SPRINGDALE -- Drue McClendon had anticipated a typical touchdown reception until he suddenly saw a Fort Smith Northside defensive back jump in front of him and go for a possible interception.
The Springdale Har-Ber senior quickly reached up to get his hands on the football, and a quick tussle for possession ensued in the end zone. McClendon, however, finished with the upper hand and came away with the touchdown to give his team an early 14-0 lead last week.
It was the third touchdown reception in as many games for McClendon, now a receiver after being the Wildcats' starting quarterback last season.
"When the ball was in the air, I thought I got this," McClendon said. "But the other guy jumped up and grabbed it. I had to take it away from him. I thought he was going to get the interception, but I ended up with the ball."
It didn't have to be this way. McClendon could have easily resumed his role as Har-Ber's starting quarterback, where he compiled 1,378 yards through the air and threw for 12 touchdowns -- four of them coming in the regular-season finale against Fayetteville.
But when Luke Buchanan joined the Wildcats during the offseason, McClendon considered his options. He eventually approached Har-Ber's coaches and requested a move to receiver, a position he wanted to play when he was in the eighth grade.
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"It was one of those situations where he thought he could help the team at receiver," Har-Ber coach Chris Wood said. "He knew that receiver was a position of need. He felt with his athleticism and all that, he wanted to do what he could to help the team be successful.
"We always tell our guys when we get through a season if there is a position change you would like to make, we could take it under consideration. When we look at the puzzle pieces, it turns out to be a blessing. With his speed and athleticism, we can put that on the opposite side of Payton McKee and we have a guy who can stretch the field. He's been like a duck in water at receiver."
McClendon wasn't able to learn much about his new position until late in the summer because of his involvement in baseball. Since he was a quarterback, one might expect him to catch on quickly because he already knew the routes receivers are supposed to run.
It didn't take him to realize that knowing the routes was one thing, but running those routes was a different story.
"It was a different experience," McClendon said. "I wasn't that good at it. It felt awkward lining up, and catching the ball is different. Having the ball thrown to me was a lot different than me throwing the ball. But I came around and eventually figured out how to catch the ball.
"Some days I kind of wish I could throw the ball around some, but I do like receiver. I have no regrets on that, and I think it's been a great change for me."
Wood, however, hasn't forgotten about McClendon's ability to throw the ball. Har-Ber elected to try a double pass in its game against North Little Rock, and McClendon threw the ball back to Buchanan for a 25-yard gain.
McClendon's talents aren't just limited to receiving, either. Har-Ber faced a fourth-and-2 on its 42 last week against Northside when Wood called on McClendon -- who is also the Wildcats' punter -- to fake the punt and run, and the result was a 3-yard gain and a first down late in the third quarter.
"That's another thing we like about Drue," Wood said. "He gives us another opportunity and another threat out there. He can throw the ball, run reverses like that and other stuff. He also lets us do some things in the kicking game. He's sort of a jack of all trades for us.
"I like him being at punter just because of his ability to flatline speed. Those were some hard yards he picked up on that fake punt, and he took a big hit on the play after he picked up the first down. We do the rugby-style punt with him because of that because he is a threat and he also allows some of our other players to get down the field and cover the punt."