Panthers offense looks to rebound

n Plenty of new faces will be seen at multiple positions.

Siloam Springs' offense struggled to move the ball at times in 2016 as injuries took their toll all over the field.

The Panthers averaged just more than 250 yards a game -- the lowest average in several years. Siloam Springs scored 167 points in 10 games, for an average of 16.7 points per game and the Panthers were shutout twice.

Quarterbacks

Graduated senior Luke Lampton rushed for 648 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2016, while passing for 1,295 yards, eight touchdowns and 16 interceptions.

The Panthers will now turn to a pair of underclassmen to man the quarterback position in 2017 in junior L.T. Ellis and sophomore Taylor Pool.

"I've been very pleased with both of them," said Siloam Springs head coach Bryan Ross, who also is the team's offensive playcaller. "I can see both of them playing."

While Lampton was more of a running threat, Ross said both Ellis and Pool are more of a threat throwing the football.

Ellis appears to be a little ahead of Pool in fall practice, Ross said.

"But Taylor's got a bright future," Ross said. "You're always just one play away. It's nice to have two guys you feel can move the ball and move the team."

Ellis (5-foot-10, 157) played in a few games as a sophomore, including seeing extensive playing time in the Panthers' loss against Greenwood when Lampton went down with an injury. Ellis completed 6 of 14 passes for 63 yards and one interception in that game.

On the season he completed 9 of 27 passes for 109 yards with two interceptions.

"L.T.'s a competitor," Ross said. "He plays multiple sports and he likes to compete. The thing I like about him is he's coachable. If you get on him a little bit and coach him hard, he responds well. He's still going to make some mistakes from not having as much experience, but he learns from his mistakes."

Ellis also plays basketball and baseball for the Panthers, while Pool also plays baseball. Both started on the baseball team as a sophomore and freshman, respectively, last year.

Ross said Ellis really throws the ball well and has the capability of running it.

"He's mobile enough where he can be more of a scrambler type," Ross said. "He scrambles more to give himself a chance to throw."

Pool (5-10, 154) was slated to start for the freshman team last year but missed the entire season with a broken hand.

"He had a good spring for us," Ross said of Pool. "I've been really pleased with him. He seems to be a student of the game. I've got a lot of confidence in him too. He's got a strong arm. He spins it well. He gets good location on it. I feel good about the abilities of our kids to do what we want them to do."

Sophomore Tate Criner (5-9, 138) played some quarterback as a freshman when Pool went down. He'll get some reps at quarterback throughout the junior varsity season and practices.

Running backs

Ross hopes a strong running game will help the Panthers' young quarterbacks as the season goes on.

Junior running back Kaiden Thrailkill figures to be a big piece of the Panthers' rushing attack.

Thrailkill opened the 2016 season as the Panthers' starting running back as a sophomore, but he sprained an ankle in the first quarter against Rogers.

The injury limited Thrailkill through the first six games of the year as he only rushed for 66 yards on 38 carries.

Toward the end of the season, the Panthers began to see what a healthy Thrailkill could do. He rushed for 52 yards at Lake Hamilton and then 32 more yards against El Dorado.

Then in Week 9 at Texarkana, Thrailkill carried a team-high 20 times for 115 yards. In the season finale in Week 10 against Russellville, Thrailkill carried nine times for 85 yards and also caught two passes for 69 yards, for 154 all purpose yards.

Thrailkill finished the season with 89 carries for 350 yards (3.9 yards per carry) and 11 catches for 141 yards.

Now a junior, the 5-10, 186-pound running back is heading into the 2017 season healthy and ready to go.

"Kaiden's just a quality young man," Ross said. "He tried to play on that ankle because the team needed him. I've got a lot of respect for that. He just goes out there and plays football. He's a good one."

Thrailkill will be joined in the backfield by senior Kevin Canales and junior Dalton Ferguson.

Canales (5-7, 194), a team captain, rushed for 57 yards against Van Buren but his season was halted in Week 5 with an MCL sprain at Benton. He had 33 carries for 106 yards on the season.

Ferguson (5-9, 192) carried 22 times for 79 yards and a touchdown as a sophomore.

"We're really going to count on both of them on the defensive side of the ball as well," Ross said.

Sophomore Damein Martin (5-0, 167) could see some snaps at running back as well.

Wide receivers

The Panthers graduated their top three receivers statistically from last season.

J.D. Horn led the team with 52 catches for 675 yards and five touchdowns and signed to play football at Lyon College in the offseason. Montana Burke (13 catches, 172 yards) and Carlos Gonzales (13 catches, 167 yards) also graduated.

Siloam Springs will operate with multiple receivers out of the spread formation, going from two-receiver sets to three- and four-receiver options as well.

Senior Luke Gumm (5-6, 136), who had two catches for 41 yards last year, has developed into a player that could give the Panthers a chance to hit some big plays on offense, Ross said.

"He's got really quick feet, great hands," Ross said. "He's looked good so far. He's not very big, but I don't know that I've seen one person tackle him in the open field."

Junior Primo Agbehi (5-9, 159) also has a chance to be a playmaker for the Panthers at wide receiver.

"He needs to be a little more consistent catching the ball at times," Ross said. "He'll make a really good catch and drop one that he should have had. We think he's going to give us a chance to make plays down the field."

Senior Seth Hufford caught eight passes for 87 yards last year. Ross said he's capable of playing either an inside or outside position.

"If he can (play both) that gives us more flexibility," Ross said of Hufford, who's also a team captain. "If he can do that, it'll give us more flexibility. Seth's smart. I think he's up for it. Seth's a good kid. He'll do whatever's best for the team."

Junior Spenser Pippin (5-10, 186), the son of longtime coach Dwain Pippin, has come on at an inside receiver position.

"He's going to help us with blocking in space and on the perimeter," Ross said. "He can really help us with some tough catches for tough yards."

Senior Tristan Moose (6-1, 169) gives the Panthers some size on the edge.

"He has good hands and good height and size," Ross said of Moose. "We expect him to be able to make some plays for us down the field. He's worked hard and put himself in a position to play."

Sophomore Gage Weaver also is in the mix at receiver as is junior Dillon Ferguson, the twin brother of Dalton Ferguson.

Senior Marquan Sorrells also may see some action at wide receiver but has been working mostly on defense in fall camp.

The Panthers will use a tight-end in certain offensive packages.

Junior Chase Chandler (5-9, 199) caught an eight-yard touchdown pass for the Panthers at Van Buren in Week 3 last year. He and senior Wyatt Washington (5-8, 196) and sophomore Thad Wright (6-0, 213) have been getting the bulk of the reps at the position in fall camp.

The Panthers also hope to have Junior Chase Chandler and Wyatt Washington. Chase as much defense as we're going to be playing. Top S type player. Wyatt is a pretty strong kid, gotta become more consistent on knowing what to do. Just playing offense. Thad Wright can also play there.

The Panthers also hope to have senior team captain Payton Norberg (6-1, 182) back soon after Norberg went down with an ACL injury in the spring.

"I think at some point he's going to be able to come back and help us," Ross said.

Offensive line

The Panthers will feature what is basically a brand new offensive line in 2017.

A few familiar faces repped some there last year, but for the most part it will be a fresh start on what may be the most important position group on the field.

Junior Corbin Collins (6-2, 273) played a lot on defense as a sophomore and did see some action on the offensive line. This year the Panthers are going to call on him even more on both sides of the ball.

But Collins' priority will be on offense where he'll play the important left tackle position protecting the quarterback's blind side.

"We can rotate people on defense," Ross said. "I think can keep him rested enough where you won't see him come out on offense.

"Corbin's going to be good on either side of the ball."

Next to Collins at left guard is junior Fermin Velis (5-6, 212). Though small in stature, Velis has a powerful lower body and plays hard, Ross said.

"Of all our guys, he may come off the hardest," Ross said. "It can work to his advantage in the run game. I like Fermin's attitude. He gets after it."

Junior Dillon Conn takes over at center for the Panthers. Conn is the smallest of the Panthers' starting linemen at 5-foot-10, 178 pounds.

"I've really been impressed with him at center," Ross said. "He's not big enough, but he has great feet and moves well. He's smart and is relentless. There's going to be times where he just physically gets beaten, but I don't think it's going to happen that often."

Senior Isaac Knudsen (6-2, 237) is another Panther with returning experience from last year, but a lot of it came on the defensive side. Like Collins, he'll also play on defense again.

Knudsen was singled out on the first day of football practice for making every one of the available summer workouts.

"He's a coach's dream as far as what you want," Ross said. "You never have to worry about him. He's always doing what he's supposed to be doing. He's got a motor."

Knudsen will rotate in on defense, but "we can't afford to lose him on offense," Ross said.

At the right tackle position is senior Jackson Knight (6-3, 298), who has come on strong in the offseason.

Knight didn't play as a sophomore two years ago, but came back out last year.

"He's worked hard to get his feet quicker," Ross said. "He's got great size. If he gets his hands on you he'll get you blocked. He needs to keep improving his foot work. We've all got things we've got to get better at, but he's proven he wants to play."

The Panthers don't have a lot of depth in the trenches but they like the guys they do have.

Alejandro Munoz (5-10, 194) can play a guard position.

"He's undersized, but he has stayed with us and we like his work ethic," Ross said. "He's a kid that we love to have around."

Junior Isaiah Molina (5-9, 217) also helps at guard, while Dakota Leroy will play some at tackle.

Sophomore Marco Salcedo (5-4, 299) helps at center, and then there's sophomore Andrew Gutierrez (6-4, 373), who backs up at left tackle.

"Andrew Gutierrez is the biggest human I have ever coached," Ross said. "He's making improvements. He's going to be able to help us. He's got to get quicker feet, but when he gets on you in the run game it's hard to get off of him. He's improving every day."

Sports on 08/23/2017