Coaches pick Panthers sixth in 6A-West

Image courtesy of Hooten's Arkansas Football
New Arkansas head football coach graces the 2020 cover of Hooten's Arkansas Football.
Image courtesy of Hooten's Arkansas Football New Arkansas head football coach graces the 2020 cover of Hooten's Arkansas Football.

The Siloam Springs football team is picked to finish sixth in the 6A-West Conference according to the conference coaches.

The 6A-West Coaches Poll was released as part of the 2020 Hooten's Arkansas Football magazine, which is in its 28th year of publication.

The coaches picked Greenwood to win the conference, followed by Benton, Lake Hamilton, conference newcomer Little Rock Parkview and Van Buren. The Panthers are picked ahead of Russellville and Mountain Home.

The Hooten's staff has the Panthers (5-7 in 2019) ranked No. 10 in their Class 6A rankings. Benton is ranked No. 1, followed by Greenwood, Lake Hamilton, West Memphis, Jonesboro, Little Rock Parkview, Van Buren, Marion and Sylvan Hills.

Siloam Springs is ranked ahead of defending 6A champion Searcy, which is No. 11, followed by El Dorado, Pine Bluff, Sheridan, Russellville and Mountain Home.

Siloam Springs senior linebacker Cam Collins, an all-state selection in 2019, was named to the 2020 Super Team, while senior offensive lineman Jared Clark, junior defensive lineman J.P. Wills and senior defensive back Elijah Coffey are listed as Unheralded Stars in Class 6A.

The Panthers are featured in a two-page preview inside the magazine.

The national award-winning Hooten's Arkansas Football features coaches' polls for each high school conference, statewide rankings for every team, super teams for each classification, the state's Top 50 recruits, a national college poll and complete high school schedules.

Hooten's high school favorites to win it all in 2020 are Bryant in Class 7A, Benton in Class 6A, Pulaski Academy in Class 5A, Joe T. Robinson in Class 4A, Harding Academy in Class 3A and Fordyce in Class 2A.

In addition to providing extensive coverage of every high school team in the state, the book offers an in-depth preview on the Razorbacks and coverage on each Southeastern Conference school. Arkansas State and every state college are ranked as well as all 130 Division I college teams in America.

The cover story for the 416-page magazine is on new Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman, documenting his rise from nomadic college assistant to SEC head coach.

Hooten's picks the rebuilding Razorbacks to finish seventh in the SEC West.

Alabama is tabbed to win the SEC West, followed by LSU, Auburn, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Arkansas. Georgia is picked to win the SEC Eastern Division, followed by Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, South Carolina, Missouri and Vanderbilt.

Arkansas State is ranked third in the Sun Belt and 87th nationally. Appalachian State is picked to win the Sun Belt, followed by Louisiana-Fafayette.

Clemson is Hooten's preseason No. 1 team, followed by Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia and Penn State.

Ouachita Baptist is picked to win the Great American Conference, followed by Harding, Henderson, Southern Arkansas, UAM and Arkansas Tech.

The book is published annually by Hooten Publishing Inc., of Benton.

The book retails for $16.99 and is on sale now at Wal-Mart, Walgreens and Harps Food Stores.