Last Friday's football scrimmage against Rogers Heritage at Panther Stadium didn't result in many surprises for the Siloam Springs football team.
It's well known that Hunter Talley is going to be a dual threat quarterback, and that showed with his numbers: 11 of 14 passing for 115 yards and 64 rushing yards on nine carries.
Most people around here know that Jace Sutulovich is going to be one of the best offensive linemen in the region and state, and the Air Force commitment won a lot of battles last Friday.
What probably wasn't wide known -- but the secert is out -- is that senior tight end Brendan Lashley is going to be an offensive weapon, after catching six passes for 66 yards.
I'm sure Christian Ledeker's big hit on a Heritage receiver will also make the rounds.
Coaches don't miss much on film these days, not with several sets of eyes watching the same thing multiple times from different angles.
So I'll bet when the Rogers Mounties coaching staff watched film from the Panthers' scrimmage, these are things that stood out to them.
So with opposing teams looking for a way to stop Talley, neutralize big Jace and J.P. Wills, and maybe not throw in Ledeker's direction so much, what can the Panthers do in response?
That's the big key isn't it? Other players -- as they do every season -- are going to have to step up. It's time for them to join in and make plays too.
It takes all 11 on the field working together to make this thing work.
So here's what I'm hoping to hear come Friday night when Siloam Springs visits Rogers.
I'm hoping we hear a lot of names -- offensively and defensively -- we're not used to hearing on Friday nights: Johnny Graves, Nick Driscoll, Jed Derwin, Tyler Johnson, Stone Stephens, Dallion Miller, Daxton Moody and Tanner Kear, just to name a few.
Let's hope we hear some of them a lot, along with the guys we already know can play.
Having other individuals step up this season will help determine how successful the Panthers can be.
There's not an easy game on this 2021 schedule for Siloam Springs. It starts Friday in Rogers and then next week a good Pea Ridge team comes to town. Then it's off to Harrison, where the Panthers haven't won since 2015. Following an off week, it's the start of 6A-West Conference play, which many believe may be the toughest league in the state.
Van Buren, Benton, Greenwood, Lake Hamilton, Mountain Home, Little Rock Parkview and Russellville. It's a seven-week grind.
No doubt there's going to be some highs, some lows, and a lot of inbetween along the way.
Who's ready to step up and be a player?
-- Graham Thomas is the managing editor for the Herald-Leader. He can be reached at [email protected]. The opinions expressed are those of the author.