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PAGE 2B
^Reporter
August 27, 2008
2007 Finish: 7-4
(4-1 in Region 4A-AAA)
Lost to Carver-Columbus
in round 1 of state play
offs. Carver eventually
won the AAA state cham
pionship.
KEY RETURNING
PLAYERS:
Offensive line:
Five of the front six
are back this year -
Jadarius Hamlin, Devin
Chambliss, Kiavon
Jones, Billy Stephens
and Marquis Perkins.
Devarick Jones - return
ing defensive starter who
will be playing defensive
tackle again this year.
Tevin Davis - as a fresh
man he exploded on de
fense. Last year, as a soph
omore, Davis led the Dogs
in tackles. He’s even bigger
and stronger this year. Can
also play fullback.
Quin King - double
threat. Will be starting in
the linebacker position but
will also be playing plenty
of offense as a running
back.
Jeffry Powers - expected
to start at tailback, but can
also play fullback.
Chris Bowden - leading
receiver for the Dogs in
2007.
THE SKINNY: If there
ever was a year in recent
memory when the Bull
dogs should go all the
way, this could be the
year. The team is loaded
with talent and experi
ence. All those freshmen
and sophomores who were
starting in 2006 are now
juniors and seniors.
They’re stronger and
(hopefully) wiser now. The
Bulldogs did lose some
good players, but way more
than half of the starters
are back.
In 2007, the Bulldogs
had to play catch-up all
year. They fell behind early
and had to push. On one
hand that shows a desire
to win, to not give up. But,
the Dogs have the ability
to take control early on
and keep it. The Bulldogs
have a real chance to win
the region. They must beat
Jackson and must make it
past round one of the state
play-offs for the 2008 sea
son to be considered a suc
cess.
Let’s just hope the
lethargic Bulldogs we saw
in Washington County
have woken up and are
ready to play come Friday
night. It seems so basic,
but the Bulldogs have to
play all four quarters if
they want to win the close
ones and annihilate the
weak.
Mark Your
Calendar !
Aug. 28
Gold Rush • 7 p.m.
Dan Pitts Stadium at
Mitchell Field
Admission is free. Come
cheer on the Bulldogs as
they begin a new season.
Aug. 29
MP vs. Morgan Co.
7:30 p.m.
Dan Pitts Stadium at
Mitchell Field.
$6 Advance tickets
available at T-Screens,
Monroe County Bank
and Radio Shack
Sept. 26 • 7:30 p.m.
Backyard Brawl
MP vs. Jackson
7:30 p.m.
Back to Red Devil Hill
Oct. 3
Homecoming
MP vs. Woodland
7:30 p.m.
Bulldogs vow to get tough
‘We KNOW WE’RE
EXPECTED TO BE BETTER’
Mary Persons Coach Rodney
Walker came away from the
scrimmage with Washington
County Aug. 15 scratching his
head and wondering what
happened.
“I just don’t think we
played very well,” said
Walker. “I don’t think
we were mentally
ready to play. I don’t
think we were excit
ed. We were never
there.”
Walker said the
two words he used
were disappoint
ment and tough
ness.
“I think that pret
ty well described
how that game
went. We were disap
pointed because we
didn’t show up to play
and there was a lack of
toughness,” said Walker.
With nine returning
starters on each side of the
ball, Walker knows he has a
talented and skilled team, but
says they simply did not show up
to play against Washington
County. Walker says he hopes he
and the assistant coaches can
whip the team into shape by
Friday night.
Since the WACO scrimmage,
practices have focused on funda
mentals.
“We’ve been trying to get better
fundamentally and we’re trying
to get tougher,” said Walker.
“We’re trying to fix both those
areas.”
The basic Bulldog strategy
remains the same for 2007, says
Walker. All but one of the coaches
are back. Replacing Lee Hannah
as cornerback coach is Denarius
Thomas.
The offensive line is pretty
much the same as last year. Back
are Jadarius Hamlin, Devin
Chambliss, Kiavon Jones, Billy
Stephens and Marquis Perkins.
Despite
a few adjustments, the offensive
strategy will mimic last year. But
don’t expect too many fancy plays
involving quarterback Drew
Coleman, says Walker. “We’re
going to try not to put as much
on the quarterback,” he says.
Look for sophomore Kenny
Peterman to get a good bit of
playing time at tightend, freeing
up Marquis Perkins to play more
defense.
Daniel Weeks will also be in at
tightend and Nick Watson will be
playing some offensive tackle.
Also look for Devarick Jones at
offensive guard from time to
time.
There are three starters return
ing on the defensive line, Willie
Stewart, Daniel Weeks and
Devarick Jones.
“We’ve got two kids to replace
up there,” said Walker.
Returning at linebacker is
Tevin Davis and Meshari
Walton will also be play
ing in the linebacker
position.
“We’ve got seven
guys up there who
played in numerous
games last year,”
said Walker. “That
will be the
strength of our
defense. We’ve
got good experi
ence. We’ve just
got to get them a
little tougher and
play a little hard
er.”
Walker said the
1 defense and offense
W have been scrim-
maging against each
, V other during recent
practices.
Walker said secondary
V remains in question,
although they played better
than the linemen in the WACO
scrimmage.
Walker says there is no magic
bullet.
“We know we’re expected to be
better because we’ve got a lot of
players who have played a lot the
last two years,” said Walker.
“We’ve got the strongest senior
class since I’ve been the head
coach. With those two factors we
ought to be better. But it’s not
going to happen because it ought
to be. Our kids have got to real
ize you’ve got to work for it every
day.”
With the region realignment
gone are the sub-regions. Mary
Persons must play eight region
games. At the end of the regular
season, the top four teams earn a
trip to the state play-offs.
Projected Starters
OFFENSE
POS. PLAYER YR.
Jeffry Powers #24
Chris Bowden #2
Kenny Peterman #10 So.
Devin Chambliss #76 Sr.
Jadarius Hamlin #73 Sr.
Kiavon Jones # 64
Ben Pierson #66
Unknown
Drew Coleman #16
Billy Stephens #57
Cory Nash #41
K James Brooks #99 Jr.
DEFENSE
POS.
NAME
YR,
DL
Jamodi Chambliss #54
Sr.
DL
Devarick Jones #55
Jr.
NG
Jav Love #48
Jr.
DE
Daniel Weeks #19
Jr.
DE
Marquis Perkins #11
Sr.
LB
Tevin Davis #5
Jr..
LB
Meshari Walton #28
Jr.
CB
Undecided
CB
Undecided
S
Garrick James #15
Sr.
s
Jonathan Maior #9
Jr.
p
Devin Chambliss #52
Sr.
All eyes will be on senior Drew Coleman (16) as he makes his debut as the Bulldogs’ starting quarterback.
POSITION
BREAKDOWN
QUARTERBACKS
With the graduation of Caleb
Wilds, MP finds its biggest area of
concern is the lack of experience in
the quarterback position. Senior
Drew Coleman is expected to be the
go-to guy this year. Coleman did see
some playing time last season, but
not a lot. Walker says Coleman has
come a long way and he expects to
see continued improvement as the
season progresses, but will not put
too much on Coleman at the begin
ning of the season. The back-up has
not been decided. Junior Dustin
Calder has been hurt and freshman
Taylor Williams may compete, as
will sophomore Jakendrick Walker
and freshman Taylor Williams.
RUNNING BACKS
This is the area where the Bull
dogs still have depth and remains a
strong part of the team. The Dogs
have power and speed in this area.
Fullback Cory Nash has emerged as
one of the most consistent players on
the team. Tevin Davis will also play
fullback some. Nash has shown his
determination and will probably win
a starting position this week. Also
back are Jeffry Powers, Meshari
Walton and Quin King in the tail
back position. Davis, Walton and
King will probably start on defense
but will be spot playing on offense.
Walker plans to switch them up
quite a bit.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Dormant for most of 2007, the
Bulldog passing game finally sprang
to life in the OT win over Spalding.
It was then that Chris Bowden
emerged as a factor. Walker says the
team is expecting big things from
Bowden this year. Other wide outs
include a bunch of rookies Kendall
Head, Malcolm Redding, Marcus
Lucas and Andrew Estes.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The offensive line should be the
strongest part of the Bulldog team.
There are five returning offensive
line starters - Jadarius Hamlin,
Devin Chambliss, Marquis Perkins
and Billy Stephens. Four of the guys
have been starting or at least play
ing often for two years. MP boasts
the largest offensive line ever, with
the average weight over 250. Do not
expect too many fundamental
changes. Offensive line coach Grant
Chesnut will continue to push the
line as far as he can to toughen them
up. Ben Pierson and Kevin Jones are
battling to replace Matt Travillion,
who graduated, in the the center po
sition.
DEFENSIVE LINE
The defense is another strong area
for the Bulldogs. There are seven
players up front who started numer
ous games last year. Defensive tack
le Devarick Jones is back for the
fourth year. Three starters are
back - Daniel Weeks, Devarick
Jones and Willie Stewart. Perkins
has moved to defensive end. In at
linebacker will be Tevin Davis,
and Meshari Walton will take
over as the other linebacker.
“We’ve got good experience,” says
Walker. “We just got to get them to
play a little harder.”
One thing that helps, says Walk
er, is going up against the offen
sive line every day. Sophomore Jay
Love appears to be the choice for
nose guard, beating out a returning
I starter. He’s had a good summer,
says Walker. Also in at defensive
tackle will be Willie Stewart or
Daniel Weeks.
LINEBACKERS AND
SECONDARY
The secondary remains the
biggest question mark for the Bull
dogs again this year. The only one
with any experience is Garrick
James. The other three guys back
there will be starting for the first
time. For the two corner spots Walk
er says ut’s a toss-up between Quin
King, Brandyn Jackson, Chaz Avery
( and Dominique Robertson. The oth
er safeties will be Jonathan Majors
and Jordan Harvey. Expect to see
Chris Bowden at safety as well.
SPECIAL TEAMS
James Brooks will handle
extra points and field goals. He
may also punt some. Also per
forming punting duty will be
Devin Chambliss. The holder
will probably be Dustin Calder.