Trojans to collide with Panthers
Two teams that have striking similarities will square off one of the state’s biggest stages to open the 2018 season on Monday.
Parkers Chapel and Fouke, who are both looking to qualify for the playoffs for the sixth straight year, meet at the Hooten’s Kickoff Classic at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia.
Both schools have their quarterbacks back who are both juniors in Parkers Chapel’s Caleb Jacobs and Fouke’s Hunter Lansdell.
They also have a similar number of starters returning on both sides of the ball.
But there have also been some twists and turns that make this contest one of the more interesting across the state.
The Trojans had their scrimmage rained out, so Monday’s game will be their first live competition against another school.
The Panthers are also dealing with a significant distraction with the abrupt retirement of coach Rick Barker.
The Texarkana Gazette reported Thursday that Barker retired from his position during a special school board meeting Monday following his arrest on a public intoxication charge earlier this month.
For Parkers Chapel coach Jacob Midyett, preparing for the Panthers has meant going back to watch film of Fouke’s games from last year.
“Personally, I’ve watched their last game about 75 times,” Midyett chuckled.
“That what we have to look at, but we also know they lost two big seniors on offense who were a big part of it.
“They’re bringing back about half of their offense and defense kind of like we are, so even watching last year’s film, you get a sense of what they want to do, but you don’t know exactly what they’re going to do.”
From the information the Trojans have gathered, Midyett said his team faces a tough challenge with the Panthers’ size.
“From what we know, they’re going to be a big, physical team,” Midyett said. “They pride themselves on their O-line. I think their O-line and D-line will definitely be their strengths. The quarterback is back from last year, and he did a really good job of managing that offense.
“We think they’re going to be more of a run-heavy team and they seem to want to throw it when they’re ready to. They try to set you up. We’ve got a big test in front of us.”
Stopping the run was a problem at times for the Trojans last year, and Midyett said this will be an opportunity for the Trojans to reverse that trend.
“That’s what we’re going to see mostly in our conference is power and run it right at you,” Midyett said.
“We’ve got to prove not only to ourselves, but to everybody else that we can stop that. Until we do, we’re going to keep seeing it.
“These games are really going to prepare ourselves and give us a look that we’re going to see later in the year when it really matters.”
As far as not having a scrimmage is concerned, Midyett said it could help his team in the future.
“It’s a little concern, but we’ve discussed it as a group and talked about how it makes us really have to emphasize what we do and the little things,” Midyett said. “I think it will help us in the long run because it’s a long, grueling season, and that’s one less game we have to go against somebody else.”
Although the Trojans didn’t scrimmage, they did hold their annual Blue & White Game on Tuesday.
“We’re getting there,” Midyett said. “We’re getting better. Obviously, any coach is going to worry about not seeing a different opponent, but I think we’ll be a little hungrier and maybe a little more excited to hit somebody else. We just have to be able to control our emotions and not let it get the best of us.”
The last time the Trojans and Panthers played back in 2009, Midyett was Parkers Chapel’s quarterback.
Now the Trojans’ second-year coach believes that if the Trojans are to come away with a win, they must control the tempo.
“We’ve got to be able to control the tempo,” Midyett said. “We’ve got to be able to move fast and slow it down when we want to. We’ve got to be able to control their defensive line and be able to match their physicality on offense.”