Page 4 - TR Football Preview Sept 2017

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 27, 2017 | THREE RIVERS EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE FOOTBALL PREVIEW
JACKSONVILLE TITANS
Jacksonville senior Nathan Pool, who plays linebacker and tight end, acted as the center during a scrimmage.
PHOTOS BY MARK BUFFALO/THREE RIVERS EDITION
Jacksonville junior quarterback Shavarrious Curley attempts a pass during 7-on-7 action at Lonoke in July.
Despite low numbers, Titans stay positive
BY MARK BUFFALO
STAFF WRITER
The Jacksonville Titans are coming off their second consecutive two-win season, but fourth-year coach Barry Hickingbotham is keeping a positive attitude when it comes to this year’s squad, despite a relatively low number of players for the school.
“We are around 45 players,” Hickingbotham said. “We’re hoping to get a few more when school gets going. We’re hoping for
around 50. It’s kind of where we’re at.” Fifty players might sound good for some schools, but Jacksonville plays in the ultratough 6A-East with Pine Bluff, Jonesboro, West Memphis, Searcy, Marion, Mountain Home and Little Rock Hall. The upper-echelon teams routinely have more
than 80 players.
“I feel kind of like Kentucky or Vanderbilt
in the SEC,” Hickingbotham said of the 6A-East. “You look at Pine Bluff, Jonesboro
JACKSONVILLE continued on 5SS