CABOT -- Mike Malham has been Cabot's head football coach since 1981, but he said he's never had a player quite like Jarrod Barnes.
Barnes, who starred for Cabot Junior High South the past two seasons, is expected to be the second sophomore to start at quarterback for the Panthers in Malham's 34 seasons.
At a glance
PLAYER Jarrod Barnes
SCHOOL Cabot
POSITION Quarterback
HEIGHT 5-10
WEIGHT 162 pounds
NOTEWORTHY Will be the second sophomore to start at quarterback for Cabot in Coach Mike Malham’s 34-year career at the school. … Completed 6 of 20 passes for 147 yards and 3 touchdowns last season at Cabot Junior High South. Rushed 71 times for 655 yards and 9 touchdowns. Also returned two kickoffs for touchdowns. … Brother Holdyn, a junior, plays defensive back for the Panthers.
Malham said he sees great potential in Barnes.
"I've never had a Division I skill person like this," Malham said of Barnes, who has never played a down in a varsity game.
Barnes, 5-10, 162 pounds, will be the first sophomore to start for Malham since Josh Cossey in 1996. The Panthers advanced to the first round of the playoffs in Cossey's sophomore season, losing in triple overtime to Conway. But Cossey followed that up with consecutive trips to the state championship game, where the Panthers lost to Fort Smith Southside and Little Rock Fair.
Barnes said he understands the significance of it all.
"It makes me feel special," said Barnes, who will join his brother Holdyn, a junior defensive back, on Cabot's varsity team.
Cabot has had its share of talented players during Malham's tenure, including Zach Launius, who exhausted his eligibility last season, and current senior receiver/safety Jake Ferguson, who was named by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette as its All-Arkansas Preps defensive player of the year for 2013.
"We've made our living out of those players," Malham said.
Another significant quarterback talent came through one of Cabot's junior highs in recent years, but he never reach the high school. Bryce Petty played at Cabot Junior High North in 2006 before moving to Midlothian, Texas, where he was one of the nation's top recruits. He is now a Heisman Trophy candidate entering his season at Baylor, after passing for 4,200 yards, 32 touchdowns and 3 interceptions as a junior last year.
Barnes rushed 71 times for 655 yards and 9 touchdowns and completed 6 of 20 passes for 147 yards and 3 touchdowns last season at Cabot South. Barnes also returned 8 kickoffs for 295 yards and 2 touchdowns, including an 85-yarder.
Cabot South Coach Lee Melder said Barnes is the most talented player he has coached in 18 years at the school.
"Nobody could match him," Melder said. "It's something we're not used to here at Cabot."
Barnes doesn't seem overwhelmed by all the praise and expectations he's receiving heading into Cabot's season opener Sept. 5 at Conway. In fact, he seems to be taking it all in stride.
"It's going pretty good," he said. "It's easy. It's fun."
He understands that playing on Friday nights against Class 7A competition won't necessarily be easy, but Barnes' confidence is something Malham said he would like to see rub off on his other sophomores.
Cabot lost 16 starters from last year's team that lost to Bentonville in the Class 7A title game. In addition to Barnes starting at quarterback, Cabot said he expects to start five sophomores on defense.
"The only way to get experience is playing on Friday nights," Malham said.
Melder said Barnes will have to work more on the mental aspect of playing quarterback at the varsity level because he won't be able to get by on athletic ability alone, like he could at the junior high level. But Mellder said he is confident Barnes will succeed for the high school team.
"He's extremely talented," Melder said. "Athletically, a very special kid."
Sports on 08/24/2014