What a difference a year can make for the Siloam Springs football team.
Siloam Springs is set to open spring football practice next week. And with a full year under head coach Brandon Craig, the Panthers are much further along than they were last year.
"We're light years ahead of where we were last year," Craig said matter-of-factly. "The players and coaches are feeling more comfortable. Practices are faster and more efficient. Tempo is much smoother, and we're understanding the whole process of what we want our practices to look like."
Siloam Springs finished the 2018 season with a 5-6 record in Craig's first season, which ended with a 49-42 loss at Searcy on Nov. 9 in the opening round of the Class 6A playoffs.
The Panthers began the offseason program shortly after the end of the season and the players have made significant gains in the weight room, Craig said.
Siloam Springs also has gone outside once a week for skills and drills and that time has been very productive, Craig said.
"I think we've been through three cycles in the weight room," Craig said. "The kids have done a tremendous job with that. Strength numbers have gotten a lot better. We're much improved from where we were. Our kids are really excited about the weight room and their numbers and are getting better every day."
The Panthers will hold their first spring practice on Tuesday, April 23, and go again the following Thursday, April 25, as they are allowed to practice every other day.
The schedule will shift to Monday-Wednesday-Friday the week of April 29-May 3, and then back to Tuesday-Thursday the week of May 6-10.
The spring game is scheduled for Friday, May 17, at Panther Stadium, but could move to another date if there is a conflict with spring sports state championship weekend.
Craig said the Panthers have some key objectives this spring, starting with the offensive line.
Siloam Springs graduated the bulk of its offensive line from a year ago, and finding a group that will produce is imperative, he said.
"We've got to develop some offensive linemen, get some guys to step up and make sure we're not playing too many kids both ways," Craig said.
Rising junior Jared Clark (6-foot-3, 305 pounds) started every game on the offensive line as a sophomore and the plan is to move him to left tackle.
Marco Salcedo (5-4, 298) will get a look at center, while big senior Andrew Gutierrez (6-6, 411) has moved to guard. The Panthers expect senior Mariano Dominguez (6-0, 262) to play some offensive line along with his main spot on the defensive line, while some younger guys like sophomores Jace Sutulovich (6-1, 253), J.P. Wills (5-7, 219) and junior Hunter Dorsey (5-10, 237) will also get some long looks as well as some other players.
Another key objective is the competition at quarterback. Siloam Springs lost Landon Ellis to graduation and has a slew of players who will compete at the position in 2019, including senior Taylor Pool (5-11, 168), junior Colin Evers (5-11, 186) and sophomore Hunter Talley (6-3, 198). Pool and Evers will be limited early in the spring because of baseball.
Craig said Talley will get a lot of the work because he's there in practice but Pool and Evers will be up to speed quickly.
"They have a good grasp of what we're trying to do," Craig said. "They're in a sport right now and competing every day. We love to see them competing."
Craig said the Panthers also hope to continue to expand on their offensive and defensive schemes that were put in place last year.
Offensively, the Panthers will have to replace all-state running back Kaiden Thrailkill, who rushed for more than 1,500 yards. Top candidates to see time at running back are junior Camden Collins (6-2, 178), senior Jackson Norberg (6-1, 173) and junior Keegan Soucie (6-1, 172).
"We feel like we have a couple of guys that can step in and do some good things," he said.
At wide receiver, the Panthers have some experience with seniors Gage Weaver (5-9, 170), Tanner Broyles (5-10, 171), Tate Criner (5-10, 152) and Oren Stafford (6-2, 178). The Panthers expect junior Elijah Coffey (5-9, 150) also to be more of a factor on the offensive end after playing mostly on defense as a sophomore.
Senior tight end Jordan Stewart (6-1, 210) had a strong junior season after joining the team late in fall practices last year.
Defensively the Panthers have a lot of experience coming back on the defensive line including Dominguez and senior end Kolby Fesler (6-3, 248).
Levi Masters (6-0, 199) has had a strong offseason and could make an impact at middle linebacker along with junior Nick May (5-9, 220) and Chris Svebek (5-10, 194).
Senior Thad Wright (5-11, 208) is back at linebacker, while Collins had a standout sophomore season and was named to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's All-Sophomore Team.
Coffey and Norberg will get a look at safety positions, while Criner and Palvinson Phizema could play some cornerback. Sophomore Christian Ledeker could factor in as well.
Craig said one of the biggest surprises in the offseason has been that of senior Armando Munoz, who has made significant gains in the weight room.
"The overall tone of the team is there's a lot of competition out there," Craig said. "As a coach that's what you want is people competing, trying to be the best they can be."
Craig said there will be more of an emphasis this spring in special teams as well. The Panthers have Harrison Losh returning at place kicker and Evers back as the punter.
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The Siloam Springs football program is partnering with the Boys & Girls Club of Western Benton County to work with the youth football program in the area.
"We're trying to change the culture all the way down to the youth," Craig said. "We want everything in line so kids are always put first and try to do the best thing for all the kids."
A youth football camp will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. May 13-16 at Panther Stadium. For more information, email Craig at [email protected].
Sports on 04/17/2019