Editor’s note: This is part of a series previewing the 2014 Bryant Hornets football team heading into their season-opening game against the Benton Panthers in the annual Salt Bowl and War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock on Friday, Sept. 5.
File photo by Rick Nation
After the spring and through the summer, one of the biggest question marks for the Bryant Hornets in 2014 appeared to be at receiver.
Sure, speedster Brushawn Hunter would be back for his senior season to play there along with his duties at running back. But little was certain beyond that. Hunter caught a team-high 34 passes for 507 yards and nine touchdowns while leading the team in rushing as well last season.
Beyond that, the Hornets were hoping to have junior Evan Lee back but his status was uncertain due to injury until just before the start of fall practice. Lee played a lot late last season and caught four balls for 31 yards.
The rest of the prospects had logged little varsity playing time. The ranks were so thin, in fact, that Hornets head coach Paul Calley, offensive coordinator Lance Parker and receivers coach Clint Shadwick were tempted to move some of the overflow of top-notch running backs, besides Hunter, outside.
“We were concerned through the summer,” Shadwick acknowledged, “but after we got into fall camp, we felt pretty comfortable. We’ve had some young guys step up.”
Senior Paul Tierney, who hasn’t caught a pass in a varsity game yet, has broken through. In the Hornets’ pre-season benefit game against Pulaski Academy, he caught two passes including one for a touchdown.
Madison Schrader, a senior quarterback, has logged time at receiver and caught a throw at the scrimmage.
“Paul is doing a good job and Madison can play just about anywhere,” Shadwick said. “Of course, Brushawn is going to be in the game in multiple positions just to get him the ball.
“Austin Kelly’s a big sophomore kid,” he continued. “He does a great job. He’s very coachable, runs great routes. (Junior) Quinton Royal’s another one. He has worked. He missed a little bit in the summer and was kind of a question mark but he’s been nothing but position, working hard here lately. Jordan Gentry and Aaron Orender are two guys that are going to play on Friday nights.”
Kelly led the freshman team with 35 catches for 595 yards and nine touchdowns.
“I’m really proud of them,” Shadwick said. “They’ve been working hard. Their routes are good. The effort’s been good. It’s a coachable bunch. They do what we ask them to do. That means a lot.
“I kind of stressed to them at the beginning of the year that blocking is going to be our number one thing,” the coach related. “And they bought into it. They ask every day in practice, ‘Are we going to work on blocking?’ They know we need it. They understand. They know we’re going to be running the ball a lot more.
“I always tell them that their block is the difference between a first down and a touchdown,” he concluded. “I think they like that and they take a little pride in doing it. Blocking is about 90 percent want-to and 10 percent technique. I feel really good about these guys.”
