GENTRY -- For a Class 4A school, Gentry head football coach Paul Ernest believes that a roster in the mid- to upper-30s is a little lower than he'd normally like.
But when it comes to the 2017 Pioneers football team, it's not the quantity of players that matters as much as it is the quality.
"We've got a lot of kids that can play," said Ernest. "We think they're the right 39 kids."
The Pioneers, 2-8 in 2016, return seven starters on offense and seven more on defense from a team that was close to being a .500 ball club a year ago.
Gentry lost 20-16 in its season-opener at Lavaca and had a pair of eight-point setbacks, 52-44 at Berryville and 42-34 at home against Lincoln in 4A-1 Conference games. Different results in those games would have put another outlook on how the Pioneers' season turned out.
"We lost some close games," Ernest said. "We competed better last year. We were in some close games. We seemed to still make that key mistake on offense. We would put the ball on the ground on third-and-one or give up a long touchdown. Berryville, Huntsville (a 28-14 loss), Lincoln -- all three games we were in winnable situations and couldn't close the games."
Ernest, now in his third season at Gentry, believes this group of Pioneers can turn the corner in 2017.
"I think that this group can be as good as they want to be," said Ernest, who is 5-15 in two years. "There's a lot more than the on-the-field preparation. We need to have some success early and believe that we can compete with some teams that have been using us as their whipping boy. Shiloh Christian, Prairie Grove and Pea Ridge, all three were in the semifinals last year. Our kids hold them up on a pedestal."
Ernest said he's seeing more energy and excitement through the program in his third season.
"We've got good kids," he said. "They're willing to work and put the time in during the summer. We've had a good summer turnout. You can kind of see sort of a culture change in our kids in how they're behaving and working through practice."
The Pioneers will once again turn to quarterback Jon Faulkenberry to help guide an offense that's returning to a two-back scheme from the flexbone of last year.
"We're going back to what I know," said Ernest.
Faulkenberry, a senior, was an all-conference selection in 2016 after rushing for more than 1,700 yards and 25 touchdowns and passing for nearly 750 yards and five more scores.
"Faulkenberry is a run-pass threat and a hard-working kid that leads by example," Ernest said. "He shows up to work every day and looks for improvement. We like the ball in his hands and he's going to control what we do on the offensive side."
Faulkenberry gets most of his attention from being able to run the ball, but Ernest said he's a good passer as well.
"He throws it real well," Ernest said. "He had a good 7-on-7 summer. He learned a lot and definitely improved. We've seen a lot out of him so far in the fall."
The Pioneers are also high on sophomore quarterback Brandon Atwood, who led Gentry's junior high team to a 7-3 season in 2016.
"(Atwood) pushes Jon every day," Ernest said. "He's a good hand. He rushed more than 20 touchdowns and 1,500 yards in junior high. He already threw it well and he's throwing it better every day."
Gentry had six running backs that saw action last year and several return this season.
Ernest said work in a two-back set will be by committee and that the Pioneers will feature various backs by position not on who is carrying the ball.
Senior Myles McFerron leads the group after rushing for more than 550 yards and four touchdowns last year.
"We would like to use Myles as our pounder and grinder," Ernest said.
Junior Devin Ellis gives the Pioneers a speed option, and Ernest said both McFerron and Ellis catch the ball well out of the back field and "block about the way a running back should block."
Senior Tanner Christie, sophomore Jose Barrios, Hunter Butler, Dylan Kilgore and Charlie Rheams will also see some carries out of the backfield.
The Pioneers switched to the flexbone offense last season because they felt like they lacked experience at wide receiver, but that's not the case in 2017.
Now Gentry has a surplus of playmakers at wideout.
"We feel pretty good about that group," Ernest said.
Junior Peyton Wright returns at a slot receiver position, while senior Garrett Matthews can play inside and outside receiver spots after playing running back last year.
"We've got to find a way to get the ball in his hands," Ernest said of Matthews.
Junior wide receiver Dylan Rayburn has worked hard in the offseason and "definitely come a long way" at the position. Senior Logan Linton provides the Pioneers a big target at wide receiver, while Daniel Thao and Dylan Kilgore give the Pioneers more height after joining the team from basketball.
"I really think the Kilgore kid can be a Division II player," Ernest said. "He's undersized as far as D-I, but he catches the ball as well as anybody I've ever worked with. He's a big target and our quarterbacks love having him out there because he's a big kid and easy to see."
Trent Gore, Khang Yang and Rowdy Trammell have improved at wide receiver and give the Pioneers even more depth at wide receiver.
"We've also got some sophomores that are starting to pick it up and play in the mix," Ernest said. Included in that group of sophomores is Atwood, the backup quarterback, who Ernest envisions will find his way on to the field.
Probably the biggest surprise at wide receiver is Ben Philpot, Earnest said.
"He's a kid that just does everything right," Ernest said. "He won't be a gamebreaker, but he runs good routes. He'll catch the ball."
Sophomores Kyle Dilbeck and Azriah Wood are also seeing action at wide receiver and tight end, along with Christie and Wood.
The Pioneers return four players with experience along the offensive line.
Senior Mason Clark is back at left tackle, while Tomas Gomez moves from guard to center. J.T. Crosby returns at right tackle, while Matthew Nance is fighting for time at a guard spot.
Garrett Hays played defense only as a sophomore but will see some time on the offensive line.
The Pioneers also like sophomore Ross Wilmoth, who is pushing Gomez at center.
Konnor Hodges moves from center to right guard, where he's competing with Brett Hester. Kerlose Ruzek also could see playing time on the offensive line at tackle or guard.
"We're having good competitive practices," Ernest said. "We're getting better because our depth is better."
Defensively the Pioneers will operate out of an odd-man front along their defensive line, but they can adjust to personnel as needed, according to defensive coordinator Daniel Ramsey.
The defensive line will be anchored by Clark and Crosby, and several other players who will be going both ways.
Clark will handle the nose guard position in the middle, while the two defensive tackle positions will be a rotation of Crosby, Connor Hodge and Chance Cooper.
Clark is Gentry's biggest player at 6-4, 270 pounds.
"He's very athletic," Ramsey said.
Cooper is extremely strong in the weight room and can bench press more than 330 pounds, Ramsey said.
"I stop at 330 because that's as much as our bars can hold," he said.
Crosby, who's also a wrestler also gives the Pioneers good size up front, Ramsey said.
Ruzek, Gomez, Kilgore, Wilmoth, Cody Ortel also could see some time on the defensive line.
The Pioneers will play with four linebackers. Christie and McFerron and Nance will man the outside backers positions, while Ellis and Hays are the inside backers.
Christie can actually play both inside and outside, while McFerron makes the move to linebacker from defensive end. Gore, Butler and Berrios also provide depth at the linebacker positions.
The Pioneers are going to try to let Faulkenberry see the field some on defense at a free safety position. Atwood will play at free safety as well. Linton may also see some time at that spot, Ramsey said.
Wright and Rheams will rotate at a strong safety spot.
"Peyton had a great 7-on-7," Ramsey said. "He's a good hand back there."
Mathews will play a cornerback position along with Rayburn. Atwood could help at corner along with Tao and Yang.
"For us it'll be spelling those kids and getting those guys a blow knowing they're going to have to go both on offense and defense," Ramsey said. "The key will be if we can handle teams up front and double team guys up front and free up the linebackers. We have a lot of experience. All of these guys have played since their sophomore or junior year. They've weathered through the hard time as sophomores and got better last year."
Sports on 08/23/2017