Page 6 - RVO Football Preview Sept 2016

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CONWAY WAMPUS CATS
SUNDAY, AUGUST 28, 2016
| RIVER VALLEY & OZARK EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE FOOTBALL PREVIEW
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as Wampus Cat standouts and Bear athletes. “[Smith] was our rock, but we were so beat up in front of him, it was hard to take care of him and give him time,” Ashcraft said. “Defensively, it was just guys maturing. In the first half of the season, we played really bad on defense. We had lots of coverage busts, and when you’ve got safeties that are new every week, you have growing pains. But we
finally got some guys locked in, and there’s nothing that compares to just experience on a Friday night as far as making you better.
“The defensive guys — everybody, really — improved over the second half of the season.”
And now the Wampus Cats should be able to reap the benefits of that topsy-turvy season.
Eight starters on offense and six on defense are back among the 29 returning Wampus Cat lettermen. Ashcraft runs a Multiple offense with a 3-4 defensive scheme.
“We have lots of young guys coming back who played last year,” Ashcraft said, citing a team strength.
Weakness?
“Replacing a three-year starter at quarterback,” he said.
Leading the returning offensive starters is McCall Dail (5-9, 180), back for his senior season at running back. As a junior, he earned 759 yards and 13 touchdowns on 132 carries. Ashcraft said Dail also carried a 3.5 grade-point average. Senior running back Shamar Harper (5-8, 182), who complemented Dail in the backfield as a junior, is also back.
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MATT JOHNSON/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Conway senior quarterback Parker Teague throws a pass during a dril.