Jorre McMahan was excited about the Hampton Bulldogs’ prospects in 2016.
“Jorre took the Hampton position, and after the first practice in the summer, he called me and said, ‘Dad, we are going to the state championship game.’ ” Johnny McMahan, Jorre’s father, recalled. “I told him, ‘Are yo u s u re ? You’ve only seen them practice one time and you think they a re go o d enough to play for the championship?’
“He said, ‘Yes, they are that good.’ I told him that is a stretch, but I hope you are correct.”
Jorre McMahan won’t be on the Hampton sideline at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock today, but he was right. The Bulldogs (13-0) face Mount Ida (13-1) in the Class 2A state championship game.
McMahan, who was 26, died after collapsing at a Hampton practice Sept. 27.
Hampton Coach Wes Ables did not share McMahan’s level of confidence in the preseason.
“I brushed him off,” Ables said. “I told him we’re not on that level yet. I hope we get to the playoffs.”
The Bulldogs, one year after not fielding a team, will play in their first state championship game. They’ve gone undefeated through 13 games, averaging 45.5 points per game, and are led by senior quarterback Monta Thomas. Thomas has accounted for 2,626 yards and 46 touchdowns offensively.
“You never would have thought this up,” Ables said. “Last year, they’re sitting there watching our junior high team. On Saturday, we’re coming out of that [southeast] tunnel at War Memorial Stadium. It’s special.”
McMahan was helping the Bulldogs’ scout-team offense when he collapsed on that September afternoon. Ables called the Calhoun County sheriff’s office in Hampton around 4:20 p.m., and an ambulance transported McMahan to the Ouachita County Medical Center, which is about 25 miles west of Hampton.
McMahan arrived at the hospital at 5:46 p.m. and was pronounced dead at 5:56 p.m. His cause of death was ruled as hypertensive cardiovascular disease, according to the Arkansas State Crime Lab.
McMahan was in his first season as an assistant at Hampton after spending two seasons at Barton under Van Paschal. He played high school football at Bauxite and in college at the Arkansas-Monticello. McMahan graduated from Bauxite in 2008 and from UAM in 2013.
Ables hired McMahan to coach Hampton’s offensive line in the spring. He was also a social studies teacher at Hampton Middle School.
Hampton has scored 54 points twice in the Class 2A playoffs, with victories over Foreman (54-21) and England (54-32). Jorre McMahan wore No. 54 at Bauxite, which brought special meaning with those victories.
“I don’t think that’s an accident or a coincidence,” Ables said. “Our kids are playing for him when they go on that field.”
Ables said McMahan was a great person and coach who wanted the best for the Hampton players.
“He had high hopes for this team and this community,” Ables said. “It was unfortunate what happened. He had gelled so well with our kids. Our offensive and defensive linemen responded to his coaching so well. Everything was perfect at the time.”
Mount Ida Coach Michael White credited Ables for keeping the Bulldogs together after McMahan’s death.
“That’s what football does. It brings people together,” White said. “He’s done a great job. You can’t say enough about what they’ve done over there.”
Hampton is looking to win its first state championship in football. But this season, it’s bigger than that for the Bulldogs.
“He’ll be with us on the field,” Ables said of McMahan. “Hopefully, we can bring home that championship trophy.”