Spread runs its course

The sixth in a series profiling Pulaski County high school football teams.

Anyone who has watched the Central Arkansas Christian Mustangs over the past nine seasons might need the help of uniforms and team colors to recognize this year's version.

For the first time since Tommy Shoemaker became CAC's head football coach, the team's offense will line up in the run-oriented Wing T instead of its coach's trademark Spread.

"When I first became a coach, going to the Spread was a radical approach," Shoemaker said. "There were probably two or three other schools doing it, so it is kind of funny to me that by going back to something that was such a staple in the state of Arkansas when I first started, the Wing T, that it's so radically different."

Shoemaker said the change was a simple matter of timing. Gone from last season are the quarterback and receivers he relied on to make the Spread work.

"It just came down to us trying to evaluate our kids and what would fit them best," Shoemaker said. "Looking down at what we were going to have, all the way through the elementary school, we felt like this would be a good match for us."

Noah Evans passed for 3,186 yards last season but graduated and has signed to play for Hendrix College. His top receiver, Josh Johnson -- leader of a large group of graduated receivers -- has signed to play with Iowa State.

"I knew we were going to have a lot of trouble replacing all those spots," Shoemaker said. "All that kind of tied in as we looked at the whole thing and decided what to do.

"Of course, at the end of the day, football is football. Whatever is going to give us the best chance to be successful on Friday night is what we'll do. If we have to run it every down, that's what we'll do. We have had to throw it every down, and that's what we did, but we think this offense will give us the best chance."

Shoemaker said the quarterback position is up for grabs, but junior Blake Smith holds the edge over junior Hugh Miller. He said both will start and contribute at one position or another, and sophomore Eli Garrison will back up whichever player is named the starter at quarterback.

Replacements at receiver include junior Garrett Overstreet and sophomore Caden McCluskey.

Five senior offensive linemen constitute the most experienced unit Shoemaker expects to put on the field, including Reece Butler, Chris Rawlins, Sam Griffey and guard Blake Fairchild, a converted quarterback.

"Blake's put on about 15 pounds and gotten stronger," Shoemaker said. "He really looks good at guard."

Fairchild said the team is excited about the change from the Spread to the Wing T.

"I love the Wing T," Fairchild said. "It's fun, especially playing at guard. I like it, and I think it's way better for us than the Spread. I feel way more comfortable in it."

Shoemaker said he remembers the benefits derived from the early days of the Spread, and he expects to find a similar edge this season from the Wing T.

"When we first started running the Spread, it was a huge advantage for us because people weren't used to seeing it," Shoemaker said. "Now, I kind of feel like it will be the other way. On our schedule, eight of the 10 schools are in some form of the Spread or the Shotgun."

Sports on 08/24/2017