By James Pugh
Many of the faces that helped contribute, in tangible ways, to three straight winning seasons at Northeast Jones are gone. But head football coach Keith Braddock is cautious from using the word “young” to describe this year’s squad.
“If you look around, we’ve lost a lot of those kids,” said Braddock. “This year they’re a lot of new faces. Now I wouldn’t use the word young because we have a lot of seniors playing this year. I would say we’re inexperienced.
“I think we might have a chance to be good this season again if we can get our guys seasoned early with some experience.”
The inexperienced is best shown in the number of returning starters on offense. The Tigers have just one, offensive lineman Brock Culpepper.
Northeast Jones escaped major change during the offseason, a change, coupled with this season’s lack of experience, that would have put a larger mountain ahead of the Tigers to climb. The school narrowly missed a move upward in classifications from 4A to 5A.
Offense
Northeast Jones has been more balanced on offense in recent years. Quarterbacks’ Caleb West and Tyler Landrum were seasoned enough to mix and match the run game with the passing attack. This season, with the quarterback position in question, the offense will have to turn one dimensional. Braddock hopes it’s just for the time being.
“Whether it’s Jalen Keys [sophomore], Mason Smith [sophomore]K. D. or Javier Magee [at quarterback],” said Braddock, “we are going to need to take some pressure off those guys by running the football.
“And we always want to be able to run the football, but early on that is what we must do to be good later on down the stretch and get that balance we want to have.”
Of the three quarterbacks’ Braddock mentioned, Magee is the only one with game time experience. In the off-season, Smith made strides to be the frontrunner according to Braddock, who also noted the position is still up for grabs.
Jazaylon Morris will carry the load at running back this season. The junior played back-up to K. D. Newell last season as a sophomore, carrying the ball 71 times for 559 yards and eight touchdowns.
Senior Brock Culpepper will lead the charge on the offensive front for the Tigers.
Defense
While inexperience labels this year’s squad on offense, Braddock can rest easy on defense, especially is the case with this season’s group of linebackers.
“Most all of our linebackers have played before,” said Braddock. “We have experience that those positions. There’s a sense of comfort [to me] at linebacker. Those guys have been in the fire. They know what to expect. Those will be the guys that will have to lead us and make tackles.”
Curt Parker and Tyreece Hudson, who combined for a total of 140 solo take-downs last season as a sophomore and junior, respectively, returns on defense.
Hudson holds scholarship offers from JCJC. He also recorded 8.5 sacks last year.
Scattered at the other positions will be some experience as well.
Special teams note: Malachi Harrison returns this year for his senior season as a kicker. Harrison was named to the Class 4A First Team Offense by the Mississippi Gridiron Magazine.
