The Siloam Springs football team is optimistic about its new defense heading into the 2014 season, and that was evident in the first two days of fall football practice.
The Panthers wrapped up their first two days in shorts and helmets on Tuesday morning after their second three-hour workout. The team will don shoulder pads for today's workouts and full pads later in the week.
And even though it's hard to gauge without full pads, it appeared the defense may have been a step ahead of the offense in Tuesday's practice.
"It's hard to tell without pads on, but the defense should be ahead of where the offense is," said Siloam Springs head coach Bryan Ross. "We want to be good defensively. We would love to know that our defense is going to hold the opponent down."
The Panthers' defense gave up an average of 425 yards per game defensively a year ago playing in the 7A/6A-West Conference -- one that is noted for prolific offenses. However, the Panthers did force 22 turnovers last year, and on Tuesday the defense got its share in passing drills.
Junior cornerbacks Coby Roach and Matt Downing each had picks, and the defense also recovered a fumble in a drill toward the end of practice.
"I think everybody's excited to be out here, especially with our new defense," said senior Tyler Burke, who moves from safety to cornerback in new defensive coordinator Marc Jones' scheme. "We all love the new defense. We're ready to see how it looks on the field."
Burke is one of several three-year starters on the defense. He said the position change for him isn't a big deal.
"I'll play wherever they need me to," he said. "If they need me to play corner, I'll play corner."
Senior linebacker David Goodman, another three-year starter, said it's been fun to be practicing again.
"I think there's a little more attitude with the defensive system that we're putting in and the level of intensity Coach Jones demands from us," Goodman said. "It's different for everybody. It makes it a lot more fun."
Burke echoed those statements on the new defensive coordinator.
"Coach Jones has done a great job," Burke said. "He's very positive. We have a great outlook on the whole defense and what the future for our defense is going to be like.
"We're ready. This is a different Panther team than Siloam is used to. I hope they're ready to see a change."
The Panthers practiced at an up-tempo pace, and Ross said that was intentional.
"We want to practice fast," he said. "We want to have that mindset that when we step between those white lines, that every effort is game speed. We don't want a difference between practice speed and game speed. We want game speed all the time."
Overall Ross said he was pleased with the first two days of practice. The Panthers had 80 high school players at Tuesday's practice.
"It's awesome to look out there and see that many kids and everybody working and on the same page," Ross said. "I couldn't be more pleased right now. ... I'm tickled to death with what we've done the first two days. Hopefully we can keep that up."
Pierce joins team
One of the better athletes at Siloam Springs who recently joined the football team is senior Keetun Pierce.
Pierce, who played football through eighth grade, is a starter on the Panthers' basketball team.
"About three weeks ago, he called me and texted me and said he thought he wanted to play football," Ross said. "We've been talking to him for a couple of years. We're happy he decided to do it."
Pierce has been getting reps at outside linebacker on defense.
"Coach Jones thinks he can help us," Ross said.
Pierce isn't the only newcomer to the program. Several others have joined, Ross said.
"We had a couple of kids that never played before that came to me and said they wanted to play," he said. "Kid expresses that interest, and if he's going to do what's asked of him or required, we're happy to give them that shot. You never know until you give them that chance."
Sports on 08/06/2014