'I want to be the first '

RIVER VALLEY and OZARK AREA — Russellville has been known for its great quarterbacks this decade.

Landon Leach threw for more than 9,000 yards and threw 90 touchdowns from 2000-02. Nathan Brown threw 33 touchdowns in his senior campaign in 2003, before going on to throw 100 touchdowns at the University of Central Arkansas.

Can Barrett Hughes fit in with this crowd of great Cylcone quarterbacks? He may or may not become a statistical powerhouse like Leach and Brown, but he's aiming for something neither accomplished.

"I want to be the first Russellville quarterback to win a state championship," Hughes said.

Since the current state playoff system was installed in 1970, the Cyclones have reached the state semifinals three times: Leach led the Cyclones to the semi-finals in 2002, the Cyclones returned in 2007 and Hughes and a ferocious Cyclone defense made it a back-to-back affair with a trip in 2008.

"My expectation is to win state," Hughes said. "We have the talent and a great coaching staff. We can play with any team in the state. We're going to win games this year simply because we want it more than anyone else."

The Cyclones made it to the semifinals last year in an unusual fashion: Russellville was led by its defense.

"The defense definitely led the way for us last year," Hughes said. "Offensively, we leaned more on the run, which isn't normally the case at Russellville. We were successful in what we did last year, but we're going back to what we used to do. We're going back to throwing it around 30 times a game. As a quarterback, that is really exciting.

"The offense will have more pressure this year to control games, but we have the talent to do that. We want to lead this year."

Hughes completed 55 percent of his passes in 2008, throwing for 1,289 yards and eight touchdowns. He threw for 240 yards and two scores against Fayetteville in week 3.

Hughes knows he has improvements to make from last season if he is to help the Cyclones get to the championship game this fall.

"Last year I struggled with inconsistencies with my passing," Hughes said. "It never really had anything to do with my arm. It was always problems with my footwork. I've worked to fine tune my mechanics this offseason.

"Another area I need to improve on is being a better leader. I need to be able to inspire my teammates when things get tough. I can't fixate on myself. I have to be able to look beyond me and look at what I can do to help my teammates. That's the thing about football; it's a game about leadership and relationships. You form bonds in football that you don't form in any other game."

Hughes and the Cyclone offense were shut down in thesemifinals game at Bentonville, 27-0. The taste of last year's final game still lingers with Hughes.

"Success in football always depends on how you respond to things," Hughes said. "How we finished at Bentonville was disheartening, but we can't worry about that anymore. It's a new year and a new season. As a quarterback, I compare it to throwing an interception. It's all about how you respond after that interception that really matters."

The Cyclones return only three starters on offense, but Hughes isn't worried about the lack of experience. He credits coach Jeff Holt's abilities as the key to Russellville's productive offenses this decade.

"I'm not concerned aboutthe lack of experience on offense," Hughes said. "The guys we have are talented. We've looked really good in two-adays, and it's because of Coach Holt. He understands the game so well. He excels at teaching the game to his players. Everything I've learned, I learned from him."

Hughes understands and welcomes the pressure and responsibility of being a Russellville quarterback.

"You definitely have big shoes to fill," Hughes said. "Leach and Brown didn't come in great. Holt groomed them and made them that way. I hope I can be mentioned with Leach and Brown someday, but I hope it's because I took us to a state championship.

"If you win, you get the glory. If you lose, it's your fault. That's the responsibility of being a quarterback, and it should bethat way. If you're a pass-heavy offense, then your team is going to play as well as your quarterback does. I set the tone. All quarterbacks do."