Page 5 - TR Football Preview Sept 2017

THREE RIVERS EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE FOOTBALL PREVIEW |
SUNDAY, AUGUST 27, 2017
5SS
JACKSONVILLE TITANS
Our approach
is to play
48 minutes of
football as hard
as we can play,
as fast as we
can play and
give maximum
effort.
BARRY HICKINGBOTHAM
JACKSONVILLE HEAD COACH
JACKSONVILLE continued from 4SS
and West Memphis. Searcy has come a long way. Coach [Jed] Davis at Marion has turned that program around. Their numbers are up.
“That conference we’re in is a bear. We’re just looking at trying to have a chance to hang on and win at the end.”
Hickingbotham said his team isn’t going to be able to be more physical that most of their opponents.
“We’re not going to go out there and run the ball down someone’s throat and physical- ly whip somebody,” he said. “We don’t have that kind of talent, but our kids play until the whistle blows.”
Jacksonville has a tough nonconference schedule with Mills, Little Rock Catholic and Sylvan Hills.
A year ago, the Titans edged the Comets 27-26 in the season opener at Jan Crow Stadium in Jacksonville. They will open the season Sept. 1 at Mills.
“Catholic will be outstanding on offense,” Hickingbotham said. “Sylvan Hills will be loaded again. They have over 100 players out.
“It is just 10 tough weeks.”
With that said, Hickingbotham is proud of his team’s effort during preseason drills.
MARK BUFFALO/THREE RIVERS EDITION
Jacksonville players listen as coach Barry Hickingbotham calls a play during 7-on-7 action at Lonoke.
JACKSONVILLE TITANS
SEPT. 1 ........................................@LR MILLS
“The kids have been working extremely
JACKSONVILLE continued on 6SS
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SEPT. 29 ............................... @JONESBORO* OCT. 6 .............................. MOUNTAIN HOME* OCT. 13 ....................................... @LR HALL* OCT. 20 ............................@WEST MEMPHIS* OCT. 27 .......................................... MARION* NOV. 2 ....................................... PINE BLUFF*
*DENOTES CONFERENCE GAMES
hard,” he said. “Our Achilles’ heel is going to be depth up front and size up front with the conference that we’re going to play in.”
The Titans’ approach this year is to play hard the entire game.
“Our focus is work,” Hickingbotham said. “Our approach is to play 48 minutes of foot- ball as hard as we can play, as fast as we can play and give maximum effort. If we do that, we can glance up at the scoreboard when we walk up the hill, but [we’re winners].
“If you get out there and compete, it’s high school football. We want to
..................................... LR CATHOLIC ............................... @SYLVAN HILLS ........................................ SEARCY*