll get from us, which we have to here. We have to bring people from other areas and be creative in what we do schematically, and I think David's done a good job of that so far. Time will tell how that'll carry over into the season.”

The position where the Chiefs have experience will factor into their success in 2018 and the second year buying into Middleton and his staff.

“So not very old, but you know, we got a few in there that can help us with some of that leadership. I think there's no doubt identity-wise,” Middleton said. “And, you know, we talked about this, you want your team to emulate your personality. I definitely believe that we're starting to be able to do that. I think the kids are playing hard and playing with a high motor. We've had a great summertime.

“At the end of the day what I tell them is the expectation is to do the things you control in life is attitude and effort. I believe that we have attained

1. Control the clock: Time of possession will be one of the biggest factors offensively for West Ouachita. With new starters at the majority of the skill positions, coupled with the youth and lack of experienced depth on defense, churning out long drives could lead the Chiefs’ charge of getting back to the postseason.

2. Consistent kicker: Matt Middleton likes his place kicker Luke Stagg a lot. “That's one thing a lot of people take for granted, but we got a guy that could put points on the board for us if we get down there. So, that's exciting as well.”

3. Good things early: Success can bolster confidence within a young team. The Chiefs open at Sterlington, a team two years removed from winning a state championship in 2A, and will eventually play eight teams that advanced to the playoffs in 2017.

Sneaking a win or two early in the year could propel Middleton’s bunch forward in a hurry.

The West Ouachita Chiefs look to improve on a 3-7 season in 2017. JANSEN A. NOWELL/ THE NEWS-STAR

TEAM INFORMATION District: 2-4A Coach: Matt Middleton 2017 record: 3-7 Playoff streak: 0

that, that does a great job in both of those and give you everything.”

Middleton knew year one was going to be a learn-by-fire experience, but heading into year two, the young coach holds a better understanding his personnel and what can work at West Ouachita that could tilt the scales in the young team’s favor going up against a tough schedule.

“You're going to see us play more to the favor of our strengths. Fit your personnel and find a way to get the ball in playmakers hands and go from there,” he said. “I know what I'm looking at, I know when I'm dealing with. That is a comfort knowing what to expect as far as what you get from kids. I couldn't ask for anything more than that.”

Home field: “Red” Sims Stadium School phone: (318) 249-2117 Tickets: $7 at the gate Radio: KRLQ, 94.1 FM

KEY NUMBER 18: West Ouachita likely will start as many as 18 underclassmen this year. The leadership provided by the handful of seniors will be paramount in keeping the team together.

2018 SCHEDULE

2017 RESULTS

Aug. 31..........................at Sterlington

Lost to Sterlington 45-13

Sept. 7 ........................................Loyola

Lost to Loyola 20-14

Sept. 14...................................Pineville

Beat Pineville 32-21

Sept. 21..................at North Webster

Lost to N. Webster 34-17

Sept. 28.....................................Ruston

Lost to Ruston 32-21

Oct. 4.....................................DeRidder

Lost to DeRidder 34-23

Oct. 12 ................................at Buckeye

Beat Buckeye 43-16

Oct. 19 ...................................at Neville

Lost to Neville 43-14

Oct. 26 .....................................Bastrop

Lost to Bastrop 38-23

Nov. 4......................at Franklin Parish

Beat Franklin Parish 31-14

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WOSSMAN WILDCATS | SEASON OUTLOOK WILDCATS WILL TRY TO RALLY WITHOUT COACH FOR 4 GAMES Cory Diaz Monroe News-Star USA TODAY NETWORK

It’s hard to find a rallying speech for an 0-5 team. Or so Dean Smith found out.

Everywhere Smith’s been during his coaching career, he’s won. When his Wossman squad staggering out of the gate to an 0-5 start, ultimately ending up 2-9 for the 2017 season – his first losing season – it was a new feeling and uncharted terrain.

“You’re disappointed those nights that those teams whooped you like that, but that taught a lot of lessons,” said Smith, going into his fifth year as head coach of the Wildcats.

“My kids never quit the team, they kept coming back and kept playing. It’s hard to find some 0-5 speeches for a team. Just getting handled, treated like that, showed them you went from the top of the mountain to the bottom.

“They want to be that team to get this back rolling. We’ve been practicing, preparing for this turnaround. Now we’ll see what happens Week 1. Do we have it in us to do people like that? How are we going to jell early?”

He stared his biggest head coaching fear down of not having success and losing the trust from his players of him and his game plan, but his team rallied around Smith.

Wossman is looking for more offensive firepower in 2018.

EMERALD MCINTYRE/THE NEWS-STAR

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WOSSMAN WILDCATS Continued from previous page

Through the pain and the failures, Wossman found its leaders, Smith said. Players, young and old, became more vocal, and the timing could not be more perfect heading into the 2018 season, especially at the start. This offseason, the LHSAA upheld its initial ruling in May of suspending Smith for the first four games of 2018 for illegally recruiting a Carroll Junior High student-athlete. He was placed on one-year administrative probation and the school was fined $2,500.

Coupled with the squad being without its head coach for the first four Friday nights, Smith found his acting head coach Jackie Hamilton, who was let go as head coach from Carroll shortly after last season ended. He also added former Madison head coach Levi Washington as offensive coordinator.

“How else can you play this scenario out where a head coach just falls in? And then you have another head coach that’s going to run your offense,” Smith said. “With my four-game suspension, I’m really comfortable with having those coaches in place. I don’t want to miss a game, but at the same time what else can I ask for? I hate this situation came up like this, but I think I’ve trained them well at practice Monday through Thursday that they should be able to execute in the ballgame. I trust coach Hamilton to do everything in his power to help us be successful.

“I have one of the top staffs in state. It’s rare you hire two coaches from your district.

These guys were head coaches just months ago. That’s a dynamic many people don’t understand.”

Smith said he expects the Wildcats to respond just fine without him on the sidelines Fridays as he’ll still be able to continue to prepare his guys Monday through Thursday.

And he’ll count on those leaders that emerged during last

year’s struggles, like senior linebacker Demarquis Hardwell, senior defensive tackle Detavion Anthony and offensive linemen Kendon Williams, Kevin Metoyer and Rayland Coleman. “(Hardwell) didn’t want to give up, it was his first year starting last year. He and his senior classmates, they felt like they let the brand name of Wossman down from what we built it up to,” the coach said. “It’s those kids that do the little things that keep the program rolling.

“Last year, I don’t know if we had that off-the-field camaraderie. Going 2-8 taught you a lot. Biggest language barrier we had last year was, ‘y’all’ or ‘I’m doing my part.’

We are losing as a team.

That’s selfish and you’ll selfdestruct. We’re still based on family, faith and discipline.

Everybody in your family is not right.”

There’s more spots that’ll be worked out over preseason practice.

Junior Antrell Green, who played a lot last season, and Aaron Key will battle for the starting quarterback job. Key, who Smith is eager to see how the junior performs after missing most of 2017 with an injury, will also line up at receiver and play some cornerback on defense.

The opening of the Pat Williams Fieldhouse will generate more excitement for Wossman’s six-game home schedule. As the Wildcats get settled into their new home, looking around seeing championship banners from years past, Smith hopes it all motivates them.

“Let’s kick this building off.

We’re going to put a championship poster in there from ’87. At some point, you want to walk in and see yourself on that wall,” Smith said. “What tradition do you want in this building? What legacy and tradition are you going to build out of this? This is for all the Wossman grads, they’re proud of this facility. It belongs to them.”

The Wossman Wildcats look to bounce back from a 2-9 season.

EMERALD MCINTYRE/THE NEWS-STAR

3 KEYS TO SUCCESS 1. Motivation: Wossman will be motivated by payback in 2018.

This year’s team looks to set the program back in the right direction.

2. Life without Smith: The first four games of the season while Dean Smith must sit due to suspension will set the tone for the Wildcats in 2018.

3. Experienced coaches: Wossman has one of its most experienced coaching staffs in a while. That experience should lead to improved preparation and in-game decisions.

TEAM INFORMATION District: 2-3A Coach: Dean Smith 2017 record: 2-9 Playoff streak: Five seasons Home Field: Grady James Memorial Stadium School phone: (318) 343-2769 Tickets: $9 at the gate

KEY NUMBER 6: The Wildcats spent just three Friday nights in 2017 at home, where half of their wins came. The schedule flips this season and they’ll play six home games this season.

2018 SCHEDULE

2017 RESULTS

Aug. 31......................................Benton

Lost to Benton 49-7

Sept. 6.................................Oak Grove

Lost to Oak Grove 26-6

Sept. 14 ....................at West Monroe Sept. 21 ...........................at St. James Sept. 28..................................Peabody Oct. 5 ......................................Madison

Lost to West Monroe 50-12 Lost to St. James 19-0 Lost to Peabody 22-19 Beat Madison 50-26 Lost to Sterlington 50-14

Oct. 12...........................at Sterlington

Lost to Richwood 41-0

Oct. 19 ..................................Richwood

Beat Carroll 8-7

Oct. 26 ...................................at Carroll

Lost to Union Parish 40-6

Nov. 2 ..............................Union Parish

Lost to Iowa 39-8

THENEWSSTAR.COM ❚ 2018 ❚ 27

FRANKLIN PARISH PATRIOTS | SEASON OUTLOOK Jimmy Touchet Special to Monroe News-Star USA TODAY NETWORK

The Franklin Parish Patriots hit the weight room and worked hard in the offseason in hopes of improving on last season’s 1-9 record.

Coach Whitney McCartney enters his second season at the helm of the Franklin Parish football program and has set three keys for success for the 2018 Patriots’ football season.

McCartney’s three keys for success are: one, work hard in the weight room, two, improve ball security and three, finish strong.

“We had to hit the weight room,” McCartney said. “I inherited a team that was very weak last season. However since then, the Patriots have averaged over 120 total pounds of gained strength per player in the offseason.”

One area that caused havoc for Franklin Parish last season was turnovers.

Last year, the Patriots’ offense committed 24 turnovers and 14 of those turnovers were directly turned into 98 points.

Franklin Parish played strong in the first half all of last season, but the Patriots did not finish strong in the second half which was an area of concern for McCartney and his coaching staff.

“Last season, we were either up one score, tied or down one score at halftime in eight of 10 games last season,” McCartney said. “Of the two games we were down by two or more scores, we were 1-1. We must finish the second half like we played in the first half.”

The Franklin Parish fan base should look at the fact that going 1-1 in the two games that Franklin Parish was down by two or more scores showcases the fact the Patriots have the ability to come back to win a ballgame.

With an improved offseason to increase strength, endurance and better

offensive ball control, Franklin Parish should be in a position to challenge for a playoff spot come 2018.

Senior quarterback L.T. Major (6foot-2, 190 pounds) will again be under center to lead the Franklin Parish offense. Major was named as the All-District 2-4A second-team quarterback last season.

Joining Major in the Patriots’ offensive backfield will be senior fullback Jeremiah Fletcher (5-10, 210), senior halfback Curturious Shaw and senior halfback Stephon Hardin (5-8, 173).

Shaw was the leading rusher for the Patriots last season and he also scored seven touchdowns in his junior campaign which garnered All-District 2-4A first team honors as a running back while Fletcher claimed a spot on the AllDistrict 2-4A honorable mention team.

The Franklin Parish receiver corps will feature split end Carter Banks (5-10, 145) and senior tight end Roderick Bingham (6-2, 220). Bingham was named to the All-District 2-4A second team as a tight end last year.

Up front, the Patriots’ offensive line consists of junior left tackle Elijah Ward (6-0, 215), senior left guard Christian Jackson (6-0, 188), junior center Sam Parker (5-10, 230), junior right guard Devian Heckard (5-9, 215) and senior right tackle Kirren Whitney (6-3, 315).

Franklin Parish will utilize the 3-4 defensive alignment to contain opposing offenses and improve on last season’s 38.1 points allowed per game average.

Sophomore defensive end Terrance Richardson, senior nose tackle Billy Johnson, III and junior defensive end Rayvon Johnson will man the Patriots’ defensive line while senior outside linebacker B.J. Mathews (5-10, 180), senior outside linebacker Clint Duplechin, senior inside linebacker Henry Jackson (510, 230) and senior inside linebacker Somante Bryant (6-1, 220) will make up the Franklin Parish linebacker unit.

“NO FOOD ALLOWED.” TO “HOW OLD ARE THESE FRIES?” FROM

28 ❚ 2018 ❚ THE NEWS-START

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3 KEYS TO THE SEASON 1. Work hard in the weight room: Patriots were manhandled last season physically, but have spent time in the weight room to be more physical.

2. Improve ball security: Turnovers were a problem last season with 24 last season and 14 of them directly leading to 98 points. Cutting down on the number of turnovers will greatly help the team's competitiveness.

3. Finish strong: Franklin Parish was a first half team last season. The hope is that work in the weight room and conditioning will help the Patriots finish strong in 2018.

TEAM INFORMATION District: 2-4A Coach: Whitney McCartney 2017 record: 1-9 Playoff Streak: None Home Field: Patriots’ Stadium School Phone: (318) 435-5676 Tickets: $6 at the gate Radio: KMAR 95.9 FM

2018 SCHEDULE

2017 RESULTS

Aug. 31 ...........................Rayville

Beat Rayville 22-20

Sept. 7 ...........................Ferriday

Lost to Ferriday 58-0

Sept. 14 .................at Richwood

Lost to Richwood 27-12

Sept. 21............at Union Parish

Lost to Kentwood 27-12

Sept. 28 ................at Kentwood

Lost to Union Parish 34-8

Oct. 5..........................Haughton

Lost to Haughton 46-20

Oct. 12.....................Green Oaks

Lost to Green Oaks 34-18

Oct. 19 .....................at Bastrop*

Lost to Bastrop 53-52

Oct. 26............................Neville*

Lost to Neville 51-14

Nov. 2...............West Ouachita*

Lost to West Ouachita 31-14

*District 2-4A Game

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UNION PARISH FARMERS | SEASON OUTLOOK NEW STADIUM, FIELDHOUSE ADD EXCITEMENT TO 2018 Cory Diaz Monroe News-Star USA TODAY NETWORK

Running back Jakius Wallce (1) returns for Union Parish in 2018.

JANSEN NOWELL/THE NEWS-STAR

Needed for quite some time, the Union Parish school board finished writing the checks for a new football stadium and new fieldhouse. Both are now set for use come Aug. 31 for the 2018 season.

Also needed for the past few seasons, on the field now is the time for the Farmers to collect checks Friday nights.

It’s not that Union Parish’s football team, entering its 13th year under head coach Joe Spatafora, hasn’t put in the necessary work, for one reason or another it hasn’t been able to get the final strokes of the pen. With new facilities and increasing enthusiasm inside the locker room for this season, the longtime coach hopes his squad can cash in.

“Taking care of business every single game.

Working for each other, working to get better and making sure each Friday night we’ve done our job throughout the week to get paid on Friday,” Spatafora said. “That’s the ultimate goal. You work Saturday through Thursday to get paid on Friday night. We plan on collecting a lot of paychecks this year.”

Not much has changed among the inner rings of the Farmers team itself, but change has enveloped the football program this offseason with new leadership coming to the school board with new superintendent Ted Reeves and Union Parish High School principal Eric Carter. There’s a renewed investment into football and athletics at the school.

“A brand new stadium, visitor and home side with new press box, new state-of-the-art 10,000square foot fieldhouse, totally redone field and track. A lot of new good change that’s happening here. Upgrades that have been needed for years,” Spatafora said. “This is my 13th year and we’ve always made do with what we’ve had. I think we ought to be able to take it the next level and beyond with the new facilities and upgrades.

“We’ll have more time for film and treatments, things we didn’t have at our place that we can now do at our fieldhouse. We used to go up to school and watch film on small TVs. It’s going to give us an advantage that some of these schools have that we haven’t had for all these years. It’s got to help us to prepare physically and mentally.”

Spatafora feels his team is now level of most of its competition off-the-field, and who Union Parish brings back from last season he could see sending the program back to where its rightful place, at the top of its district.

The Farmers return a bevy of experience on deContinued on next page

THENEWSSTAR.COM ❚ 2018 ❚ 29

UNION PARISH FARMERS Continued from previous page

fense, seven full-time starters back, headlined by threeyear starting Mike linebacker Jarred Singleton, who amassed more than 300 tackles the last two years. With senior nose tackle Antonio Hunter back also, heavy hitters and leaders will pave the way. “(Singleton) is a heck of a leader on and off the field. He sets everything, quarterback on that side of the ball,” Spatafora said. “Him and Hunter, those two guys are a big part of the defensive front and they put everybody else in position.”

Offensively, Union Parish enters year two of the offensive coordinator Brian Fine and co-offensive coordinator Jerry Ginn era. And the expectations for a team that ended up putting up 26 points per game in 2017 with a freshman at quarterback due to injury rise big time.

Most of the offensive line is back and so are playmakers receiver Jalen Jones, tight end Jaylon Gales, running back Jakius Wallace and fullback Chris Smith, all looking to increase production.

“It took Brian up to about midseason last year before he really got his offense installed. Here we are going into the second year of it and the kids understand it more and they’ve bought into it,” Spatafora said. “I think Fine and Ginn have done a tremendous job with it, I think we’ll see a lot more offensive success.

“Last year, started fresh3 KEYS TO SUCCESS man at quarterback Trent 1. Second year, better year: Union Parish’s second season under Ginn. We return a starting offensive coordinator Brian Fine, and his right-hand man Jerry quarterback, who’s a tremenGinn appears set to be more productive with several returnees dous athlete, very smart, son back. of a coach. Chris Smith and Jakius Wallace were a big 2. Jarred Singleton: He hasn’t completely been a one-man part of the offense last year, wrecking crew, but senior Mike linebacker Jarred Singleton has they were still trying to unmade a ton of tackles for the Farmers over the last three seaderstand it. Now they know sons. He’s the quarterback of the defense. it, they know what is expect3. Crunch time: Union Parish lost two crucial District 2-3A games ed of them.” late last season in the fourth quarter. Making plays on both sides There’s plenty to have the of the ball when it matters most could be the difference between coaches and players juiced up hosting and traveling in the playoffs. for 2018, but for Spatafora, what’s most exciting is seeing TEAM INFORMATION how the 2018 version of the Union Parish Farmers have District: 2-3A come together. The board on Coach: Joe Spatafora the wall inside the new fieldhouse says “It’s a mindset.”

2017 record: 6-5 Something the head coach Playoff streak: nine seasons feels like his team has lost somewhere along the way.

Home Field: Doc Elliott Stadium The mindset, Spatafora School phone: (318) 368-2661 feels, is back.

“You can tell they go toTickets: $8 gether more, they really love Radio: ESPN 97.7 FM each other and play for each other. It excites me, the KEY NUMBER coaching staff is excited. It’s something I haven’t had in a 13: He’s led his team to a state championship before, in 2013, but couple of years,” he said. can Farmers head coach Joe Spatafora’s 13th be the lucky num“The thing we’ve had trouber to make the journey back to the Superdome? ble with, and not just last year, has been finishing.

2018 SCHEDULE 2017 RESULTS These guys have a newfound Aug. 31........................................Airline Lost to Airline 30-0 commitment to finish what Beat Calvary 32-25 Sept. 7..................................at Calvary they’ve started. It’s a fourBeat Rayville 27-8 quarter game, we got to play Sept. 14 ...............................at Rayville Beat Many 27-24 four quarters. We seem to Sept. 21....................................at Many Beat Franklin Parish 34-8 find a way to fizzle out in the Sept. 28.......................Franklin Parish Lost to Richwood 14-6 fourth. It’s a little bit of all of us to find those things that’s Oct. 5 ....................................Richwood Beat Madison 62-14 been causing us headaches Lost to Carroll 20-19 Oct. 12................................at Madison along with senior leadership.YOUR Lost to Sterlington 40-15 SUBSCRIPTION We’ve been talking about finOct. 19 ........................................Carroll Beat Wossman 40-6 ishing for a long time and Oct. 26 ...............................Sterlington Lost to Donaldsonville 35-29 that’s the big deal, we got to Nov. 2 ...............................at Wossman finish.”

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RICHWOOD RAMS | SEASON OUTLOOK

Richwood’s De’edrick Whitlock (5) runs against the Ouachita defense in a 2017 game. MICHELLE TRIPP/THE NEWS-STAR

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RICHWOOD RAMS

RAMS RELOADING AFTER REACHING 3A TITLE GAME Adam Hunsucker Monroe News-Star USA TODAY NETWORK

Robert Arvie wants to get one thing straight. The demise of the Class 3A runner-up Richwood Rams has been greatly exaggerated.

“We have another large senior group,” Arvie said. “I know we lost a great group from last year, but this team paid the price during offseason workouts and spring practice.”

Arvie’s optimism is in the numbers.

Richwood lost 26 seniors from the first team in school history to grace the MercedesBenz Superdome turf. Reinforcements weren’t hard to find, though, and Arvie has backto-back senior classes with 20-plus players for the first time in his six years as head coach.

“Those days of 10 or 11 seniors are behind us,” Arvie said.

“These seniors have all played and a few of them have started, so they understand what it takes.”

The Rams are counting on returning All-Stater Benny Davis and Ashley Holmes to fill a variety of roles as seniors. Davis was the 2017 Class 3A state championship game MVP and is Richwood’s returning rushing, receiver and interceptions leader.

Holmes will start at linebacker, handle the backup quarterback duties and run the “4-1-1” short-yardage package under center.

“We can’t have Ashley on

the bench, so we’ve found other ways to use him,” Arvie said.

“He’s one of the strongest kids on our team and he’s the kind of kid that will step up and do anything you ask him to.”

Richwood named sophomore Michael Sherman the successor to Joseph Smith at quarterback. Offensive coordinator LaVelle Wilson Jr.’s next task is to fill two giant holes at wide receiver left by the graduation of Power Five signees Hidari Ceasar (TCU) and Geor’quarius Spivey (Mississippi State).

“Michael can do the same things Joseph did,” Arvie said.

“All we’re asking him to do is hit the open man and keep the sticks moving.”

Defensive coordinator Brad Morace is also doing his own replacement work. Senior Jacorius Lenard returns, but Richwood lost several key pieces from what was arguably the most imposing defensive line in the area.

Arvie asked multiple linemen to play both sides of the ball this season.

“I told them they had to trade those 90 numbers for 50 numbers for us to make another run,” Arvie said. “I think we’ll have eight guys that can rotate in and out and give us another good group.

“We’ve got a group that has waited their turn in the program and now they’ve tasted it after last year. Now we know what it takes to get over the hump and we’ve earned the right to expect big things with our work ethic.”

The Richwood Rams are reloading after reaching the Class 3A championship game last season. MICHELLE TRIPP/THE NEWS-STAR

3 KEYS TO SUCCESS IN 2018 1. New QB: Sophomore Michael Sherman was named the starting quarterback in August. Senior backup Ashley Holmes will start at linebacker and take snaps under center in the "4-1-1" short yardage package.

2. 90s for 50s: Richwood typically has skill players line up on both sides of the ball, but the Rams are also asking their offensive and defensive linemen to do the same.

3. Talented Mr. Davis: All-Stater Benny Davis is Richwood's returning rushing, receiving and interceptions leader.

TEAM INFORMATION District: 2-3A Coach: Robert Arvie (sixth season) 2017 record: 11-4 Playoff streak: Two seasons Home field: Mackie Freeze Stadium School phone: (318) 361-0467 Tickets: $6

KEY NUMBER 21: Richwood's 21 seniors give sixth-year coach Robert Arvie back-to-back senior classes of 20-plus players for the first time.

2018 SCHEDULE

2017 RESULTS

Aug. 31 .............................at Ouachita

Lost to Ouachita 42-6 Beat Northwood-Shreveport 33-32 Beat Franklin Parish 27-12 Lost to Bastrop 38-17 Beat Red River 12-6 Beat Union Parish 14-6 Beat Carroll 20-0 Beat Wossman 41-0 Beat Madison 50-8 Lost to Sterlington 28-21 Beat North Vermilion 20-17 Beat Loranger 20-14 Beat Sterlington 15-14 Beat Kaplan 15-8 Lost to West Feliciana 40-21

Sept. 7 .......Northwood-Shreveport Sept. 14 ......................Franklin Parish Sept. 21 ..............................at Bastrop Sept. 28 ..........................at Red River Oct. 5 .........................at Union Parish Oct. 11 ........................................Carroll Oct. 19 .............................at Wossman

“I know we lost a great group from last year, but this team paid the price during offseason workouts and spring practice.”

Robert Arvie, Richwood coach

32 ❚ 2018 ❚ THE NEWS-START

FOOTBALL

Oct. 26 ...................................Madison Nov. 1 ...........................at Sterlington

CARROLL BULLDOGS | SEASON OUTLOOK

Carroll’s Zion Parker (9) returns for his senior season. NEWS-STAR FILE PHOTO

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CARROLL BULLDOGS

NEW COACH WASHINGTON STRESSES DISCIPLINE Jimmy Touchet Special to Monroe News-Star USA TODAY NETWORK

It is a brand new day in the historic Carroll Magnet High School Bulldogs’ football program as Alexander Washington enters his first season as the head coach.

Carroll is looking to improve from a 4-7 campaign in 2017 which saw the Bulldogs fall 61-24 in the Class 3A bidistrict playoffs at Church Point Washington has three keys for success for this year’s Carroll Bulldogs football team.

“First, we need to play disciplined football,” Washington said. “Second, we need to line up right. Lastly, we must compete at a high level.”

While the first two keys deal with the fundamentals, Carroll’s 2018 football schedule features teams that play at the highest level with two 2017 Class 4A quarterfinal qualifiers (Neville, Woodlawn-Shreveport), the 2017 Class 3A state runner-up (Richwood), two 2017 Class 3A quarterfinalists (Richwood, Sterlington), 2017 Class 2A semifinal qualifier (Many) and nine of 10 of the teams on Carroll’s upcoming schedule made the 2017 playoffs.

The Carroll offense will be led by junior quarterback Cedric Woods (5-foot-10, 175 pounds.) Joining Woods in the Bulldogs’ backfield will be sophomore running back Montrelle Jones (5-5, 140).

Woods will look to his corps of wide receivers to

spread the field and keep defenses from loading up in the box. The Carroll receiving corps includes junior wide receiver Jacoby Brown, senior wide receiver Jamar Forbes, sophomore wide receiver Antonio Hollins and junior LaDarrius McFee (5-10, 150).

Up front, the Bulldogs’ offensive line will count on a pair of seniors in offensive tackle Jacari Hamilton and offensive guard Jaaric Keys (5-11, 230) to lead junior offensive lineman Kelvin Hamilton (5-7, 245) junior offensive lineman Isaiah Taylor(5-11, 198) and sophomore Jordan Lewis.

Carroll will look to a 3-4 defensive alignment to contain opposing offenses.

The Bulldogs’ defensive line will feature tackle Jacari Hamilton, junior tackle Isaiah Taylor and junior nose tackle Kev Hamilton who all three will be counted on to go both ways for Carroll.

The Bulldogs’ linebacker unit will consist of senior outside linebacker Roderick Douglas, junior inside linebacker Char’tavion Arrington (6-0, 204), junior outside linebacker Bobby Williams (5-7, 155) and sophomore inside linebacker Derrick Conner (6-0,150).

Carroll’s secondary features senior strong safety Jackie Wallace, junior free safety Ladarius McFee (5-10, 150), junior cornerback Ladarius Goldsberry (6-2, 165) and senior cornerback Zion Parker (6-1, 175).

“First, we need to play disciplined football.

Second, we need to line up right. Lastly, we must compete at a high level.”

Alexander Washington, first-year Carroll coach

34 ❚ 2018 ❚ THE NEWS-START

FOOTBALL

Carroll looks to improve on its 4-7 record from last season.

NEWS-STAR FILE PHOTO

THREE KEYS TO SUCCESS 1. Being disciplined: Bulldogs want to cut down on mistakes and penalties.

2. Lining up right: Carroll can cut down on big plays on defense and penalties on offense this way.

3. Competing at a high level: Bulldogs will be challenged in terms of competitiveness.

TEAM INFORMATION District: 2-3A Coach: Alexander Washington (First Season) 2017 record: 4-7 Playoff Streak: 3 Seasons Home Field: James L. Thomas - Dorth Blade Memorial Stadium School Phone: (318)387-8441 Tickets: $8 at the Gate Radio: N/A

2018 SCHEDULE

2017 RESULTS

Aug. 30... at Woodlawn-Shreveport

Lost to Woodlawn-Shreveport 44-14

Sept. 6 ................................. Mansfield Sept. 14............. Lincoln Preparatory

Beat Mansfield 26-6 Beat Lincoln Preparatory 27-7 Lost to Neville 53-7

Sept. 21..................................... Neville

Lost to Many 47-12

Sept. 28 .................................. at Many

Lost to Sterlington 36-26

Oct. 5 ................................ Sterlington

Lost to Richwood 20-0

Oct. 11............................. at Richwood

Beat Union Parish 20-19

Oct. 19 ....................... at Union Parish Oct. 26 ................................. Wossman Nov. 2.................... at Madison Parish

Lost to Wossman 8-7 Beat Madison Parish 44-14 Lost to Church Point 61-24

RAYVILLE HORNETS | SEASON OUTLOOK

Rayville quarterback James Powell returns to lead the Hornets offense. EMERALD MCINTYRE/THE NEWS-STAR

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THENEWSSTAR.COM ❚ 2018 ❚ 37

RAYVILLE HORNETS

WITH POWELL AT QB, HORNETS HOPE TO GET OFF TO FAST START Adam Hunsucker Monroe News-Star USA TODAY NETWORK

Lent Bursey enters Year 8 at Rayville with another gem at quarterback.

Meet James Powell, once the understudy to athletic phenom Kahmod Naylor, and now the unquestioned conductor of the Hornets’ spread offense. Powell, now a senior, is no longer the bewildered freshman forced into action during the 2015 Class 2A semifinals.

“It’s almost like raising your own child,” Bursey said.

“We took James and had to throw him in there and the way he’s developed since then is unbelievable.

“It’s like having an assistant coach on the field and that is so invaluable.”

Rayville has its guy behind center. Next on the list is a new playmaking receiver now that All-State selection Rashad Naylor has graduated.

Bursey favors a by-committee approach but expects junior Jacoby Grace to play a large role in the wide receiver rotation. Sophomore Jalon Qualls will handle the duties at running back.

“These kids have all been here and they understand our system,” Bursey said. “Obviously losing Rashad’s production is big, but we think we can spread the ball around so the defense can’t key on one or two guys.

“Once we get those pieces around James, we’ll be OK.” Defensively, first-team AllDistrict 2-2A performer Nick

Gee, a senior, is back patrolling the defensive backfield with junior Derrick Dawson.

Rayville lacks returning starters but has experienced backups taking on larger responsibilities.

“Those two know our defense like the back of their hand and that will help tremendously,” Bursey said. “I thought we worked really well together this summer on defense and we need that to show up once we start the season.''

Rayville hopes to avoid the slow starts that forced the team to play catch up the past two seasons. The Hornets won four of their final six games in 2016 after a 1-6 start and advanced to the Class 2A quarterfinals.

Last year, Rayville started 0-4 before running off six straight wins. The season ended in a 35-20 loss at Kinder in the second round of the playoffs.

The non-district slate is unforgiving as ever with visits to Class 4A Franklin Parish and Class 3A Jena and a home game against Class 3A Union Parish.

“I’ve never had an undefeated season, but I have been one of the last teams playing,” Bursey said. “We’re always going to challenge ourselves with a tough schedule so we’re ready to roll at district time.

“If you don’t realize there’s a leak in your house, you’ll never fix it, and I’m always going to make sure we enter the postseason as strong as possible.”

A Rayville defender brings down a Loyola College Prep ball carrier last season. HENRIETTA WILDSMITH/USA TODAY NETWORK

3 KEYS TO SUCCESS IN 2018 1. Find a playmaker: Rayville is set at quarterback with James Powell, but the senior needs another go-to target now that AllStater Rashad Naylor has graduated.

2. Ball hawks: The strength of Rayville's defense is in the secondary with senior Nick Gee and junior Derrick Dawson.

3. Start fast: Strong non-district schedules have caused the Hornets to stumble early the past two seasons, which they hope to correct in 2018.

TEAM INFORMATION District: 2-2A Coach: Lent Bursey (eighth year) 2017 record: 7-5 Playoff streak: Five seasons Home field: Hornets Stadium School phone: (318) 728-3296 Tickets: $8 Radio: KGGM 93.5 FM

KEY NUMBER 7: Rayville won seven games in a row before losing 35-20 at Kinder in the second round of the Class 2A playoffs.

2018 SCHEDULE

2017 RESULTS

Aug. 31 ..................at Franklin Parish

Lost to Franklin Parish 22-20

Sept. 7 ......................................at Jena Sept. 14 ..........................Union Parish

Lost to Jena 33-22 Lost to Union Parish 27-8 Lost to Ferriday 24-0

Sept. 21 ..................................Ferriday

Beat Vidalia 40-13

Sept. 28 ................................at Vidalia

Beat Mangham 34-24

Oct. 5 ..............................at Mangham

Beat Delhi Charter 50-28

Oct. 11 ......................at Delhi Charter

Beat Beekman Charter 46-0 Beat Loyola Prep 30-17

“It’s like having an assistant coach on the field and that is so invaluable.”

Oct. 19 ...................Beekman Charter Oct. 26 .............................Loyola Prep

Beat Delhi Charter 50-22

Lent Bursey, Rayville coach on QB James Powell

Nov. 1 .......................at General Trass

Lost to Kinder 35-20

38 ❚ 2018 ❚ THE NEWS-START

FOOTBALL

Beat General Trass 40-12

STERLINGTON PANTHERS | SEASON OUTLOOK PANTHERS AIM TO BRING BACK ANOTHER TITLE Adam Hunsucker Monroe News-Star USA TODAY NETWORK

Sterlington’s C.J. Colvin runs against the West Ouachita defense during last year’s game. MATT SANCHES/THE NEWS-STAR

It never fails. Once a team holds that state championship trophy under the bright lights of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, nothing less is acceptable.

Ask the Sterlington Panthers.

“We’re trying to get back there,” senior Trey Eddins said.

“We’ve had to live with that (playoff loss) for too long.”

Undefeated regular seasons are no small feat. Sterlington pulled it off just one year removed from Class 2A and won District 2-3A in head coach Lee Doty’s first season.

Still, it was hard to keep perspective when the Panthers’ plans for back-to-back state titles were dashed at home by district rival Richwood in the Class 3A quarterfinals.

“It was failing to finish that hurt the worst,” Doty said. “I thought those seniors deserved the opportunity to play in the Dome. They did everything they were supposed to do and that was devastating.

“We weren’t satisfied with the way we finished. The only thing you can do about it is go back to work and that’s what we did.”

Enter “CBS.” Sterlington loves a motivational acronym and “can’t be satisfied” fit a team with its sights set on New Orleans.

“This is what we’ve been waiting for,” senior C.J. Colvin said. “We proved a lot of people wrong last year that said we couldn’t handle 3A and we want to do it again.”

Colvin’s season-ending foot injury in the 2017 opener at West Ouachita forced Sterlington to play senior Malik Davis Continued on next page

THENEWSSTAR.COM ❚ 2018 ❚ 39

STERLINGTON PANTHERS Continued from previous page

and junior Dallas Reagor at tailback. Now offensive coordinator Bobby Breen has all three to plug into his I-formation schemes.

“We feel good about those guys,” Doty said. “Up front, we’ve got a good offensive line to block for them and we like the potential on that side of the ball.

“That’s a good feeling to have because we’ve had some good football players walk out that door.”

The two most glaring losses are quarterback Carson Clowers and two-time All-State and All-NELA Defensive MVP Dawson Snell at linebacker.

Junior Hayes Crockett, a transfer from MAIS Prairie View Academy, and sophomore Brody Green are competing to take over for Clowers. Doty doesn’t expect to

have a starter in place until Week 1 of the season.

Sterlington doesn’t expect to replace Snell, but hopes to replicate his production with the senior duo of Willie Holloway and Tyler Kaffenberger.

Both are first-time starters.

Trey and junior Dorian Eddins will patrol the defensive secondary with junior Reese Brooks. Sterlington is also looking for another pass rusher now that Tanner Coley graduated.

Defensive coordinator Adam Waugh departed in the offseason after a successful one-year stint and Doty is expected to split those duties with the staff.

“I like this team and I think we can make another run at it,” Doty said.

“We’ll have a chance to be better than anyone expects after these kids get some games under their belts and starting figuring things out.”

3 KEYS TO SUCCESS IN 2018 1. 3-headed monster: Sterlington has a deep and talented group of tailbacks with seniors C.J. Colvin and Malik Davis and junior Dallas Reagor. Colvin missed the 2017 season with a foot injury.

2. Find a QB: The competition between junior Hayes Crockett and sophomore Brody Green was described by Sterlington coach Lee Doty as "neck and neck." Crockett transferred to Sterlington from MAIS Prairie View Academy.

3. Key losses: Sterlington must replace several productive veterans from one of its best-ever senior classes. Quarterback Carson Clowers, running back Austin Dupree, linebacker Dawson Snell and defensive end Tanner Cooley, among others, all graduated.

TEAM INFORMATION District: 2-3A Coach: Lee Doty (second season) 2017 record: 12-1 Playoff streak: Eight seasons Home field: Panther Field School phone: (318) 665-2725 Tickets: $7 Radio: KBYO 92.7 FM

KEY NUMBER 21: Sterlington won 21 consecutive games dating back to 2016 before its loss to Richwood in the 2017 Class 3A quarterfinals.

2018 SCHEDULE

2017 RESULTS

Aug. 31 .......................West Ouachita

Beat West Ouachita 45-13

Sept. 7 .......................................at OCS Sept. 14 .........................at Oak Grove

40 ❚ 2018 ❚ THE NEWS-START

FOOTBALL

Beat Loyola Prep 43-13 Beat Calvary Baptist 38-20Q

Sept. 28 ....................Calvary Baptist

Beat Carroll 36-26

Oct. 5 ....................................at Carroll

Beat Wossman 50-14

Oct. 19 ...............................at Madison

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS

Beat Oak Grove 34-6

Sept. 21 .....Loyola Prep-Shreveport

Oct. 12 .................................Wossman

The Sterlington defense tackles a Baker ball carrier during last year’s playoff game. NEWS-STAR FILE PHOTO

Beat OCS 35-0

Beat Madison 31-6 Beat Union Parish 40-15 Beat Richwood 28-21

Oct. 26 .......................at Union Parish

Beat Baker 63-30

Nov. 1 ...................................Richwood

Beat Donaldsonville 28-18 Lost to Richwood 15-14

OAK GROVE TIGERS | SEASON OUTLOOK QB HOLLOWAY RETURNS TO LEAD TIGERS Jimmy Touchet Special to Monroe News-Star USA TODAY NETWORK

Wyatt Rawls (32) returns to the Oak Grove defense in 2018.

JIMMY TOUCHET/'SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-STAR

The Oak Grove Tigers came within one game of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association Class 1A state title game in the Mercedes Benz Superdome in New Orleans last season.

Oak Grove Coach Ryan Gregory enters his fourth year at the helm of the Tigers’ football program and Gregory sees three keys to success at Oak Grove this football season.

“Our first key is to stay healthy,” Gregory said. “Second key is we must have the ability to make the big plays in big games. Finally, the third key is we must win the turnover margin.”

Junior Kam Holloway (5foot-8, 140 pounds) returns as quarterback to lead the Tigers’ Pro-I offensive attack.

Last season, Holloway proved to be a triple threat as a rusher (81 carries for 635 yards with 10 touchdowns), quarterback (completed 32 of 45 passes for 582 yards with seven touchdowns and one interception) and receiver (three receptions for 56 yards).

When Holloway is not under center, junior Braden Sullivan (5-8,160) has experience as the Oak Grove quarterback. Last Continued on next page

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THENEWSSTAR.COM ❚ 2018 ❚ 41

OAK GROVE TIGERS Continued from previous page

year, Sullivan completed 10 of 23 passes for 199 yards.

With the graduation of last year’s leading rusher Donald Gray, senior fullback Wyatt Rawls (5-9, 205) along with Holloway will be counted on to carry the load early in the season.

Rawls was a bruising force last season as he rushed for 1,050 yards on 148 carries (averaged 10.8 yards per carry) with nine touchdowns in his junior year.

One area that Oak Grove excelled last season was utilizing its ball control offense to wear down opposing defenses. An example of this strategy working to perfection occurred in the second game of last season against the Wossman Wildcats.

Oak Grove started a second quarter drive at its 45-yard line as the Tigers put together a 14-play drive that was capped off by Rawls’ 1-yard touchdown run. The drive took up most of the second quarter and exhausted Wossman’s large defensive front which set the tone for Oak Grove’s 26-6 win.

“That drive (the 14-play drive) is kind of our MO,” Gregory said. “We know that we have to keep people off of the field and that is the best way that we could do it with long, time consuming drives.”

Sophomore running back Ladarious Ward (5-9, 165) could develop into a suitable replacement for the graduated Gray as Ward rushed for 419 yards on 32 carries with five touchdowns in his freshman campaign.

Junior Otis Moore (5-9, 157) was Oak Grove’s leading receiver last season with 19 receptions for 368 yards and three touchdowns. Moore,

who will see time at running back, is also a threat rushing the ball as he carried the ball 27 times for 296 yards with five touchdowns.

The other Oak Grove receivers are wide receiver Sullivan, tight end Dalton Allen (6-4, 220), sophomore wide receiver Bud Holloway (5-8, 130) and sophomore wide receiver Deuce Clement (5-11,160).

Up front, the Tigers’ offensive line will count on returning starters in junior offensive guard Nick Sciria (6-1, 270), junior offensive tackle Cole Pennock (6-2, 250) and sophomore offensive guard Kade Klink (5-7, 230) to lead the other two offensive linemen (offensive tackle and center) who will be determined in fall camp.

On defense, Oak Grove will utilize a 3-4-4 defensive scheme to stop opposing offenses.

The Tigers’ defensive line is quite large (averages 6-4 and 296 pounds) and will consist of returning starters in junior defensive tackle Kenean Caldwell (6-3, 293) and senior nose guard Wendell Brown (6-4, 280) while junior defensive tackle Calzarian “Bert” Hale (6-4, 315) will be a newcomer.

Oak Grove returns all four of its linebackers from a season ago in Rawls, Clement, senior Patrick Hagan (6-1,175) and senior David Bruce (5-11, 216).

The Tigers return their entire secondary as defensive back Moore, free safety Ward, senior strong safety Cody Smith (6-0,185) and defensive back Ron Craten (5-7,155) all have much needed experience from a season ago.

On special teams, sophomore kicker James Clack returns for another season while Allen will be a newcomer handling the punter duties.

“Our first key is to stay healthy. Second key is we must have the ability to make the big plays in big games. Finally, the third key is we must win the turnover margin.”

3 KEYS TO SUCCESS 1. Stay healthy: Depth is always an issue, particularly at the Class 1A level.

2. Having the ability to make the big play: The Tigers’ MO has been the long, time-consuming drive. But Oak Grove should be able to break from the script with its big-play ability.

3. Winning the turnover battle: Turnovers can neutralize even the best teams. Oak Grove wants to be on the positive side of turnover margin.

TEAM INFORMATION District: 2-1A Coach: Ryan Gregory 2017 record: 12-2 (7-0) Playoff Streak: 34 seasons Home Field: Tiger Stadium School Phone: (318)428-2308 Tickets: $8 at the gate Radio: KWCL 96.7 FM

2018 SCHEDULE

2017 RESULTS

Aug. 31 ..........................Delhi Charter

Beat Delhi Charter 23-20

Sept. 6 ............................at Wossman Sept. 14 ............................Sterlington

Beat Wossman 26-6 Lost to Sterlington 34-6 Beat Delta Charter 49-8

Sept. 21 ...................at Delta Charter

Beat St. Frederick 42-14

Sept. 28 .........................St. Frederick

Beat Tensas Parish 47-12

Oct. 5 ............................Tensas Parish

Beat Ouachita Christian 16-7

Oct. 12 .................Ouachita Christian

Beat Delhi 55-38

Oct. 19 .....................................at Delhi Oct. 26 .............................Sicily Island Nov. 1 .........................at Cedar Creek

Beat Sicily Island 29-0 Beat Northwood-Lena 48-0 Beat Lincoln Prep 48-20 Beat Basile 34-6 Lost to Kentwood 19-7

Ryan Gregory, Oak Grove coach

42 ❚ 2018 ❚ THE NEWS-START

Randy Gregory wants to take the final step to the MercedesBenz Superdome in 2018. JIMMY TOUCHET/SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-STAR

FOOTBALL

OUACHITA CHRISTIAN EAGLES | SEASON OUTLOOK EAGLES LOOK TO BUILD ON LAST SEASON’S 8-4 RECORD Jimmy Touchet Special to Monroe News-Star USA TODAY NETWORK

Ouachita Christian quarterback Turner Carr is back for his senior season with the Eagles. EMERALD MCINTYRE/THE NEWS-STAR

The Ouachita Christian School Eagles are looking to build upon last season’s 8-4 season that saw OCS advance to the Louisiana High School Athletic Association’s Division IV quarterfinal round of the playoffs.

OCS coach Steven Fitzhugh enters his 21st season at the helm of the Eagles’ football program and he sees three keys for OCS to have a successful 2018 campaign.

“First, we have to win the turnover battle,” Fitzhugh said.

“Secondly, we must stay healthy. Third, we need to put ourselves in position to develop more depth — time for younger players to rise up.”

Staying healthy is something that returning OCS senior quarterback Turner Carr (5foot-11, 210 pounds) looks to accomplish to lead the Eagles’ spread offensive attack.

Last year, Carr began the season as the Eagles’ starting quarterback, but an injury in the fifth week ended Carr’s season and left the Eagles looking for a new quarterback.

Before being injured, Carr completed 58 of 102 passes for 956 yards with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions.

When Carr went down, OCS swapped out three players, who all return this season, at quarterback so the Eagles will have plenty of experience at the position.

The other players who played quarterback in 2017 were Will Fitzugh (45-of-71 for 686 yards with eight touchdowns and four interceptions), Continued on next page

THENEWSSTAR.COM ❚ 2018 ❚ 43

OUACHITA CHRISTIAN EAGLES Continued from previous page

Ty Pankey (13-of-26 for 145 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions) and Connor Mulhearn (17-of-42 for 163-yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions).

With a healthy Carr at quarterback, the OCS backfield will feature junior running back Will Fitzhugh (511,175) and sophomore running back Dillon Dougan (511,185).

Last season, Fitzhugh led OCS in rushing with 164 carries for 1,051 yards with 15 touchdowns while Dougan was second on the team with 423 yards on 42 carries with four touchdowns. Carr had 42 carries for 175 yards with three touchdowns before being injured.

The OCS receiving corps will feature senior wide receiver Gavin Shepard (5-9, 140) pounds) and sophomore wide receiver Eli Extine (5-10, 150).

The Eagles’ offensive line will consist of senior center Nick Wood (6-0, 180), senior offensive tackle Cole Hathaway (5-10, 260), senior offensive guard Grant Mashaw (6-0, 185) and junior offensive guard Garrett Folds (6-0, 215).

Heading into fall camp, OCS will have several position battles up in the air, and Fitzhugh and his coaching staff are looking for someone to rise up and claim a starting role. Those position battles include one of the offensive tackle positions, two defensive linemen positions, one linebacker and two safety positions.

The Eagles will use a 3-3-5 defensive alignment to stop opposing offenses.

Up front, linebacker Ethan Hogan, linebacker Mashaw and junior defensive end Christian Gray will be counted on to anchor the front six of the OCS defense.

In 2017, Hogan was a solid defensive leader with 75 total tackles (34 solo tackles, 41 assists), five tackles for loss and three fumble recoveries while Gray collected 60 total tackles (38 solo tackles, 22 assists), 14 tackles for loss and two blocked punts.

Mashaw added 50 total tackles (30 solo tackles, 20 assists), 11 tackles for loss and one forced fumble last season.

In the OCS secondary, defensive backs Fitzhugh, Shepherd and defensive back Chase Simmons will be called upon to lead the lead Eagles’ secondary.

Last season, Fitzhugh led the team in total tackles with 107 (71 solo tackles, 36 assists) and interceptions with four picks while collecting six tackles for loss, four pass deflections, two forced fumbles, one sack and one fumble recovery which earned Fitzhugh a spot on the 2017 Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s Class 1A All-State football team.

On special teams, returning kicker Andrew Beatty will handle all kicking duties (kickoffs, extra points and field goals) while Gray is returning as the OCS punter.

Shepherd is the Eagles’ holder on extra points and field goals.

Last season, Gray punted 28 times for 956 yards which averages to 34.1 yards per punt with four punts downed inside the 20 while Beatty was 7-of-13 on extra-point kicks.

“First, we have to win the turnover battle.

Secondly, we must stay healthy. Third, we need to put ourselves in position to develop more depth — time for younger players to rise up.”

Steven Fitzhugh, Ouachita Christian coach

44 ❚ 2018 ❚ THE NEWS-START

FOOTBALL

Ouachita Christian running back Will Fitzhugh rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season. EMERALD MCINTYRE/THE NEWS-STAR

Three Keys To Success 1. Win turnover battle: A constant theme for just about any team.

2. Stay healthy: An injury at quarterback midway through last season had the Eagles shuffling players behind center. OCS hopes for better health in 2018.

3. Have more depth: OCS is looking for its young players to rise up and help develop the team's depth.

TEAM INFORMATION District: 2-1A Coach: Steven Fitzhugh (21st Season / Overall Record: 184-69) 2017 record: 8-4 (5-2) Playoff Streak: 15 seasons Home Field: OCS Eagle Field School Phone: (318)325-6000 Tickets: $7 at the gate Radio: The Wolf 92.3 FM

2018 SCHEDULE

2017 RESULTS

Aug. 31 ................................at Arcadia

Beat Arcadia 57-18

Sept. 7 ..............................Sterlington Sept. 14 ........................Delhi Charter

Lost to Sterlington 35-0 Beat Delhi Charter 24-20 Beat Sicily Island 54-28

Sept. 21 ..........................Sicily Island*

Beat Delhi 60-50

Sept. 28 ...................................at Delhi

Lost to Cedar Creek 42-18

Oct. 4 ..............................Cedar Creek

Lost to Oak Grove 16-7

Oct. 12 ...........................at Oak Grove

Beat Tensas Parish 46-24

Oct. 19 ..........................Tensas Parish Oct. 25 .......................at St. Frederick Nov. 2 ............................Delta Charter

Beat St. Frederick 26-16 Beat Delta Charter 47-12 Beat Sacred Heart – Ville Platte 42-23 Lost to Vermilion Catholic 28-21

ST. FREDERICK WARRIORS | SEASON OUTLOOK WARRIORS LOOK TO MAKE NOISE IN POSTSEASON Cory Diaz Monroe News-Star USA TODAY NETWORK

St. Frederick returns six starters on defense in 2018.

NEWS-STAR FILE PHOTO

Andy Robinson didn’t take over a program that was broken.

Sputtering might be a more appropriate word.

After former head football coach Jeff Tannehill led the program to its lone state championship appearance during his first year at the helm in 2013, St. Frederick has collected three winning seasons over the last four seasons, but hasn’t won more than seven games in a season. Perhaps more magnified, the Warriors only have one playoff victory in that stretch.

“I didn’t walk into a program that was broken,” Robinson said.

“There were some really good things in place, really good people. I was just excited to try to build off what we have and try to put my own fingerprints on the program with things we want to do offensively, defensively, on special teams and just as a program. I think there’s a lot of opportunity there. Obviously, we have to stay healthy and execute to give ourselves a chance to have success.”

As the former Ruston High offensive coordinator inches near his first season as a head coach in his 14-year coaching career that includes stops at his alma mater Louisiana Tech and Ouachita Continued on Page 47

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ST. FREDERICK WARRIORS Continued from Page 45

High School, establishing his identity with the St. Fred’s football program has required most of his attention since he became coach back in April.

“It’s been really fast, you have a lot of things to do to put your imprint on the program.

There’s a lot of good people here, a lot of good support.

We’re just trying to adjust things here and there,” Robinson said.

“They’ve had a lot of success here, we want to piggyback off that success and see if we can springboard forward. It hasn’t seemed like it’s been that long, but I feel like we’ve got a lot done to move in the direction we want to move.”

Coming from an offensive background much like Tannehill, Robinson will look to bring his multiple attack that averaged 31 points and scored more than 50 points twice in the LHSAA Class 5A level at Ruston. Defensively, Robinson along with defensive coordinator Billy Bell will look to improve a defense that will be nearly identical to what the Warriors were doing in 2017 and returns six starters.

“Defensively, we’ll be very similar. Offensively, I think some of the plays you’ll see will be similar to things they’ve done here,” said Robinson, who will call plays. “We’re trying to really fit what I want to do to our personnel.

“I’ve played in several different offenses, coached different offenses, so I think the players learning me and me learning the players has been a big deal the last couple of months over the summer, spending some time. Seeing what we can develop to transition to offensively. We want to be able to be multiple on offense, formation and personnel.”

The level of experience on the field and on the sideline is what Robinson believes will help make year one as he learns his new players and they learn him as their head coach at smooth one.

Along with the six back on defense, headlined by rising senior free safety and All-State performer a year ago Ford Sparks, five guys return on offense, highlighted by seniors Ladell Brown and Tyrik McWilliams up front on the offensive line.

Senior Jett Polk is back at running back along with big, 6foot-1, 200-pound wide receiver Pat Johnson, who’ll be a junior this season.

“It’s a senior-heavy team.

They have played a lot of football, had a lot of success. We want to build off that and move forward. We’re excited about what we have,” Robinson said.

“Experience is crucial. We have guys with a ton of experience. We’re going to have to lean on some younger guys to come up and play for us and create depth. I think everybody tries to figure out how to do that. It’s a challenge at this level.”

To construct his first coaching staff, Robinson retained the majority of Tannehill’s staff, while going out and adding Keith Peveto and Bill Ferguson, who combine for more than 70 years of experience coaching.

“As far as experience per capita, we got a lot of guys that have been in a lot of good places and they’re all good coaches.

They’re coaching here because they love coaching the game and love teaching kids football,” Robinson said. “That’s a big deal for me and plus to be able to have those guys here, and some that were already here to stay here.

“They’ve all been head coaches on different levels.

They’re experienced. I come from a coaching family, my dad (Corky Robinson) was a head coach, he was in coaching for 30 years. I also have some mentors, Mike Vallery, John Carr, Jerrod Baugh that I can lean on for information. It’s been a positive to have those kind of people and be able to work with these guys. Believe me, I know I don’t have all the answers but I like working with people to try to figure out the answers.”

St. Frederick will play its first season under new head coach Andy Robinson. MICHELLE TRIPP/THE NEWS-STAR

3 KEYS TO SUCCESS 1. Players buy in: Anytime a new coach comes in and takes over a program, one of the main factors is always how quickly it takes the players to buy in. How fast can the Warriors adhere to firstyear head coach Andy Robinson's game plan?

2. A spark from Sparks: All-State safety Ford Sparks will be relied on heavily for St. Fred's during Robinson's first season. One of the team's more athletic players, the senior can expect his role on the offensive side of the ball to expand in 2018.

3. Develop depth: With guys playing both sides, developing quality depth will be a big key for the Warriors during preseason practice and the first couple of weeks of the season.

TEAM INFORMATION District: 2-1A Coach: Andy Robinson 2016 record: 4-7 Playoff streak: Six seasons Home field: Chip Luffey Field School phone: (318) 323-9636 Tickets: $7 Radio: KBMQ, 88.7 FM

Key Number 3: St. Frederick has something not many high schools have, two legitimate kickers. Gavin Corder and Will Ellender can easily add another, consistent dimension to their team's scoring abilty if offensive drives stall out in range for them to add three points to the scoreboard.

2018 SCHEDULE

2017 RESULTS

Aug. 30 ................D'Arbonne Woods

Beat D'Arbonne Woods 49-6

Sept. 7 ............................at Mangham Sept. 14 .......................at Loyola Prep

Lost to Mangham 36-21 Lost to Loyola Prep 27-14 Beat Tensas 34-0

Sept. 21 ....................................Tensas

Lost to Oak Grove 41-14

Sept. 28 .........................at Oak Grove

Beat Sicily Island 24-22

Oct. 5 ................................Sicily Island

Lost to Cedar Creek 20-17

Oct. 12 ............................Cedar Creek Oct. 19 .....................at Delta Charter Oct. 25 ................Ouachita Christian

Lost to Delta Charter 60-55 Lost to Ouachita Christian 26-16 Beat Delhi 31-6 Lost to St. Edmund 22-7

Nov. 1 .......................................at Delhi

THENEWSSTAR.COM ❚ 2018 ❚ 47

CEDAR CREEK COUGARS | SEASON OUTLOOK COUGARS CONTINUE TRANSITION Cory Diaz Monroe News-Star USA TODAY NETWORK

Transition to change always requires some time. Last year, then Cedar Creek football coach Ben Haddox brought in Charles Scott, a former LSU and NFL football player, to head up the program’s strength and conditioning.

Cougar players have fully responded to the college football caliber regimen that Scott implemented at the one-year mark. But change isn’t over at Cedar Creek and more transition is underway, as Haddox stepped away as football coach back in May and defensive coordinator Shannon Brown was named his replacement. For Scott himself, he’s transitioning to role of offensive coordinator on top of strength and conditioning duties.

At the foundation, Cedar Creek is in the middle of a culture change. And the players have accepted the challenge.

“Anytime you want to be good, you have options,” Scott said. “You have a lot of options, choices every day. If you want to be great, it’s a different story.

You have to work and do it right every single day.

“At this point, we’ve been

Cedar Creek will begin a new era in its football history as Shannon Brown takes over the program as the team’s head coach.

NEWS-STAR FILE PHOTO

Continued on next page

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48 ❚ 2018 ❚ THE NEWS-START

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CEDAR CREEK COUGARS Continued from previous page

preaching to the kids that you got to be up every day, don’t take any days off, any reps off, you have to do it right. That goes back to changing the culture of the program.”

No team “on the planet” worked harder over the offseason, Scott said. Required workouts dictated some of that, but also the Cougars’ double-overtime, 40-34 upset loss to St. Mary’s in the quarterfinals of the LHSAA Division IV playoffs, cutting short their first double-digit win season short at 10-2 since 2007.

“That’s all we’re getting ready for, if we go eight quarters, we need to be ready for that. When you don’t fade, it makes a huge difference. That’s why we focused on getting bigger, stronger, faster so we can sustain and still perform at high level all throughout the game,” Scott said.

After a couple of years of running the triple option, Cedar Creek has made the switch to mostly a pro-style attack, fixated on a run-pass balance. With option aspects still in the mix, the new offense means making sure the team’s best athletes get their hands on the ball.

For Scott in his first season as offensive coordinator, that means having senior Henry Terral orchestrating the new scheme.

“Henry Terral has stepped up at quarterback, he’ll be our number one guy going in. He’s been playing real well, reading coverages, reading the triple option and running the ball,” Scott said.

Terral will operate behind an offensive line, mixed with experience and youth, but mostly new starters. Seniors Tre Pardue and Connor Negrotto have

waited their turn and will start at right tackle and right guard, respectively. Sophomores Caden Lillo and Trace Barnett have assumed the spots on the left side of the line.

“I simplified it a lot. We use a lot of similar terminology from last year, so we won’t have to completely learn new things.

It’ll be different formations, same words,” Scott said of Cedar Creek’s new offense.

Brown will continue to oversee the defense and the Cougars will still base out of a 4-3.

With the entire secondary back and a few impact players like juniors Brody Johnston and Jared Miller back on the defensive line, finding replacements for all three linebackers that graduated had the head coach’s attention.

After the abrupt end to 2017, the coaches knew something needed to change and more focus needed to be put on the team’s physique. Improving there, the coaches felt like would kick start better results.

“They’ll recognize it, it may be a shock to some, maybe even the kids because they don’t know how they’re going to be. I feel like the one thing I do know, we have worked harder than anybody on the planet as far as offseason, running and lifting. No doubt in my mind,” Scott said. “I’m sure there are very few high schools that put in the work that we did. I can say that with confidence because I see them every day.

“Execution-wise that’s something we’re going to have to polish and work on, as far as running plays and executing properly in a game setting.

That’s what we need to work on, we have a long way to go, we’re not there yet, but working every day.”

“At this point, we’ve been preaching to the kids that you got to be up every day, don’t take any days off, any reps off, you have to do it right. That goes back to changing the culture of the program.”

Charles Scott, Cedar Creek offensive coordinator

Cedar Creek will run a 4-3 front this year on defense.

NEWS-STAR FILE PHOTO

3 KEYS TO SUCCESS 1. Passing fancy: After a couple years of running the triple option, Cedar Creek will need to adjust to making plays in the pass game. Wide receivers Chandler Hay, Riley Rasberry, Cole Pike and Jacob Carroll will need to embrace the increased workload.

2. QB will be key: Receivers can’t catch the ball if the quarterback can’t throw it to him. Henry Terral has become the biggest piece to the Cougar’s new offensive puzzle and his performance will be key.

3. Handle pressure: Cedar Creek wasn’t challenged until late last season. Being better equipped to handle pressure situations late in games and late in the season, specifically the postseason, could lead to a deep run.

TEAM INFORMATION District: 2-1A Coach: Shannon Brown 2016 record: 10-2 Playoff streak: Three seasons Home field: Cougar Stadium School phone: (318) 255-7707 Tickets: NA Radio: 97.7 FM

KEY NUMBER 6: It’s been six seasons since someone under than Ben Haddox has headed up the Cougar football program. How the players and coaches translate and find cohesion is paramount.

2018 SCHEDULE

2017 RESULTS

Aug. 31 ........................at Loyola Prep

Beat Loyola Prep 20-15

Sept. 7 .............at D'Arbonne Woods Sept. 21 ........................................Delhi

Beat D'Arbonne Woods 55-6 Beat Arcadia 44-20 Beat Delhi 62-44

Sept. 28 ....................................Tensas

Beat Tensas 63-6

Oct. 4 ..............at Ouachita Christian

Beat Ouachita Christian 42-18

Oct. 12 .......................at St. Frederick

Beat St. Frederick 20-17

Oct. 19 .........................at Sicily Island Oct. 26 ..........................Delta Charter Nov. 1 ..................................Oak Grove

Beat Sicily Island 54-12 Beat Delta Charter 38-6 Lost to Oak Grove 42-0 Beat Hanson Memorial 42-0 Lost to St. Mary's 40-34 (2OT)

THENEWSSTAR.COM ❚ 2018 ❚ 49

MANGHAM DRAGONS | SEASON OUTLOOK

Mangham looks to improve on its 7-4 record from last season. NEWS-STAR FILE PHOTO

50 ❚ 2018 ❚ THE NEWS-START

FOOTBALL

MANGHAM DRAGONS

YOUNG DRAGONS ARE READY TO CONQUER GROWING PAINS Adam Hunsucker Monroe News-Star USA TODAY NETWORK

Was playing a murder’s row of seven straight road games last year worth it to have a similar stretch at home this season?

Mangham coach Tommy Tharp isn’t sure.

“I don’t know,” Tharp said.

“I’m worried how the field is going to hold up, but at least we aren’t riding the ‘yellow dog’ all over creation.”

Tharp was the Football Moses of 2017, leading Mangham all over the state while Lobrano Field underwent the first stage of a multimillion-dollar facelift.

The exodus wasn’t felt in the win-loss column, where the Dragons started 5-0 and made the Class 2A playoffs.

Mangham has another talented group. The problem is sophomores comprise the bulk of the roster.

“This is the youngest bunch we’ve had since I’ve been here,” said Tharp, now in his 10th season at Mangham.

“It’s a double-edged sword.

They’re going to be good football players, but it’s the growing process of getting them there.”

The bulk of Mangham’s upperclassmen experience is on the offensive line with seniors Bradley Cleary and Hayden Hudson. Junior Adam Eley returns as the designated quarterback, a term used loosely in Mangham’s hybrid singlewing/spread “Dragon Wing” offense that utilizes multiple ball carriers.

Eley and sophomore run-

ning backs Kaleb “Tutu” Pleasant and Josh Uchtmann will all take direct snaps behind center.

Sophomore Joe Williams, the younger brother of former Mangham standout Kemme Weeks, can play running back and wing back.

Tharp steps in as the offensive coordinator and play-caller this season.

“It’s fun because the kids are so eager to learn and get thrown out there,” Tharp said. “They’re going to make mistakes like all sophomore do, but we can live with that if we’re getting their best effort.”

Eley will also pull doubleduty at linebacker in longtime defensive coordinator Scott Wilcher’s preferred four man, under front.

“He’s physically and mentally capable of doing what we’re throwing at him, which is good because we’re going to need it,” Tharp said.

In addition to Eley, Mangham is counting on multiple Dragons — big and small —to play both ways this year.

“It’s probably more than we’ve had in the past,” Tharp said. “Our skill people have always gone both ways but we’ve got some big kids doing it now, which is new for us.”

Despite the youth movement, Mangham’s expectations haven’t changed.

“I’ve learned a little optimism goes a long way,” Tharp said.

“Our goal is to win every game. The kids don’t know any different and I’m not going to tell them any different.”

The bulk of Mangham’s experience in 2018 returns along the offensive line. NEWS-STAR FILE PHOTO

3 KEYS TO SUCCESS 1. Line veterans: Senior linemen Bradley Cleary and Hayden Hudson are two of the most experienced players on the roster. Both will be instrumental on both sides of the ball.

2. Versatile QB: Adam Eley became Mangham's first designated quarterback since Ridge Heisler last season. The junior returns at the controls of the "Dragon Wing" and will also see time at linebacker.

3. Super Sophs: The Dragons are counting on sophomores Kaleb “Tutu” Pleasant, Josh Uchtmann and Joe Williams to fill a variety of roles from running back, wing back, split end and occasional quarterback.

TEAM INFORMATION District: 2-2A Coach: Tommy Tharp (10th season) 2017 record: 7-4 Playoff streak: 21 years Home field: Lobrano Field School phone: (318) 348-2485 Tickets: $7

KEY NUMBER 7: Mangham opens with seven straight home games.

2018 SCHEDULE

2017 RESULTS

Aug. 31 .........................................Delhi

Beat Delhi 33-6

Sept. 7 ............................St. Frederick Sept. 14 ................................Pickering

Beat St. Frederick 36-21 Beat Pickering 34-13 Beat Delhi Charter 23-14

Sept. 21 ........................Delhi Charter

Beat Beekman Charter 34-12

Sept. 28 ................Beekman Charter

Lost to Rayville 34-24

Oct. 5 .......................................Rayville

Beat General Trass 41-6

“It’s a double-edged sword. They’re going to be good football players, but it’s the growing process of getting them there.”

Oct. 12 ..........................General Trass

Tommy Tharp, Mangham coach

Nov. 2 .....................................Varnado

Oct. 19 ...............................at Ferriday Oct. 26 ......................................Vidalia

Lost to Ferriday 48-0 Beat Vidalia 21-7 Lost to Varnado 22-0 Lost to Lake Arthur 27-21

THENEWSSTAR.COM ❚ 2018 ❚ 51

RIVER OAKS MUSTANGS | SEASON OUTLOOK

River Oaks junior quarterback Drake Tannehill (7) returns to lead the Mustangs' offense

52 ❚ 2018 ❚ THE NEWS-START

FOOTBALL

RIVER OAKS MUSTANGS

JUNIOR QB TANNEHILL WILL LEAD MUSTANGS Jimmy Touchet Special to Monroe News-Star USA TODAY NETWORK

After an uncharacteristic absence from the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools playoffs, the River Oaks Mustangs rebounded in 2017 to claim the MAIS District 5-AA championship and a return trip to the postseason with a 5-6 overall record and 2-0 district record.

Unfortunately for River Oaks it had to face a team it defeated earlier in the season in Prairie View The 2018 River Oaks Mustangs are looking to make the next step and improve on last season’s turnaround “I look for this to be a very competitive football team,” River Oaks coach Robert Hannah said. “We will play hard and work hard to be successful.

We must stop big plays on defense and have fewer turnovers on offense to make this season a success.”

The Mustangs’ Pro-I offense will be led by quarterback Drake Tannehill (5-foot-9, 155 pounds), who returns for his junior season.

The Mustangs' stable of running backs went through good times, tough times and good times last season which will hopefully pay dividends this season.

Last year, running back Cory Tindall started his junior campaign red hot with 24 carries for 329 yards and five touchdowns, but Tindall went down with a season-ending injury in week four that brought running back Tyler Avery to the forefront.

After Tindall went down, Avery rose to the challenge as he racked up 909 yards on 150 carries and scored 10 touchdowns in 2017.

Tindall’s injury enabled Avery to make more carries and gain valuable experience.

A proven River Oaks back-

field that will see seniors Avery (5-8, 200) and Tindall (5-8, 155) rush the ball with their own unique style will make for a good one-two punch for the Mustangs offense.

When River Oaks is not rushing the ball, Tannehill will have plenty of experienced receivers to throw to, as the Mustangs return all three receivers from a year ago. The River Oaks receiving corps will feature senior tight end John Ethan Hughes (6-1, 225), senior wide receiver Bradley Black (5-9,155) and senior wide receiver Brandon Dorsey (6-1, 175).

The River Oaks offensive line consists of senior offensive tackle Austin Allred (6-4, 195) and junior guard Samuel Alexander (6-0, 240 pounds), sophomore center Hunter Ashbrook (5-10, 160), senior right guard Alec Keomalithong (5-11, 253) and junior left tackle John David Roberson (5-7,160). Allred, Roberson and Keomalithong are all returning starters from last season.

With a roster that has less than 30 players, Hannah and his staff will look to many of the Mustangs to play “Iron Man” football and play on both sides of the ball.

On defense, River Oaks will utilize a 3-4 defensive alignment to stop opposing offenses.

The River Oaks’ front seven will feature junior defensive end Alexander, senior nose guard Keomalithong and senior defensive end Avery, senior linebacker Rico Gonzalez (6-2, 220), senior linebacker John Ethan Hughes (5-11, 235), sophomore linebacker Ousman Amadou-Ide (6-0, 175) and sophomore linebacker Kael Skipper (5-8, 178).

Gonzalez is the leader of the Mustang defensive as the senior returns after his junior season which saw him lead River Oaks’ defense in tackles with 97 total tackles last season.

Running back Cody Tindall (15) returns after a season- ending injury in 2017. JIMMY TOUCHET/SPECIAL TO THE NEWS STAR

3 KEYS TO SUCCESS 1. Stay Healthy: The Mustangs' depth at running back was challenged last season by an injury to RB Cory Tindall. River Oaks looks for better health in 2018.

2. Improve each week: Mustangs want to be peaking at the right time.

3. Less turnovers on offense and limit big plays on defense: Turnovers and explosive plays allowed can be huge factors in outcomes of games.

TEAM INFORMATION District: MAIS 5-AA Coach: Robert Hannah (33rd Season) 2017 record: 5-6 (2-0) Playoff Streak: 1 Season Home Field: Robert Hannah Field at Woody Boyles’ Memorial Stadium School Phone: (318) 343-4185 Tickets: $8 at the gate Radio: KMLB 105.7 FM and KMLB 540 AM

2018 SCHEDULE

2017 RESULTS

Aug. 17 ......................Union Christian

Beat Claiborne 34-0

Aug. 24 ........................at East Rankin Aug. 31 ............................at Riverfield

Lost to East Rankin 55-28 Lost to Riverfield 34-0 Lost to Copiah 14-6

Sept. 7 .................................at Copiah

Beat Union Christian 20-6

Sept. 14 .........................at St. Joseph

Beat Deer Creek 33-0

Sept. 21 ............................Deer Creek

Lost to St. Joseph 44-14

Sept. 28 .....................Porters Chapel

Lost to Tri-County 21-6

Oct. 5 .................................Tri-County Oct. 12 ...............................Open Date

Beat Prairie View 28-18 Beat Glenbrook 42-0 Lost to Prairie View 28-20

Oct. 19 ...........................at Glenbrook

THENEWSSTAR.COM ❚ 2018 ❚ 53

RIVERFIELD RAIDERS | SEASON OUTLOOK

Riverfield coach Boyd Cole led the Raiders to a 10-2 season last year.

JIMMY TOUCHET/SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-STAR

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54 ❚ 2018 ❚ THE NEWS-START

FOOTBALL

RIVERFIELD RAIDERS

RAIDERS READY TO BUILD ON 2017 DISTRICT TITLE Jimmy Touchet Special to Monroe News-Star USA TODAY NETWORK

The Riverfield Raiders are looking to build upon last year’s Mississippi Association of Independent Schools District 3-AAA championship and second round playoff qualifying team.

The 2017 Riverfield Raiders put together a great turnaround season, going from 2-8 in 2016 to 10-2 with a MAIS District 3-AAA championship in 2017.

Riverfield coach Boyd Cole enters his fifth season at the helm of the Raiders football program. Under Cole’s guidance, the Raiders have put together a 29-15 record with three district titles and have advanced to the MAIS playoffs three of the past four seasons.

Looking at the 2018 season, Cole sees three keys to a successful run for the Raiders.

“First, we must be able to run the ball,” Cole said. “Second, we must be able to force people to throw. Lastly, our kicking game must improve on kick-offs and extra points.”

The Raiders’ split-back veer offense will see some tweaking as Riverfield looks to the upcoming season.

Last season’s dual-threat junior quarterback Garrett Brakefield (5-foot-8, 140 pounds) will make a transition from quarterback to running back this year while junior Braxton Shelton takes over the reins of the offense as the Raiders’ quarterback.

Last season, Brakefield passed for 545 yards with seven touchdowns and four interceptions while rushing for 500 yards with eight rushing touchdowns. Joining Brakefield and Shelton in the Riverfield offensive backfield will be junior running back Nicholas Heath (5-10, 155).

Senior wide receiver Thomas King (6-1, 158), sophomore wide receiver Ty Skeldon (5-11), wide receiver Kayden Giesbrecht and junior tight end Jackson Shelton (510, 170) will attempt to stretch the field at the receiver positions.

The Riverfield offensive line starters are senior tackle Peyton Raborn (6-foot-6, 245), sophomore tackle Samuel Hoychick (5-10, 205), junior guard Noah Greer, guard Reed Wilson and senior center Cody Clark (6-1, 280).

Clark, Greer and Hoyschick are all returning starters on the offensive line while Raborn is considered a college prospect. Clack is a returning All-District 3-AAA first teamer from last season.

On defense, Riverfield will implore a 4-3-4 defensive alignment to contain opposing offenses.

Up front, the Raiders’ defensive line will consist of senior tackle Clark, end Raborn and tackle Hayden Wisenor and junior end Chase Miller (6-0, 197).

The Raiders’ linebacker corps will be led by a returning starter in junior outside linebacker Jackson Shelton (5-10, 170), who had 91 tackles with five fumble recoveries last season.

Sophomore Hudson Brakefield and Bailyn Sorensen will join Shelton in the Riverfield linebacker corps.

The Raiders’ defensive secondary will include junior free safety Garrett Brakefield, defensive back Skeldon, junior defensive back Alex Allen and defensive back Cameron Williams.

The Riverfield special teams unit will have Thomas King handling the kicking duties while Braxton Shelton will be the holder and Bailyn Sorensen will be the Raiders’ long snapper.

Riverfield Academy looks to build on a playoff season from a year ago. NEWS-STAR FILE PHOTO

3 KEYS TO SUCCESS 1. Must be able to run the ball: Garrett Brakefield moves from QB to RB after rushing for 500 yards last season.

2. Need to be able to force people to throw: The Raiders will gladly take their chances with an experienced secondary.

3. Kicking game needs to improve: Cole wants to see improvement on kickoffs and his team's field goals and extra points.

TEAM INFORMATION District: MAIS 3-3A Coach: Boyd Cole (5th Season / Overall Record: 37-27, Riverfield Coaching Record: 29-15) 2017 record: 10-2 (4-0) Playoff Streak: 1 Season Home Field: Joe Meeks Field School Phone: (318)728-3281 Tickets: $8 at the gate Radio: None

2018 SCHEDULE

2017 RESULTS

Aug. 17 ................at Bayou Academy

Lost to Bayou Academy 28-20

Aug. 24 ...at Porter’s Chapel Academy

Beat Porter’s Chapel Ac. 39-21

Aug. 31 ...............................River Oaks Sept. 7 ..................Hillcrest Christian

Beat River Oaks 34-0 Beat Hillcrest Christian 55-12 Bear Prairie View Ac. 34-18

Sept. 14 .........................at Glenbrook

Beat Cen. Hinds Academy 12-3

Sept. 21 ........................Central Hinds

Beat Park Place Christian Academy 38-21

Sept. 28 ............Park Place Christian Oct. 5 ........................Leake Academy Oct. 12 ...............................Open Date Oct. 19 .........................at St. Aloysius

Beat Glenbrook School 42-7 Beat Claiborne Academy 51-14 Beat St. Aloysius 30-25 Beat Silliman Institute 42-8 Lost to Columbia Academy 38-26

THENEWSSTAR.COM ❚ 2018 ❚ 55

DISTRICT PREVIEWS Jimmy Watson USA Today Network

There’s always hope heading into a new season and this group of teams certainly hopes to find something tangible to hang their hats on when the 2018 season kicks off Aug. 31.

Although several of these teams advanced to either the LHSAA Class 1A or 2A state playoffs last season, none of them finished with a winning record and Lincoln Prep was the only team to win a playoff game.

D’Arbonne Woods Timberwolves The Timberwolves will be directed by their third head coach in as many seasons, after 2017 head coach David Feaster and executive director Heath Murray parted ways.

Taking over for Feaster this fall will be Chris Robinson, according to a spokesperson at the school. The Timberwolves have finished 1-9 (2016) and 1-8 (2017) in successive seasons.

“We are young but experienced. We had a tuff go in 2017 but look to be a tough out for many of our opponents this fall,” Robinson said. “We have a good quarterback that can throw the ball well and a good defensive backfield. We will hopefully surprise a few opponents this upcoming season.”

Delhi Charter Gators The move up from 1A to 2A last season proved too much for the Gators, who had advanced to the 1A quarterfinals the previous season.

Delhi finished 4-6 overall, 3-4 in District 2-2A, losing to fellow newcomers Ferriday, Mangham and Rayville. The Charter school made the LHSAA 2A playoffs but was ousted in the first round by Rayville 50-22.

Continued on next page

56 ❚ 2018 ❚ THE NEWS-START

Delhi Charter looks to improve on 4-6 season JEANETTE ROBINSON/THE NEWS-STAR

FOOTBALL

DISTRICT PREVIEWS Continued from previous page

Delhi Bears A season that started with five consecutive losses smoothed out a bit for the Bears in the second half of 2017 with three victories in their last five tries to finish 3-7 overall in the regular season.

They advanced to the LHSAA Class 1A state playoffs only to lose to East Iberville (46-38) in the first round.

Lincoln Prep Panthers An up-and-down season by the Panthers may not have defined coach Glen Hall’s club, but it made the season interesting for the fans. Lincoln went 4-6 during the regular season, but advanced to the LHSAA Class 1A state playoffs where the Panthers promptly dispatched Delta Charter 46-19 in one of their best games of the season. It ended the following week with a 48-20 loss to No. 2-seeded Oak Grove.

Sicily Island Tigers After tripling their win totals from 2016 to 2017, the Tigers have some momentum heading into fall.

Coach Donald Money should have enough talent to make a decent run at the District 2-1A title.

Sicily Island closed the 2017 regular season with a 50-6 victory over Tensas to go 3-7 for the effort.

That victory didn’t look as good, however, after falling 44-6 to Elton in the state playoffs.

Beekman Charter Tigers

Sicily Island wants to build off late season momentum. JEANETTE ROBINSON/THE NEWS-STAR

The best thing about Beekman’s 2017 campaign was an open date on Oct. 13.

That was the only week during the regular season when the Tigers didn’t lose a game.

Scoring in double figures just twice, Beekman was shut out three times and held to a single touchdown in its four additional games to go 0-9.

THENEWSSTAR.COM ❚ 2018 ❚ 57

2018 SCHEDULES District 2-5A Alexandria Aug. 31 Ferriday Sept. 7 at Benton Sept. 14 at Peabody Sept. 21 Red River Sept. 28 Jena Oct. 5 Natchitoches Central Oct. 12 at West Monroe Oct. 19 Ruston Oct. 26 at Pineville Nov. 1 Ouachita Natchitoches Central Aug. 31 North DeSoto Sept. 7 at Green Oaks Sept. 14 Southwood Sept. 21 at DeRidder Sept. 28 Breaux Bridge Oct. 5 at Alexandria Oct. 12 Pineville Oct. 19 Ouachita Oct. 26 at Ruston Nov. 2 at West Monroe Ouachita Aug. 31 Richwood Sept. 7 at Sulphur Sept. 14 at Neville Sept. 21 Carencro Sept. 28 at Plaquemine Oct. 5 Pineville Oct. 12 Ruston Oct. 19 at Natchitoches Central Oct. 26 West Monroe Nov. 1 at Alexandria Pineville Aug. 31 at Southwood Sept. 2 Peabody Sept. 14 at West Ouachita Sept. 28 at Leesville Oct. 5 at Ouachita Oct. 12 at Natchitoches Central Oct. 19 at West Monroe Oct. 26 Alexandria Nov. 2 Ruston Ruston Aug. 31 Neville Sept. 7 Acadiana Sept. 14 at Airline Sept. 21 Longview (Texas) Sept. 28 at West Ouachita Oct. 5 West Monroe Oct. 12 at Ouachita Oct. 19 at Alexandria Oct. 26 Natchitoches Central Nov. 2 at Pineville

58 ❚ 2018 ❚ THE NEWS-START

The Neville Tigers look to make another deep run in the Class 4A playoffs this season. NEWS-STAR FILE PHOTO

FOOTBALL

2018 SCHEDULES

The Sterlington Panthers are trying to get back to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome this season. EMERALD MCINTYRE/THE NEWS-STAR

West Monroe Aug. 31 John Ehret Sept. 7 McGill-Toolen (Mobile, Alabama)* Sept. 14 Wossman Sept. 21 Noxubee County Sept. 26 Neville Oct. 5 at Ruston Oct. 12 Alexandria Oct. 19 Pineville Oct. 26 at Ouachita Nov. 2 Natchitoches Central *Shreveport

District 2-4A Bastrop Aug. 31 George Washington Carver Sept. 7 at Airline Sept. 14 at Calvary Baptist Sept. 21 Richwood Sept. 28 Holy Savior Menard Oct. 5 at Brother Martin Oct. 19 Franklin Parish Oct. 26 at West Ouachita Nov. 1 at Neville

Franklin Parish Aug. 31 Rayville Sept. 7 Ferriday Sept. 14 at Richwood Sept. 21 at Union Parish Sept. 28 at Kentwood Oct. 5 Haughton Oct. 12 Green Oaks Oct. 19 at Bastrop Oct. 26 Neville Nov. 2 West Ouachita Neville Aug. 31 at Ruston Sept. 7 Warren Central Sept. 14 Ouachita Sept. 21 at Carroll Sept. 28 at West Monroe Oct. 12 Franklinton Oct. 19 West Ouachita Oct. 26 at Franklin Parish Nov. 1 Bastrop West Ouachita Aug. 31 at Sterlington Sept. 7 Loyola Sept. 14 Pineville Sept. 21 at North Webster Sept. 28 Ruston

Oct. 4 DeRidder Oct. 12 at Buckeye Oct. 19 at Neville Oct. 26 Bastrop Nov. 4 at Franklin Parish

District 2-3A Carroll Aug. 30 at Woodlawn-Shreveport Sept. 6 Mansfield Sept. 14 Lincoln Preparatory Sept. 21 Neville Sept. 28 at Many Oct. 5 Sterlington Oct. 11 at Richwood Oct. 19 at Union Parish Oct. 26 Wossman Nov. 2 at Madison Madison Aug. 31 at Bossier Sept. 7 at Delhi Charter Sept. 21 General Trass Sept. 28 at Metairie Park Country Day Oct. 5 at Wossman

Oct. 12 Union Parish Oct. 19 Sterlington Oct. 26 at Richwood Nov. 2 Carroll Richwood Aug. 31 at Ouachita Sept. 7 Northwood-Shreveport Sept. 14 Franklin Parish Sept. 21 at Bastrop Sept. 28 at Red River Oct. 5 at Union Parish Oct. 11 Carroll Oct. 19 at Wossman Oct. 26 Madison Nov. 1 at Sterlington Sterlington Aug. 31 West Ouachita Sept. 7 at OCS Sept. 14 at Oak Grove Sept. 21 Loyola Prep-Shreveport Sept. 28 Calvary Baptist Oct. 5 at Carroll Oct. 12 Wossman Oct. 19 at Madison Oct. 26 at Union Parish Nov. 1 Richwood

THENEWSSTAR.COM ❚ 2018 ❚ 59

2018 SCHEDULES

The West Ouachita Chiefs look to rebound in the 2018 season. NEWS-STAR FILE PHOTO

Union Parish Aug. 31 Airline Sept. 7 at Calvary Sept. 14 at Rayville Sept. 21 at Many Sept. 28 Franklin Parish Oct. 5 Richwood Oct. 12 at Madison Oct. 19 Carroll Oct. 26 Sterlington Nov. 2 at Wossman Wossman Aug. 31 Benton Sept. 6 Oak Grove Sept. 14 at West Monroe Sept. 21 at St. James Sept. 28 Peabody Oct. 5 Madison Oct. 12 at Sterlington Oct. 19 Richwood

60 ❚ 2018 ❚ THE NEWS-START

Oct. 26 at Carroll Nov. 2 Union Parish

District 1-2A D’Arbonne Woods Aug. 31 at St. Frederick Sept. 7 Cedar Creek Sept. 20 at Lincoln Prep Sept. 28 at Delhi Charter Oct. 5 at Mansfield Oct. 11 North Caddo Oct. 19 at Calvary Baptist Oct. 26 Lakeside Nov. 2 Northwood-Lena

District 2-2A Beekman Charter Aug. 31 LaSalle Sept. 7 Homer

FOOTBALL

Sept. 14 at Lakeside Sept. 21 Vidalia Sept. 28 at Mangham Oct. 5 Delhi Charter Oct. 12 at Slaughter Community Center Oct. 19 at Rayville Oct. 26 General Trass Nov. 2 at Ferriday Delhi Charter Aug. 31 at Oak Grove Sept. 7 Madison Sept. 14 at Ouachita Christian Sept. 21 at Mangham Sept. 28 D’Arbonne Woods Oct. 5 at Beekman Charter Oct. 11 Rayville Oct. 19 at General Trass Oct. 26 Ferriday Nov. 2 at Vidalia

Ferriday Aug. 31 at Alexandria Sept. 7 at Franklin Parish Sept. 21 at Rayville Sept. 28 General Trass Oct. 5 at Denham Springs Oct. 19 Mangham Oct. 26 at Delhi Charter Nov. 2 Beekman Charter General Trass Aug. 31 Caldwell Parish Sept. 7 at Tensas Sept. 14 at Delta Charter Sept. 21 at Madison Sept. 28 at Ferriday Oct. 5 Vidalia Oct. 12 at Mangham Oct. 19 Delhi Charter Oct. 26 at Beekman Charter Nov. 1 Rayville

2018 SCHEDULES Mangham Aug. 31 Delhi Sept. 7 St. Frederick Sept. 14 Pickering Sept. 21 Delhi Charter Sept. 28 Beekman Charter Oct. 5 Rayville Oct. 12 General Trass Oct. 19 at Ferriday Oct. 26 Vidalia Nov. 2 Varnado Rayville Aug. 31 at Franklin Parish Sept. 7 at Jena Sept. 14 Union Parish Sept. 21 Ferriday Sept. 28 at Vidalia Oct. 5 at Mangham Oct. 11 at Delhi Charter Oct. 19 Beekman Charter Oct. 26 Loyola Prep Nov. 1 at General Trass Vidalia Aug. 31 Sicily Island Sept. 14 at Homer Sept. 21 at Beekman Charter Sept. 28 Rayville Oct. 5 at General Trass Oct. 26 at Mangham Nov. 2 Delhi Charter

District 1-1A Arcadia Aug. 31 Ouachita Christian Sept. 7 at Red River Sept. 21 at Homer Sept. 28 Haynesville Oct. 5 at Ringgold Oct. 12 Plain Dealing Oct. 19 Jonesboro-Hodge Oct. 26 at Block Nov. 2 at Lincoln Prep Jonesboro-Hodge Aug. 31 Logansport Sept. 7 Tioga Sept. 14 at Winnfield Sept. 21 at Haynesville Sept. 28 Lincoln Prep Oct. 5 at Plain Dealing Oct. 12 Homer Oct. 19 at Arcadia Oct. 26 Ringgold Nov. 2 Green Oaks Lincoln Prep Aug. 31 at Red River Sept. 7 Delta Charter Sept. 14 at Carroll Sept. 20 D’Arbonne Woods Sept. 28 at Jonesboro-Hodge Oct. 5 at Homer Oct. 12 Haynesville

West Monroe’s Cameron Wright runs against Central in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs.

NEWS-STAR FILE PHOTO

Oct. 19 at Ringgold Oct. 26 Plain Dealing Nov. 2 Arcadia Ringgold Aug. 31 at Lakeside Sept. 7 at Northwood-Lena Sept. 14 Tensas Sept. 21 at Plain Dealing Sept. 28 Homer Oct. 5 Arcadia Oct. 12 at Mansfield Oct. 19 Lincoln Prep Oct. 26 at Jonesboro-Hodge Nov. 2 at Haynesville

District 2-A Cedar Creek Aug. 31 at Loyola Prep Sept. 7 at D'Arbonne Woods Sept. 21 Delhi Sept. 28 Tensas Oct. 4 at Ouachita Christian Oct. 12 at St. Frederick Oct. 19 at Sicily Island Oct. 26 Delta Charter Nov. 1 Oak Grove Delhi Aug. 31 at Mangham Sept. 28 Ouachita Christian Oct. 12 at Sicily Island Oct. 19 Oak Grove Oct. 26 at Tensas

Nov. 1 St. Frederick Delta Charter Aug. 31 at Homer Sept. 7 at Lincoln Prep Sept. 14 General Trass Sept. 21 Oak Grove Sept. 28 at Sicily Island Oct. 12 at Tensas Oct. 19 St. Frederick Nov. 2 at Ouachita Christian Oak Grove Aug. 31 Delhi Charter Sept. 6 at Wossman Sept. 14 Sterlington Sept. 21 at Delta Charter Sept. 28 St. Frederick Oct. 5 Tensas Parish Oct. 12 Ouachita Christian Oct. 19 at Delhi Oct. 26 Sicily Island Nov. 1 at Cedar Creek Ouachita Christian Aug. 31 at Arcadia Sept. 7 Sterlington Sept. 14 Delhi Charter Sept. 21 Sicily Island Sept. 28 at Delhi Oct. 4 Cedar Creek Oct. 12 at Oak Grove Oct. 19 Tensas Parish Oct. 25 at St. Frederick Nov. 2 Delta Charter

Sicily Island Aug. 31 at Vidalia Sept. 7 Block Sept. 14 at LaSalle Sept. 21 at Ouachita Christian Sept. 28 Delta Charter Oct. 5 at St. Frederick Oct. 12 Delhi Oct. 19 Cedar Creek Oct. 26 at Oak Grove Nov. 2 Tensas St. Frederick Aug. 30 D'Arbonne Woods Sept. 7 at Mangham Sept. 14 at Loyola Prep Sept. 21 Tensas Sept. 28 at Oak Grove Oct. 5 Sicily Island Oct. 12 Cedar Creek Oct. 19 at Delta Charter Oct. 25 Ouachita Christian Nov. 1 at Delhi Tensas Aug. 30 at Plain Dealing Sept. 7 General Trass Sept. 14 at Ringgold Sept. 21 at St. Frederick Sept. 28 at Cedar Creek Oct. 5 at Oak Grove Oct. 12 Delta Charter Oct. 19 at Ouachita Christian Oct. 26 Delhi Nov. 2 at Sicily Island

THENEWSSTAR.COM ❚ 2018 ❚ 61

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2018

Louisiana Tech’s Jaylon Ferguson USA TODAY SPORTS

ULM’s Marcus Green USA TODAY SPORTS

Grambling’s Darius Chrstmas FILE PHOTO

LSU’s Devin White USA TODAY SPORTS

62 ❚ 2018 ❚ THE NEWS-START

FOOTBALL

ULM WARHAWKS | SEASON OUTLOOK Adam Hunsucker Monroe News-Star USA TODAY NETWORK

Matt Viator’s first Sun Belt Media Day experience is now a laughter-inducing topic.

It wasn’t two years ago, when ULM was the unanimous choice for dead last in the preseason coaches poll. The sentiments of his colleagues compelled Viator to calculate the votes himself between interview sessions inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

“I figured it up and we didn’t even get a vote to finish second-to-last,” Viator said. “I guess we’ve made a little progress since then.”

The rest of the Sun Belt’s football fraternity thinks so.

ULM was picked to finish second in the Sun Belt West in the 2018 preseason poll, behind only perennial contender Arkansas State. Expectations are high entering Viator’s third year, where a winning season and bowl game are realistic possibilities for the Warhawks.

“All the hype has been very motivating,” senior wide receiver Marcus Green said.

“We’ve had more player-led practices and workouts this offseason than we’ve had since I’ve been here and everyone has bought in.”

Upperclassmen, once a scarce commodity, now litter the roster. ULM will take the field in the fall with 19 seniors, easily the largest number of Viator’s tenure.

“I’ve always told the older players that the new guys are going to listen to the coaches, but they watch them,” Viator said.

“If what the veterans do doesn’t match what the coaches say, you’re going to have problems.

“We’re fortunate that with this senior class, and an equal number of juniors, that they understand what we’re trying to do and they trust it.”

ULM’s new role as conference contender was forged on the strength of an explosive offense that averaged 34 points and 458 yards of total offense per game. Nine starters and 80 percent of the overall production return — none more important than junior quarterback Caleb Evans.

Evans authored one of the most productive seasons by a ULM signal-caller last season in offensive coordinator Matt Kubik’s spread scheme. His 3,451 all-purpose yards were the second-highest total in a single season and his 2,878 yards ranked sixth all-time in a single season.

Green’s four kickoff returns for touchdowns led the nation and made him ULM’s first All-American since 1998. The War-

ULM's Matt Viator (pictured) has the Warhawks poised to contend in 2018.

JEANETTE ROBINSON/ULM PHOTO SERVICES

hawks spent the offseason looking for ways to expand his team-leading 54 catches for 812 yards and five touchdowns.

Junior R.J. Turner caught 38 passes for 693 yards and a team-best six receiving touchdowns.

Senior Derrick Gore led ULM with 585 yards rushing in his first season with the program. Evans set the pace with 13 rushing touchdowns.

“There are a lot of areas where we can get better,” Viator said. “I didn’t think we did a great job of finishing drives at times and we weren’t a very good short yardage team.

“I do think we have a chance to be more physical with four offensive linemen coming back. That doesn’t mean we want to throw it less but it should help us close out games.”

The biggest question mark at ULM is on defense. A unit decimated by injuries allowed 41 points and 232 yards rushing on average.

The Warhawks gave up 30 points or more 10 times and were 3-4 in games decided by 10 points or less.

“We feel like we have something to prove,” senior linebacker David Griffith said. “Nobody was happy with how we played as a unit. We have the players, but when you aren’t playing together, things break down and that was a problem.”

ULM AT A GLANCE Coach: Matt Viator Career mark: 8-16, two seasons (86-49 overall, 12 seasons) 2017 record: 4-8 ( 4-4 Sun Belt Conference) Home field: JPS Field at Malone Stadium Phone: (318) 342-5417 Radio: KJLO 104.1 FM

2018 SCHEDULE Aug. 3 SE Louisiana, 7 p.m. (ESPN+) Sept. 8 at So. Miss, 6 p.m. (ESPN3) Sept. 15 at Texas A&M, 6:30 p.m. (SEC Net.) Sept. 22 Troy, 6 p.m.

Sept. 29 at Georgia State, TBA Oct. 6 at Ole Miss, TBA Oct. 13 at Coastal Carolina, TBA Oct. 20 Texas State, 6 p.m.

Nov. 3 Georgia Southern, 2 p.m.

No. 10 at South Alabama, TBA Nov. 17 at Arkansas State, TBA Nov. 24 UL Lafayette, 2 p.m.

THENEWSSTAR.COM ❚ 2018 ❚ 63

FIVE STORYLINES FOR ULM Adam Hunsucker Columnist USA TODAY NETWORK

1. Bring on the points ULM has its leading passer, top rusher and two most productive receivers back. In total, 81 percent of the production from the Sun Belt’s secondranked offense returns this fall.

Junior Caleb Evans’ 3,451 all-purpose yards and 30 total touchdowns as a sophomore was second only to Kolton Browning in program history.

Senior Marcus Green (54 catches, 812 yards, five touchdowns), junior R.J. Turner (38 catches, 693 yards, six touchdowns) and senior Xavier Brown (21 catches, 228 yards, two touchdowns) give ULM maybe the deepest and most talented group of wide receivers in the Sun Belt. Alabama transfer Derrick Gore led the Warhawks in rushing with 585 yards and ran for six touchdowns.

Offensive coordinator Matt Kubik has a plethora of talent at his disposal. Throw in four returning starters on the offensive line, and ULM has the potential to equal, or surpass, its 34-point per game output last season.

2. Stay healthy on defense

ULM Warhawks quarterback Caleb Evans (6) looks to throw the ball during the second half of the game against the Florida State Seminoles. MELINA VASTOLA/USA TODAY SPORTS

Hubbard and Rhoy Williams back to cornerback alongside the hometown tandem of Kenderick Marbles and Corey Straughter. JUCO safeties Tyler Glass (Copiah-Lincoln) and Cal Kee III (East Central) are expected to contribute.

3. Get Green the football

The Warhawks once again dipped into the junior college ranks to patch a secondary that teams routinely shredded in 2017. The good news for defensive coordinator Mike Collins is the reinforcements coming off the injury report.

Starting safeties Luke Hedrick and Nick Ingram, both juniors, and senior Collin Turner barely played last season — never ideal in a 4-2-5 defense — as Collins played every conceivable combination on the back end. The trio’s return allowed ULM to move Marcus

Will teams continue kicking off to Marcus Green in 2018?

It’s a bad idea.

Green tied for the national lead with four kickoff returns for touchdowns and set a new program record with a Sun Belt-best 1,981 all-purpose yards. ULM spent the offseason devising ways to maximize Green’s touches on offense.

Senior Markis McCray’s return from injury gives the special teams another explosive option in the return game.

Senior Matt Wylie was granted another year of eligibility after handing the kickoff

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duties last season. The Warhawks signed Australian Mark Deaves to fill the vacant spot at punter.

4. Raids and acquisitions Matt Viator must be doing something right. ULM’s thirdyear coach hired Anthony Camp (defensive line), John Carr (wide receivers/recruiting coordinator), Perry Carter (cornerbacks) and Kyle Segler (tight ends/special teams) after another offseason staff raid.

Carr, formerly the coach at Ouachita Parish High School, joined the Warhawks after two seasons as the offensive coordinator at Mississippi’s Jones County Community College.

Perry Carter, the father of redshirt freshman wide receiver Perry Carter Jr., spent last season at Texas Tech and was defensive assistant with the Houston Texans from 2006-13.

Camp (Nicholls State) and Segler (Sam Houston State) came to ULM from the FCS ranks.

Former West Monroe High School assistant coach Bakari Guice was hired in June from the University of Georgia as cornerbacks coach.

5. Embracing expectations You’re going to hear the “e” word, like you haven’t already, a lot until kickoff against Southeastern Louisiana. The expectations for this football team — compete for the Sun Belt West division title and play in a bowl game — materialized mere seconds after the clock hit zero at Florida State.

It’s stating the obvious, but how ULM handles those expectations, whether good or bad, will define the season.

How that potential translates to Saturdays remains to be seen, but either way, it won’t be boring.

LOUISIANA TECH BULLDOGS | SEASON OUTLOOK Cory Diaz Monroe News-Star USA TODAY NETWORK

Football is a game of inches, as the ageold cliché says. For head coach Skip Holtz as his team hammers through preseason practice heading into the 2018 season, Louisiana Tech’s overall game may be measured by margins.

“This is going to be an interesting camp at a lot of positions,” Holtz said as the team opened fall camp earlier this month. “I think this is the deepest team we’ve had since I’ve been here. We may not have the star power like we did when we had (quarterback Jeff) Driskell, (running back Kenneth) Dixon, but I think this is the deepest every one of our roots have been.

“I think the margin of who’s going to play and who’s going to be a backup is really small right now. You evaluate a team not just in your ones but what’s your dropoff between your ones and twos.”

One position in particular that paints that picture to Holtz is linebacker. The defense’s fourth-leading tackler, Russell Farris graduated, leaving a huge hole for defensive coordinator Blake Baker to fill through recruiting or depth. Tech went out and brought in the reigning National Junior College Defensive Player of the Year in Connor Taylor from Snow College (Utah), along with another JUCO transfer and former Missouri player Trey Baldwin to join projected starter Dae’Von Washington, the Bulldogs’ leading tackler in 2017.

“What had a chance to maybe be our weakness coming into the season has a chance to be a strength,” Holtz said.

It’s with those shifts in personnel quality, not just among the players but the coaching staff, too, that has sustained Holtz’ expectations and belief in his Louisiana Tech squad with a tough schedule, playing six of its first nine games on the road and matching up against seven bowl teams from a year ago. Jeff Burris and Brian Gamble replaced former cornerbacks coach Kevin Curtis now at SMU and linebackers coach Lanier Goethie now at Duke, respectively. Two days before fall practice started, Holtz completed his 10-assistant coach staff, adding Erik Link as special teams coordinator.

On the field, the Bulldogs welcomed 32 new players to Ruston, bolstering many spots like running back, where JUCO transfer Justin Henderson came over the summer and Ruston High running back Deandre Marcus reported for preseason camp. Depth Holtz likes.

Louisiana Tech’s Jaylon Ferguson returns to anchor the Bulldogs’ defensive line. TOM MORRIS/LATECHSPORTSPIX.COM

While expectations remain high for the Bulldogs head coach, for supporters and fans, what to expect from Tech has been a bit of a slippery slope the last three seasons, where it’s played for two Conference USA championships and lost both times. Tech was the preseason favorite last year, but struggled with consistency for much of the campaign, finishing the regular season 6-6.

“It’s always tough,” said Tech senior wide receiver Teddy Veal during the offseason.

“You look at football, almost don’t count.

This ain’t horseshoes. You think about Louisiana Tech the last four years, you had the opportunity to win at least three conference championships – and it was just right there.

“We look at it now, it’s a different approach because most of the guys that’s on the team had that opportunity to be in that position.”

An adequate depth chart aligns Louisiana Tech, which was selected to finish second in the Western Division this year behind last season’s divisional winner North Texas, to finally climb one of the last mountains still in the way for the program since Holtz took over in 2013, an elusive conference title.

TECH AT A GLANCE Coach: Skip Holtz 2017 record: 7-6, 4-4 in Conference USA Home field: Joe Aillet Stadium Radio: KXKZ 107.5 FM

2018 SCHEDULE Sept. 1 at South Alabama 6 p.m.

Sept. 8 Southern 6 p.m.

Sept. 22 at LSU TBA Sept. 29 at North Texas 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 6 UAB 6 p.m.

Oct. 13 at UTSA 6 p.m.

Oct. 20 UTEP 2:30 p.m.

Oct. 26 at Florida Atlantic 5:30 p.m. CT Nov. 3 at Mississippi State TBA Nov. 10 Rice 6 p.m.

Nov. 17 at Southern Miss 2:30 p.m.

Nov. 24 Western Kentucky 11 a.m.

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FIVE STORYLINES FOR LOUISIANA TECH 3. Identity switch?

Cory Diaz Columnist USA TODAY NETWORK

RUSTON — One year after being favored to compete for a Conference USA championship and then stumbling throughout much of regular season to 6-6, the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs were selected to finish second in their division behind North Texas, which won it in 2017.

Can Tech bounce back to the top tier of the league this season?

Here's what to watch for as it opens preseason camp:

1. Replacing dynamic rushing duo Five months after the 2017 season ended, Louisiana Tech’s top two running backs, Jarred Craft and Boston Scott, found themselves trotting on the field to take part in NFL rookie minicamps. Scott was drafted in the sixth round by the New Orleans Saints and Craft was invited to camp by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Both are now gone and back in Ruston there’s little questioning as to which position during the fall camp will receive most of the attention. Trying to fill the huge void left by Scott, who surpassed 1,000 rushing yards last year and Craft, doing it the year before, but Tech head coach Skip Holtz, offensive coordinator Todd Fitch and running backs coach Tony Ball will closely monitor the backs to see which one or tandem of backs can come close.

Redshirt junior Jaqwis Dancy pieced together a strong spring while senior Kam McKnight switched from a primary passcatching role to the tailback room. Needing more depth, Holtz and company went out and got JUCO transfer Justin Henderson, an honorable mention All-American out of Coffeyville Community College (Kansas) this summer to go along with backups Israel Tucker and Bobby Holly.

Louisiana Tech quarterback J'Mar Smith. USA TODAY SPORTS

2. J’Mar Smith’s progression For the first time since Holtz took over the Bulldog program, he doesn’t have to worry about finding a starting quarterback.

Junior signal caller J’Mar Smith is back, fully healthy after minor knee surgery post-bowl game and leaves the big offensive question mark to the running back spot.

Just because Louisiana Tech returns a quarterback for the first time in six seasons doesn’t necessarily means Smith brings assured confidence and stability.

Smith’s inconsistent play in 2017 was the most criticized performance among Tech fans and supporters, but the 6-foot-1, 230pound Meridian, Mississippi, native quelled a lot of the talk heading into the long offseason by helping lead Louisiana Tech to a 51-10 trouncing of SMU in the Frisco Bowl in December, completing 15 of 23 passes for 216 yards and three touchdowns.

But the static on him grew louder again after his subpar performance in Tech’s spring game, going 13-for-34 for just 113 yards.

At Conference USA Media Days, Holtz raved about Smith’s mental progression throughout the course of spring ball and summer workouts. “To have a guy back with J’Mar’s talent and now with where he is mentally and his development, it’s a comforting feeling as a head coach.”

Points and potent offense has always been Skip Holtz-coached football teams’ calling card. Can the 2018 version of Louisiana Tech flip the switch to defensefirst?

After an abysmal pass defense performance in 2016, defensive coordinator and safeties coach Blake Baker helped guide Tech’s air defense to a 70-spot improvement in the nation, from 116th to 46th, giving up 208.9 pass yards per game. “I think it has a chance to be (better than last year),” Holtz said.

The defense will be led by senior Jaylon Ferguson, who’s projected as the eighth-best defensive end coming out of college this year, as well as sophomore cornerback Amik Robertson, who’s coming off a Freshman AllAmerican campaign, where he led the team in interceptions (5) and finished third in tackles (62).

Throw in the reigning National Junior College Defensive Player of the Year in Connor Taylor, along with other JUCO transfers Brandon Floyd and Trey Baldwin at linebacker and the Bulldogs could easily have the top defensive unit in Conference USA.

4. Best two-deep in Holtz era Holtz’s thoughts on where his team stands heading into the 2018 season are crystal clear. “I think the margin of who’s going to play and who’s going to be a backup is really small right now,” Holtz said.

A two-year sojourn to get to this point, Holtz believes this year’s Bulldogs are the deepest they’ve been in his six years at the helm.

There’s quality depth at quarterback, evident by the spring game performance of redshirt freshman Elijah Walker, the offensive line returns four starters and the coaching staff added former LSU signee and JUCO transfer Willie Allen into the fray.

Leading receiver from last season Teddy Veal leads a stacked

group where coaches feel like they have eight or more guys that could make big impacts.

On the defensive of the ball, the addition of the JUCO linebackers with returners Dae’Von Washington, Randy Hogan and Collin Scott will push the competition during fall camp. The defensive backfield and defensive lines have only gotten more talented with recruitment the last two years.

5. Is window closing for Tech?

Louisiana Tech was the preseason favorite to get to the CUSA championship game last season, only to stumble to 6-6.

This year, Tech was selected to finish second in the Western Division behind 2017’s divisional leader North Texas. Florida Atlantic is the clear favorite to repeat as league champions from the East side.

The Owls return running back Devin “Motor” Singletary, preseason Defensive Player of the Year choice in linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair. As long as Lane Kiffin is the head coach in Boca Raton, FAU will always be a serious contender to win the conference championship. For the Mean Green, they return the preseason Offensive Player of the Year in junior quarterback Mason Fine and the team is expected to make strides on the defensive side of the ball under head coach Seth Litrell.

In just its second season back, UAB is set up to capitalize off its unexpected success during the program’s first year back after being momentarily shut down in 2014, winning eight games.

Southern Miss has played spoiler for Tech in the past and always hovers around the top of the West. Louisiana Tech has made a reputation in C-USA as a consistent contender, but have other programs surpassed the bar it set and is the window closing for Holtz’s program to win its first league title?

Follow Cory Diaz on Twitter @CoryDiaz_TNS

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GRAMBLING STATE TIGERS | SEASON OUTLOOK Cory Diaz Monroe News-Star USA TODAY NETWORK

Mornings and late nights have been different for Broderick Fobbs since Dec. 14, 2017.

When the clock struck 0:00 inside the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta eight months ago, it sunk in to him, his fellow coaches and Grambling State players that a second straight HBCU national championship slipped from their grasp. North Carolina A&T, coached by former GSU football coach Rod Broadway, seized the Celebration Bowl victory, 21-14, and had handed the Tigers their first loss in 12 games.

Fobbs has been coaching for a while, so losing games isn’t completely foreign to him.

But how Grambling lost has stayed with him throughout the offseason.

“It’s something that stays with you every day,” Fobbs said during SWAC Media Day. “First thing you do in the morning is think about it, the last thing you think when you go to bed is what happened. I’m no different than our players. We realized how close we were, but we also realize the mistakes we made in that contest that put ourselves in that position.”

The G-Men didn’t play like themselves that day. They entered the national title showdown with a plus-21 turnover margin, they lost the turnover battle in the ATL fumbling the ball twice and throwing an interception. GSU never led, A&T dictated the pace of the game possessing the ball 10 minutes more as well as outgaining the Tigers offensively.

“For me and them, the whole key is to make sure we learn from it. I don’t look at a loss as a loss, I look at a loss as a learn,” Fobbs said. “If you don’t learn from it, then you live with a loss.”

Winners of their last 25 regular season SWAC games, back-to-back conference championships on top of that, and 31 of their last 36 overall, there’s no doubting Grambling State won’t fold after one loss.

Two big losses it will have to live with are the departures of senior quarterback DeVante Kincade and running back Martez Carter, now currently with the Washington Redskins. The attention in preseason practice now turns to two huge battles for important spots. Sophomore Geremy Hickbottom, Kincade’s primary backup last year, redshirt junior Charles Wright and redshirt freshman and Arkansas State transfer Aldon Clark will push each other for the starting job at quarterback. At running back, DeSherrius Flowers, Carter’s backup, along with Jordan Jones, moved back to the spot from tight

68 ❚ 2018 ❚ THE NEWS-START

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In this Dec. 2, 2017, file photo, Grambling State linebacker De'Arius Christmas (5) reacts after a fourth-down stop in the third quarter during the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game against Alcorn State, in Houston. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

end, and Ball State redshirt freshman transfer Kevin Dominique all have their minds locked in on starting.

Inexperienced players will occupy key positions in 2018. And that youth led Fobbs to further his involvement in GSU’s offensive scheme with new offensive coordinator and longtime offensive line coach Reggie Nelson, who replaced Eric Dooley who’s now the head coach Prairie View A&M. “It’s a lot of competition in (the quarterback) room. The margin for error is very limited,” Fobbs said. “They’re playing well, doing an exceptional job of making sure we're in the right play. But the key to this whole thing is make sure someone comes away executing the best and to win the job. I do believe we have three really good players that can start for us.

“I feel really good about our running back room. We have four to five really good guys that can play and start any time. We’re a lot deeper at that position and a lot more talented than we’ve been in the past. Martez was kind of the guy, then everybody else.

Now, we have a bunch of guys. It’s a matter of feeling out who that’s going to be and run the football by committee.”

GRAMBLING AT A GLANCE Coach: Broderick Fobbs 2017 record: 11-2, 7-0 in SWAC Home field: Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium Radio: KGRM 91.5 FM

2018 SCHEDULE Sept. 1 at UL Lafayette 6 p.m.

Sept. 8 at Northwestern State 6 p.m.

Sept. 22 Alabama State 6 p.m.

Sept. 29 Prairie View A&M 4 p.m.* Oct. 6 Oklahoma Panhandle State 6 p.m.

Oct. 13 at Texas Southern 6 p.m.

Oct. 20 at Alcorn State 2 p.m.

Oct. 27 Arkansas Pine-Bluff 2 p.m.

Nov. 3 Mississippi Valley State 2 p.m.

Nov. 10 at Alabama A&M 1 p.m.

Nov. 24 Southern 4 p.m.** eDallas eeNew Orleans

FIVE STORYLINES FOR GRAMBLING STATE Cory Diaz Columnist USA TODAY NETWORK

GRAMBLING — Under Broderick Fobbs, losing games seems like a foreign concept to Grambling State fans and supporters. The Tigers have dropped five contests in the last three seasons.

Just losing the HBCU National Championship Game and Celebration Bowl, 21-14, to North Carolina A&T isn't why the G-Men's head coach has thought about that game almost daily since last December.

It's not that simple. For Fobbs, all the uncharacteristic mistakes, his team not playing like the Grambling State of recent bothers him.

Here's what to watch for as the Tigers look to put the end of 2017 away.

1. All eyes on QB The quarterback position is open the widest it’s been since Broderick Fobbs took over his alma mater back in 2014. After two stellar seasons of leading Grambling State’s offense, DeVante Kincade has graduated and moved on, leaving a massive, two-time SWAC Offensive Player of the Year, 3,000-yard hole left to be filled.

Sophomore and Kincade’s primary backup last season Geremy Hickbottom led the small group of signal callers into spring practice, but has yet to do enough to completely nail

down the job.

The 6-foot-4, 210-pound quarterback out of Mobile, Alabama, also failed to wow GSU offensive coaches during his unexpected audition last year when Kincade went down with a foot injury, going 13-for-29 for 104 yards and two touchdowns.

Redshirt junior Charles Wright is still in the mix, but Fobbs and new offensive coordinator Reggie Nelson may have found another candidate in redshirt freshman transfer Aldon Clark. The New Orleans native joined the team in late June from Arkansas State, turning down other FBS options. Clark, currently a walk-on with the Tigers, is highly skilled, has a big arm, plenty agile with his feet and will factor into who ultimately becomes the starter.

2. Rest of the eyes on RB

Ball State transfer Kevin Dominique (6-foot, 207) has impressed coaches and teammates since his joined the Tigers.

It’s possible Fobbs could decide to go with more a running back by committee attack as he feels like he’s got the most depth at the position he’s had in his five years at Grambling, but who will emerge as the feature back?

3. Offensive tweaks Whoever ultimately lands the starting quarterback and running backs jobs will be taking charge in a revamped offensive game plan for the Tigers.

In the spring, Fobbs said he had been involved in his team’s offense more than ever after the departure of offensive coordinator Eric Dooley, who landed his first head coaching gig at Prairie View A&M last December.

With more uncertainty at quarterback than any other spot, it is expected that the “new” offense could be more predicated on running the ball and grinding down opponents.

Grambling lost 78 percent of its offensive production and 61 percent of its point production from last season’s conference champion and HBCU national runner-up squad between Kincade and former running back Martez Carter, now with the Washington Redskins.

This fall camp, the tailback 4. New defensive backs position will provide one of the Outside of the rising senior hottest and more entertaining battles on the team. Alabama safety Percy Cargo Jr., all the transfer and redshirt junior other guys will be first-time DeSherrius Flowers, the backup starters for Grambling State in running back in 2017, brings a the defensive backfield, easily it the most inexperimixture of speed with powerYOUR to making SUBSCRIPTION enced unit on the team. the spot.

Junior college transfer DaFobbs slid Jordan Jones back to the backfield from tight end, mien Crumitie has all but providing a more physical style locked up a starting job at corof running. Spring enrollee and nerback with his otherworldly

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speed and surprising physicality for his 5-11, 180-pound frame.

The other corner spot looks to belong to Tulane transfer Dedrick Shy, who tied for the third-most interceptions with two picks on last season’s defense in sparing playing time.

The nickel and dime spots, along with free safety will have defensive coordinator Everett Todd’s attention the most during preseason camp.

Names to watch at those positions are junior Danquarian Fields, senior Tre’Von Cherry, redshirt junior Joseph McWilliams, sophomore Nicholas Derogers, junior Chris Grant and redshirt senior Seth Edwards.

5. Any challengers to GSU? The G-Men have not lost a SWAC regular season game in 1,336 days. Or the equivalent of three full campaigns and 25 straight league contests.

Is there anyone in the conference out there that can challenge Grambling State in 2018?

Most pundits will point to Alcorn State, the Eastern Division champion the last four seasons, and rightfully so. The Braves return a lot of offensive firepower from last year’s league runnerup squad, loaded by the SWAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year in senior running back P.J. Simmons as well as preseason All-Conference quarterback Noah Johnson, a redshirt junior.

Despite 2018 being Dooley’s first season as coach, Prairie View A&M could be the team to watch out of the West Division.

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LSU TIGERS | SEASON OUTLOOK Glenn Guilbeau USA Today Network

BATON ROUGE – Just about everywhere one looks with regards to the 2018 LSU football season, there are question marks. ❚ Is Steve Ensminger ready for his new job as offensive coordinator? He hasn’t held that title on a full-time, full-year basis since 1998 at Clemson. ❚ Is graduate transfer Joe Burrow really the answer at quarterback? In three years at Ohio State, he never got past No. 2. ❚ Is LSU really going to become a passing team this year as Ensminger keeps saying?

Old habits die hard, and Ensminger has mainly watched run-heavy attacks since he came to LSU in 2010. ❚ Will Ensminger and Burrow have enough time to develop this passing game?

Ensminger just took over in January, and Burrow just got here in June. The last time LSU had a good passing game was in 2013 with quarterback Zach Mettenberger. He was a transfer, too, but he was on the team in 2011 and started in 2012 before things clicked. ❚ Who will be Burrow’s top receivers?

Virtually all the wide receivers are young, and if they’re not they’re unproven. The best returnee is Jonathan Giles, a transfer from Texas Tech in the Big 12, which features mostly zone coverage and soft manto-man unlike the Southeastern Conference. Terrace Marshall Jr. and Ja’Marr Chase are elite recruits, but they are still true freshmen. ❚ When will starting right guard Ed Ingram – perhaps the team’s best offensive lineman – return from his indefinite suspension? Without him, LSU has just two returning starters on the line – sophomore Saadhiq Charles at left tackle and senior Garrett Brumfield at left guard. ❚ Who will LSU’s other cornerback be next to Andraez “Greedy” Williams? It was supposed to be No. 1-ranked prep cornerback Patrick Surtain, who pulled an 11th hour switch to Alabama. ❚ Can second-year head coach Ed Orgeron finally grow into a job after failing miserably at Ole Miss from 2005-07 and doing pretty good at interim posts at USC in 2013 and at LSU in 2016? So far, he has been up and down with horrendous losses to Mississippi State and Troy last year, but impressive wins at No. 21 Florida and over No. 10 Auburn. ❚ Can defensive coordinator Dave Aranda carry the team while the offense finds itself? It will be his third season, and he should be able to do better than he did

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LSU quarterback Joe Burrow (9) passes during practice in Baton Rouge. AP

against Mississippi State, Troy and Notre Dame last year.

If none of the questions are answered positively, LSU – ranked No. 24 in USA Today’s preseason poll - could be 5-7 or 4-8, considering the schedule has No. 8 Miami in the opener on Sept. 2 in Arlington, Texas, a date at No. 10 Auburn on Sept. 15, No. 4 Georgia and No. 18 Mississippi State backto-back on Oct. 13 and on Oct. 20 and No. 1 Alabama on Nov. 3.

LSU gets both Georgia and Mississippi State at home, but Georgia returns most of its offense and a few key players on defense from a team that had Alabama beat at halftime of the national championship game.

And new State coach Joe Moorhead inherits a very good team – complete with 17 returning starters – from Dan Mullen, who is the SEC’s best coach who never worked at LSU. If half these questions are answered positively, LSU could be 8-4.

If they’re all answered completely and extremely well with Burrow morphing into Jeaux Burreaux, Chase into Ja’Marr Landry and Clyde Edwards-Helaire into Clyde Edwards-Guice, why not 10-2?

LSU AT GLANCE Coach: Ed Orgeron Career record: 31-33 2017 record: 9-4 Home field: Tiger Stadium Phone: 1-800-960-8587 Radio: KNBB (97.7 FM); KRUS (1490 AM)

2018 SCHEDULE Sept. 2 Miami, 6:30 p.m., Arlington, Texas Sept. 8 Southeastern Louisiana, 6 p.m.

Sept. 15 at Auburn, 2:30 p.m.

Sept. 22 Louisiana Tech, TBA Sept. 29 Ole Miss, TBA Oct. 6 at Florida, TBA Oct. 13 Georgia, TBA Oct. 20 Mississippi State, TBA Nov. 3 Alabama, TBA Nov. 10 at Arkansas, TBA Nov. 17 Rice, TBA Nov. 24 at Texas A&M, TBA

FIVE STORYLINES FOR LSU Glenn Guilbeau Columnist USA TODAY NETWORK

BATON ROUGE – LSU was ranked No. 24 in the USA Today coaches’ preseason poll earlier this month.

And the Tiger Nation breathed a sigh of relief.

“Hip, hip, hooray! We’re No. 24!”

This was because there had been national predictions of 6-6 and 7-5 over the summer and a fifth-place prediction – out of seven - for the Tigers Southeastern Conference West finish at the SEC Media Days last month. So, hey, 24 looked beautiful.

In any other previous season this century following 2000, which was the last season in which was not in one of the two major preseason polls, such a lowly preseason ranking would have been meant with outrage and cries of the media being “the enemy of the people.”

LSU’s No. 24 listing was its lowest entering a season since it was No. 21 entering 2010. The reason is the amount of question marks entering the season.

Here are the 5 Storylines to Watch as the 2018 season unfolds with LSU trying to finish higher than its preseason ranking for the first time since the 2011 season when it finished No. 2 after a No. 4 mark entering the season.

1. QUARTERBACK : What else does anyone worry about less at LSU? Since Zach Mettenberger threw his last pass before an injury in the 2013 regular season finale against Arkansas, LSU has had three starting quarterbacks last a season with only one – Danny Etling last year – lasting more than one season. Junior graduate transfer Joe Burrow or sophomore Myles Brennan will be LSU’s fourth new starter for

LSU wide receiver Jonathan Giles (7) runs through drills during practice in Baton Rouge earlier this month. AP

a season in five years. If Burrow wins the job as expected, he will be the third transfer in seven years to get the job. Welcome to New Quarterback U, Joe. Good luck.

2. WIDE RECEIVERS: For the first time since 2013, LSU coaches are saying they are going to have a real passing game, and they don’t appear to be lying. Only problem is the Tigers do not have a returning starter at quarterback or at wide receiver. And the reason new offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger wants to pass this season is because of the talent at wide receiver … or lack thereof at tailback for the first time since Curley Hallman’s days. At least in ’13, Mettenberger was a returning starter as were wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry.

The result was the first season in LSU history with a 3,000yard passer and two 1,000-yard receivers. If LSU truly fields a strong passing attack, look for true freshmen Terrace Marshall Jr. of Bossier City and Ja’Marr Chase of the New Orleans area to be in the middle of it along with junior Texas Tech transfer Jonathan Giles, who

caught 69 passes in 2016. That was more than any Tiger since 2013. Fellow true freshman Kenan Jones of Berwick could also be in that number. Hiring former NFL wide receiver whisperer Jerry Sullivan as a full time wide receivers coach could do wonders. He was a major part of LSU’s best intermediate passing game in school history from 1986-89, but Tommy Hodson was the quarterback.

3. TAILBACKS: Here’s a statistic to chew on because it would be hard to digest. LSU does not return a running back who scored a touchdown the previous season for the first time since the 1970s. The expected starter is sophomore Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who carried just nine times for 33 yards last season. Look for true freshman Chris Curry of Lehigh Acres, Florida, to push for the starting spot. Both are only three-star prospects, which means LSU’s tailback recruiting is following in its quarterback recruiting missteps.

4. YEAR OF THE TRANSFER: LSU could start as many as six players who transferred from other schools, which would be a

school record. Those could be quarterback Joe Burrow (Ohio State), right guard Damien Lewis (Northwest Mississippi Community College), wide receiver Jonathan Giles (Texas Tech), nose tackle Breiden Fehoko (Texas Tech), nickel back Terrence Alexander (Stanford) and kicker Cole Tracy (Assumption College).

All are at very important positions. Quarterback is obvious. Lewis replaces sophomore returning starting right guard Ed Ingram, who is suspended indefinitely. Giles is the only veteran wide receiver with a decent amount of catches. Fehoko fills a need at nose tackle, where he was just moved with one-time projected starter Ed Alexander suffering from recurring knee injuries and redshirt freshman Tyler Shelvin not quite ready. Alexander was an emergency find when LSU missed on two cornerback targets on signing day last February.

5. YEAR III OF DAVE ARANDA: Because of his messy departure to Texas A&M after the 2014 season, LSU fans conveniently forget how great a defensive coordinator John Chavis was for the Tigers in 2010 and ’11 and that he was still very good through most of 2012 and by the end of ’14. His departure was really athletic director Joe Alleva’s fault. Then head coach Les Miles wanted to keep him. As good as Dave Aranda has been in his first two years, he has had his lapses – Notre Dame in the Citrus Bowl last season and Mississippi State and Troy last season. This will be his third season, and we shall see if he can get it all together as Chavis did in his year three, which was 2011. LSU did have more talent that year, but Aranda has excellent talent nonetheless. As the young offense tries to find itself amid a LSU-unique strategy – the forward pass – Aranda’s Army will have to carry LSU early if the Tigers are to play to that lofty ranking.

THENEWSSTAR.COM ❚ 2018 ❚ 71

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New Orleans RB Alvin Kamara.

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FIVE STORYLINES FOR THE NEW ORLEANS SAINTS Tom Schad and John Sigler USA Today

1. Can Marcus Davenport make an immediate impact?

The Saints paid a hefty price to move up in the draft for Davenport -- sending a fifthround pick and a 2019 firstround pick to Green Bay to jump from No. 27 overall to No. 14. So, naturally, they think the Texas-San Antonio pass-rusher can be a difference-maker.

But the question is: How soon?

Last year, New Orleans had the good fortune of drafting the offensive rookie of the year (running back Alvin Kamara) and the defensive rookie of the year (cornerback Marshon Lattimore). If Davenport can make a similar splash in his first year, he could play opposite Cameron Jordan and boost a Saints pass rush that, at times, left something to be desired last season. Beyond Jordan's 13 sacks, only Alex Okafor (4 1/2 sacks) and George Johnson (2 1/2 sacks) had more than two sacks in the regular season.

"I'm not interested in taking any heat off Cam; I'm interested in getting other players like Cam," coach Sean Payton said in a post-draft news conference. "One of the offseason targets was a pressure player. ... We have to feel like he can affect the quarterback."

2. How much longer can Drew Brees keep it going?

Brees is one of the best quarterbacks of his era and, at least as of last season, has shown few signs of slowing down. Although he threw for the fewest yards (4,334) and touchdowns (23) of his Saints tenure in 2017, he also completed a career-high 72 percent of his passes and led the team to within a play of the NFC Championship Game. Just before free agency, he signed a twoyear, $50 million contract extension.

74 ❚ 2018 ❚ THE NEWS-START

Drew Brees threw for the fewest yards (4,334) and touchdowns (23) of his Saints tenure in 2017.

USA TODAY SPORTS

Despite that, questions about Brees' longevity linger.

Success and all, he is a 39year-old quarterback approaching his 15th season in the NFL. That two-year contract extension is really a oneyear deal with a team option for 2019. And the Saints don't have an heir apparent to Brees waiting in the wings. The biggest question on Brees entering this season is whether he looks like someone with one good year left in him -- or three.

That will play a major role in shaping how the Saints move forward.

hasn't reached the NFC title game again. Is this the year New Orleans will make a run?

That answer will depend, in large part, on the continued growth of young players including Kamara, Lattimore and wide receiver Michael Thomas, who caught 104 passes for more than 1,200 yards en route to his first Pro Bowl appearance. The team took a hit when Pro Bowl RB Mark Ingram was suspended for four games for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drug policy, but Kamara should be able to pick up the slack.

3. Are there enough pieces in place for a Super Bowl run?

4. How soon do new pieces jell with a decade-old offense?

Since its 2009 Super Bowl victory, Payton's team has finished 11-5 or better in four of the past eight seasons (despite a string of three consecutive 7-9 finishes prior to last year) but

Payton has been running his offense a long time, and he knows what traits he values at every position. Now it’s up to the new guys to fit into those roles. Cameron Meredith and

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Tre’Quan Smith are looking to inject some talent into a Saints receiving corps that maybe leaned too hard on Brandon Coleman (651 snaps) and Ted Ginn Jr (614) last season. The herd of new running backs – rookie Boston Scott, untested Jonathan Williams, and late signees Terrance West and Shane Vereen – are all jostling for reps in anticipation of Ingram’s absence.

5. Who rushes the passer after the top three guys?

We know that Jordan, Davenport and Okafor are going to see the bulk of reps out on the edge, but who backs them up? With just a few spots to spare, younger players like Hau’oli Kikaha, Trey Hendrickson and Al-Quadin Muhammad have got to make splash plays early and often to stick around. Each of those guys has some nuance, too.

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