DECATUR -- Fifth-year Decatur coach Shane Holland knows all about fighting the numbers game with the Bulldogs football program.
Every year when fall practice opens the first week of August, Decatur is short on players and it's usually the start of school before all the Bulldogs have arrived for practices.
"We're a very small district," Holland said. "We play 2A football because that's the smallest playing classification in Arkansas. We're really a middle-of-the-road 1A team. Numbers are always going to be kind of iffy and this year is more so than in years past.
"You compound that with the fact we're a very impoverished district. You have kids that work all summer in jobs. I understand they've gotta do that. In some cases they're helping feed brothers and sisters. They're helping their families survive. It is what it is. It's a completely different world."
Holland began fall practice with around 10 players, the same amount that were around during the summer for workouts and conditioning.
Since the start of school on Aug. 17, those numbers have risen to 19 players. But the ones who showed up late are also behind because the start of the season is right around the corner.
"Progresswise we are very, very behind," Holland said. "Fortunately I've been here five years, so defensively in coverage schemes, we can go out there and run our coverage schemes day one. The (defensive) front, three of my four years here we've run the same front. Those calls are going to be the same. Offensively it's going to be a struggle because we don't know who we're going to have."
Holland said Decatur struggled to find five linemen early in August and had only one running back.
"It's hard to find a lot of things to do with those low numbers," Holland said. "Now today we've got our kids in here and I can look at us and we come up with a plan and do what we think gives us the best chance.
"We're going to have to be good on defense and play good on special teams to be competitive."
Holland said conditioning would be a factor.
"These kids that we've had all summer and have been with us the last two weeks are in pretty good shape," he said. "Their conditioning is pretty good. The mental part of that stuff is pretty good, but these new kids who are coming out now, conditioning is not good. We have to make some allowances there. We have to back up now and reteach some of those concepts that the other kids know simply because they haven't been here."
At quarterback, junior Leng Lee (5-foot-6, 135) started six games at quarterback last year in place of injured starter Victor Urquidi during Decatur's 3-7 season.
"Leng's taken a lot of snaps. He understands the offense well," Holland said. "He's very intelligent. Leng is a good football player."
Sophomore Alex Lee (5-6, 150) went through the bulk of the offseason and summer as Decatur's only running back.
The Bulldogs got a boost at the start of school when senior Meng Vang (5-10, 197) returned to the team after not playing in 2014.
Vang played quarterback and linebacker for the Bulldogs in 2013 when Urquidi was lost for the season with injury.
"Two years ago, he was one of our best players," Holland said.
The Bulldogs will use Vang as a fullback in their current set-up.
The Bulldogs don't have a lot of wide receivers, but Holland likes the ones they have.
Senior Ray Haisman (5-8, 131) is a good athlete who ran the sprint for the Bulldogs' track team.
Junior Wyatt Bingham (6-1, 140) also plays receiver and junior Ryan Shaffer (5-11, 150) has "improved a ton from last year and is much more confident."
Senior Tyler Riddle (6-0, 171) and senior Kyle Shaffer (5-10, 157) play tight end for the Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs have enough bodies on their offensive line now.
"Not any excess," Holland said, "but we might have a couple of subs."
Junior Brandon Coker (5-9, 213) is back, as is junior Cameron Shaffer (5-6, 205). Both started 10 games last season.
Coker will play tackle, while Cameron Shaffer will play center or guard.
Senior Jesse Collins (6-3, 230) will play another tackle spot and is a "big ol' kid," Holland said.
Sophomore Sebastian Perez (5-6, 162) will play a guard spot. Sophomores Tanner Duncan (6-0, 182) and Jacob Bevill (6-0, 178) also will get some work on the offensive line.
"We have a few," Holland said, "there's enough to make a line."
Defensively, the Bulldogs will run a 4-2-5, returning to a four-man front after playing a 3-4 in 2014.
"We're going to go back to a 4-2-5," Holland said. "We've only got to find two tackles inside. That's important."
Coker is a "strong enough kid" who could play inside on the defensive line, as could Cameron and Collins.
"That's three kids to play two spots," Holland said.
The defensive ends could be a toss up, Holland said.
Riddle and Kyle Shaffer both run well and could be used at defensive end.
Depending on what happens with the Bulldogs' linebackers, Van could play an end as well, Holland said.
"He's played end before and is a really good end," Holland said. "He can play for anybody in our league. If our linebackers don't come through, he'll be a linebacker. If he's a linebacker he'll be one of the better linebackers in the league. He's a good football player."
Sophomores Jesse Dutton (5-9, 150) and Makenzie Wilmoth (6-0, 192) are also working on the defensive line.
Alex Lee plays linebacker. He was brought up to the varsity squad as a freshman at the end of last season and played well inside, Holland said.
Perez is another linebacker candidate.
"They both run pretty well and have good motors," Holland said of Alex Lee and Perez.
Sophomore Johnny Brandon (5-6, 128) also plays linebacker.
The Bulldogs will employ a 'bandit' -- or outside linebacker -- in their defense.
Junior Troy Kell (5-7, 147) played a lot as a sophomore, including starting several games.
Leng Lee is the only cornerback returning with any starting experience.
Haisman could be a corner or a safety, Holland said.
Ryan Shaffer returns at safety.
Exchange student David Lopez of Spain has joined the team and will work at place kicker.
Sports on 08/26/2015