Smackover eager to return to gridiron after long layoff.
The first four weeks of the season have been rather unique for Smackover.
After playing two games in six days, the Bucks enter their 5-3A opener Friday at Centerpoint having been idle for 20 days.
Game time is set for 7 p.m.
The Bucks (2-1) have a win and a loss by forfeit coupled with a home win over Junction City, while the Knights (2-1) have won two straight, scoring a combined 89 points in wins over Murfreesboro and Mountain Pine.
“They run a two-back offense, and the quarterback runs it pretty good,” said Smackover coach Brian Brown. “On defense, they have a three-man front, and the linebackers are active.”
Junior Landon Way scored three touchdowns last week, including one on special teams, and Brown said Way is the
first of a wave of solid running backs the Bucks will have to find a way to stop during conference play.
“He’s got some moves, and it sounds simple and old school, but we have to tackle him,” Brown said. “Blocking and tackling, we’ve been working on that and talking with our kids about staying with blocks, and then on defense, tackling.
“If we can keep doing that, I think we’re fine. We’re going to see backs all year. I know Prescott, Harmony Grove and Fouke and the rest of the district all have them, so we’ve got to take it week to week and tackle the guy that’s in front of us.”
When asked if he thought his team would be rusty after such a long layoff, Brown said his team would be ready to go.
“We took some time that first week we were off and sent the kids home a couple of times and kind of got well,” Brown said.
“That two games in six days was tough on our kids and our coaches, so we took a little time off there, and they’ve come back. It’s almost like it’s the first game if the year, so they’re really chomping at the bit to get ready to play.”
Brown added that the unique start to the season has allowed the staff to get extra work in.
“It’s given us some time though to get some things done that normally we probably wouldn’t have,” Brown said.
“During football season, you’re really, really just chomping at the bit each week, and you really don’t have time. We’ve been able to put some things in and do some things that we normally wouldn’t be able to get to do until the middle of the season.”
Although the start of the season has been far from normal, Brown said everyone adjusted to it.
“If you’re in it day to day, sometimes it doesn’t seem as crazy as it does on the outside,” Brown said.
“Our kids are going to school and practicing and doing things that kids do, so with us, it’s not quite as crazy as it would seem outside of our little circle. It’s different, and I’ve never had it happen, but it’s one of those things that you get through. I’m just glad that we’re going to be playing on Friday.”
During their break, the Bucks got word that senior Greg Turner would be eligible for the rest of the season.
“It’s good for him,” Brown said. “The whole deal was about the kid. He’s a special player. He brings a lot of physicality to our team. It’s good for him. I think this is going to blossom into something special.”
If the Bucks are to open conference play with a win, Brown said they must run the ball and avoid penalties.
“We’ve got to do some of the things that we’ve done,” Brown said. “We’ve got to run the ball. We’ve got to limit penalties, which we’ve done a great job of doing. In the kicking game, we’ve got to be able to punt and kickoff and cover and just tackle.
“I think our coaches do a great job of getting their kids in the right spots. We’ve just got to tackle and block, and the kicking game is so important for us. We’ve got to make plays.”