Matt Avery is happy to have a second chance at playing high school football for Siloam Springs.
Avery -- a 5-foot-10, 235-pound middle linebacker -- is back with the Panthers for his senior season after not playing his junior season, and his return has benefited everyone involved.
"He's definitely one of our most physical kids," first-year coach Brandon Craig said of Avery. "He definitely makes an impact when he comes to a tackle. He's been a leader on the field for us, helping us get everybody lined up, doing a great job of doing his part to help us be successful. He was out one game with an injury, but we got him back and he seems to be 100 percent -- really focused on what we're trying to do. We're happy to have him out there."
Avery returning to the football team is a story of faith and coming to grips with his own personal fear.
'I was scared'
When he last played for the Panthers, as a sophomore, Avery was sidelined with a second concussion after having suffered a similar concussion during his ninth-grade basketball season.
The experience with the concussions shook Avery to his core and led him to choose not to play football his junior season.
Avery said he battled his own pride for a long time before being able to admit the real reason he didn't play football last season.
"I was scared," Avery said. "I wasn't comfortable after getting those two concussions back-to-back in back-to-back sports -- in basketball and then getting one in football that were very severe. It got me to a point where I wasn't comfortable playing."
Avery said he was playing timid, and he knew playing that way only increased the odds of him getting hurt again. He said he didn't want to put himself or his teammates in a bad situation.
It wasn't until after he had quit that he began to see the impact of his decision, both the good and the bad.
"I took a lot of time to think about the decision that I made," he said. "I had a lot of time to reflect through being on the sideline and watching the guys play without me. That did hurt, but it was something that I really felt like the Lord wanted to show me."
Avery said he needed to realize how much he needed football in his life, and the only way to truly see that was the hard way.
"I realized the lessons I would have been taught that year would have been great," he said.
After the 2017 season was over and Siloam Springs struggled to a 2-8 overall record, Avery began having thoughts of rejoining the team for his senior year.
"Well of course I was a little scared," Avery said. "A little timid. When you quit something, you really don't look forward to going to the people that you had to quit on first."
With the football team still without a head coach at that point after Bryan Ross resigned, Avery said he approached assistant coaches Jonathan Johnson and Dwain Pippin about rejoining the team.
"The only thing I asked them was, 'Y'all think you got room for a returning football player?'" Avery said. "Of course Coach Pippin and Coach Johnson both just looked at me and kind of smiled and said, 'I think we can make room.' For me that was one of those heart-dropping moments where they could have said, 'Well you quit on us, so we don't.' But they let me in with open arms."
Move to Mike
The Panthers welcomed back Avery, who had been on the Cheerleading Team during his junior year.
In spring ball, the Panthers moved Avery from the defensive line, where he played as a sophomore, to middle linebacker.
Avery actually credits the work he did with the varsity cheer squads in helping him transition into the position.
"(Cheerleading is) a lot of footwork and quickness getting from one place to another in a quick, tight manner," Avery said. "I never thought that would transition into football."
The Panthers' coaches saw that Avery was capable at the position and he quickly locked up a starter's position at the Mike (middle) linebacker spot.
"We were thrilled to get Matt back out for football in the spring," said Siloam Springs defensive coordinator Cole Harriman."He's been a playmaker for us on D. Once the ball is snapped, he's got really good feet and great reaction skills and is one of the best at flying to the ball."
In three games played -- Avery missed the Harrison game due to concussion protocol -- Avery has collected 27 total tackles (seven solo, 20 assists), three tackles for loss, two sacks, one forced fumble and six big hits/knockbacks.
Avery and the Panthers' defense stuffed Sheridan last week to a total 97 total yards in Siloam Springs' 24-14 win to open 6A-West Conference play. Avery had nine tackles, a tackle for loss, a sack and four big hits in leading the charge.
"He, along with Chase Chandler and the defensive line did a great job stuffing the run Friday night," Harriman said.
Big presence
Inside linebackers coach Tony Coffey has loved coaching Avery this year and said the senior has been a big presence on and off the field.
"Matt is a very fine young man first and foremost," Coffey said. "From the very beginning of my coaching him, he has done nothing but soak up every ounce of information I pour his way. He studies film and wants to do well. He is a major force on the team both on and off the field. I see and hear him encouraging his teammates constantly."
Avery is built like a tank and crushes opposing ballcarriers with vicious hits.
"I'm a little bit thicker of a dude," he said. "I'm a little bit bigger. As my dad always told me, if you get somewhere with a bad attitude and go there quick -- 90 miles an hour -- even if you make a mistake you're still going to wreak havoc."
Coffey agrees.
"On the field he is a battering ram most plays," Coffey said. "If you get in his way he's going to run through you. He is my best blitzer because of this trait."
Avery also is adaptable. Coffey said last week Sheridan adjusted its blocking scheme to mess with the Panthers' linebackers, specifically Avery.
"I had to get a message to him on the field of how to adjust to it until I could talk to him at halftime," Coffey said. "Coach Harriman relayed that message and Matt installed it the next defensive series and we stopped the problem. To me this shows the type of player Matt is -- willing to listen and take coaching and implement those points. For this I am grateful to be able to coach Matt. He will go far in life because of the traits he's been raised with."
Coach's kid
It should come to no one's surprise that Avery is a coach's kid.
Avery literally has football and athletics in his blood.
His dad, Steve Avery, was a former Panther football player and walk-on for the Arkansas Razorbacks. Steve Avery later became the head football coach at Siloam Springs from 1991-1997 -- before Matt Avery was even born, and Matt Avery's older sisters, Ashley and Sidney, were standout athletes in volleyball and cross country.
"I know my dad's dream for me has always been to be a great high school football player," Matt Avery said. "Every Friday night I know if anybody's going to be there, he's going to be the one in the stands yelling for me, no matter what."
Craig said Avery has all the characteristics of a coach's kid that's been raised on football.
"He's a smart kid," Craig said. "Smart on the field. He understands the game, has been around it a long time. I think overall he does a great job of knowing what happens on the field."
Avery also is a big emotional leader off the field, Craig said.
"I think off the field he brings a little more of the school spirit aspect to the game," Craig said. "He gets the kids fired up as far as off the field activities that we do. He's always been a guy that's stepped up on the community service side of things. He's really bound to this community and has a real tie to it as far as wanting to see things go well for Siloam Springs and Siloam Springs football. I just think he's a kid that really loves his school and loves having that impact as far as school spirit goes."
Special start
Avery said the Panthers' 3-1 start under Craig -- after having just three wins combined the last two years -- has been special.
"Man it's been a blessing," he said. "I know past years haven't been the best, and I don't think we've had this good of a start in quite a long time. It all goes back to the unbelievable coaching we've had and how the team's come together."
Avery said seeing players in different grades interact with one another has been a huge change and a huge emphasis from Craig.
"Our team was split up even though we're supposed to be one unit," Avery said. "Coach has broke those chains and broke those walls to the point where we're one team and becoming one family. We know if one guy messes up, if one slacks, the dude beside him is going to cover for him."
Siloam Springs returns to action Friday at Benton (3-1, 1-0), which is ranked No. 2 in Class 6A and No. 9 overall by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
"We've got a lot of good teams up ahead," Avery said. "I know we've got a good one this week -- Benton. It's going to be a good challenge for us. I think we should be able to adapt, and I think we should do fairly well against them."
Sports on 09/26/2018