RIVER VALLEY and OZARK AREA — Sometimes adaptation is the name of the game.
An explosive backfield and a swagger-inducing 4-0 start heralded a strong year for the Oak Grove Hornets in 2008. But after running back Brandon Hudson broke his leg, it started a roller coaster: a three-game skid against
three very
good teams,
some beat
ing of roundpegs into square holes and then a three-game winning streak snapped by a first-round playoff loss to Warren.
But Mike Buchan, entering his second year at the Hornets' helm after two decades as an assistant, said it was still a great year compared to recent history, and while depth is a concern, there are reasons to be optimistic about 2009.
"We are walking a thin ridge here at Oak Grove in that our numbers are such that any injuries are catastrophic," he said.
But this will be an important year for the team, Buchan said . With conference realignments coming in 2010 and the 4A-7 picking up Bauxite, Pulaski Academy and Pulaski Robinson, it's looking to be a tough road to hoe.
"We better get our licks in this year in 4A-7, because next year will be Armageddon," Buchan said.
Offensively, the Hornets under coordinator Sherman Cox will look to do "about the same thing as last year," but further open up and spread the field with as much throwing as talents will allow. Running backs and the receiving game will be strengths, Buchan said, and while experience is not an issue, depth on the line could be.
Doing the throwing will be either Deramus Sam or Corbin McCuien, both seniorsand returning starters. Sam is a better passer than runner, and McCuien "can do it all, but we would like to keep him at running back," Buchan said. And in that role, McCuien would have company in returning starter Shaquille Spearman and Derelle Jackson, as well as "a host of sophomores." Protecting them will be returning linemen Kevin Buchan, Breland Houston, Josh Goodson, Billy Biggs and Devontae Malone.
Defensively, Oak Grove will continue to base out of the 3-3-5.
"We do this because our strength is speed and quickness. We are not going to put four to five people down in a stance just because everybody else does. We don't have those people," Buchan said. "Recalling my playing days back at Jacksonville High back before they invented shade, I remember it was a lot easier to block a dude lined up on you than it was chasing those linebackers around.
We will stunt and move around to confusethe offense and will come from everywhere.
Disguise coverages and work on the ability to man up."
It's a defensive unit with some experience, including seven returning starters: Jackson and Spearman at linebacker with Brandon King, McCuien and Tim Johnson at outside linebacker and Tyler Standly and Houston on the line. Jackson, last year's leader on defense, will fill the same shoes again.
OAK GROVE HORNETSSept. 4 ......at Little Rock Christian Sept. 11 ................North Pulaski Sept. 18 ....... at Pulaski Robinson Sept. 25 .....................at Mena* Oct. 2 ...................... DeQueen* Oct. 9 .......................Nashville* Oct. 16 .................. at Malvern* Oct. 23 ................ Arkadelphia* Oct. 30 .................at Ashdown* Nov. 5 ...................... Waldron*
Special, Pages 220 on 08/23/2009