My Take 2014: 4-4A

[whippersnapper]

1:13 (#9 Fearless Poll) Dardanelle: The sandlizards have won 17 games the past 2 seasons. They lost to Stuttgart and Warren in the playoffs. They return 15 starters 10 on offense and 5 on defense. The offense mayhave to carry the team the first couple weeks to give the defense time to grow. They play defending state champion Boonville,  I have the sandlizard going 11-2 conference champs making the quarterfinals but don't be surprised if they're in the semi finals.
2:20 Pottsville: What you get with the Apaches is simple they want to run the football. And because of that they will be back in the playoffs this year but only at 5-6. They will hurt some this year with the loss of Perry.
3:18 (Received Votes) Clinton: I think the yellow jackets will have a big year. They host Highland week 2 and if they win that game it could catapult them to a very good year. But I think they lose that game and lose to both Dardanelle and Robinson. Finish the regular season at 7-3. But I have a good feeling the jackets make a deep run and finish 9-4 practicing thanksgiving. 
4:16 Robinson: The  Senators return 16 starters after a 6-5 season losing to Prairie Grove in the 1st round. They bring back a junior quarterback that had 3000 yards of offense last year and have good size on the offensive and defensive lines. I think the senators finish 2nd in conference and could be upset in the first round. 9-2 record.
5:27 Ozark: The hillbillies are gaining a conference champion sophomore bunch but how fast they mature in a competitive conference is the question. They finish 3-7.
6:43 AR Baptist: The Eagles are coming into the conference at the wrong time. I think the Eagles finish 2-8
7:34 Dover: I think Dover will be much improved this year and get the 5 seed in the playoffs. Final record 4-7.
8:40 Subiaco:  Never really know with them. 2-8

[centralarfan]

Subiaco may end up with a worse record. I believe that the RB is no longer enrolled.

[Jacketman65]

Subiaco may end up with a worse record. I believe that the RB is no longer enrolled.

They have gone winless before!

[x14113]

As I promised last winter  , here's how I see the 4A-4 playing out this fall.

Title Favorite: Dardanelle--When the Sand Lizards are picked to win their first title in over a quarter-century, you know your conference is in trouble.  Had Booneville not moved down, they'd be favored to repeat as state champs this year.  As it is, the three teams below have the potential to challenge Dardy, but each have their own questions to answer.

On the Fence: Clinton, Pottsville, Robinson--Do not be surprised if any of these three A) usurp Dardy and clinch the conference title, or B) get accused of underachieving after their season ends. The Yellowjackets return a lot from last season, but how good have they really been? The Apaches have been positioning themselves as the conference's next key program, but to prove it, they'll need to fill key positions.  The Senators return a QB with massive offensive numbers, but struggled to make the postseason out of a 4A-7 that has been rather underwhelming the last two years.  How this black-and-gold trio will shape up will factor in the conference's strength this season.

Fighting for Week 11: Arkansas Baptist, Dover, Ozark--two teams struggling in their previous conferences last season join a Pirate side looking to be on the upswing in brawling for the fifth and final berth. The Eagles may appreciate the breath of fresh air that a new conference seems to present, although they did earn a berth in their prior conference two years back. The Hillbillies, meanwhile, see a lot of parallels between this team and the 2010 side that went 7-5 and won a playoff game.  Then as now, however, the key lies in how quickly their talented youth develops over the course of the season.

Looking to Surprise: Subiaco--Not too long ago, the Trojans were a program on the rise, with two straight winning seasons and hosting their first-ever playoff game.  Then reality quickly reminds everyone why Subi had been struggling in the first place.  Even adding Grades 7 and 8 don't seem to be helping the ever tumultuous population shifts prevalent here. Can the student body commit to a stable program in the hopes of elevating it with its other sports?

[Basketball13]

Looking to Surprise: Subiaco--Not too long ago, the Trojans were a program on the rise, with two straight winning seasons and hosting their first-ever playoff game.  Then reality quickly reminds everyone why Subi had been struggling in the first place.  Even adding Grades 7 and 8 don't seem to be helping the ever tumultuous population shifts prevalent here. Can the student body commit to a stable program in the hopes of elevating it with its other sports?
[/quote]

I'll give a little bit of the feedback on Subiaco. The big Running Back Subiaco had last year, will no longer be a Trojan. He left and will complete his Senior Season in Benton. Although, they do have a couple of good players that were ineligible last year due to transfers as juniors. The question is... will they have a line to protect the skill players they have?

[IPROFB]

I saw Dover last Thursday at the camp in Harrison. They looked very impressive.

[Big Fan]

I saw Dover last Thursday at the camp in Harrison. They looked very impressive.

What did they do that impressed you? 

[SUGARTOWN]

I saw Dover last Thursday at the camp in Harrison. They looked very impressive.

What did they do that impressed you?

You know, just the way they looked man...

[OLDSCHOOL82]

Dover has a good 10th grade class and a couple mixed in the jr and sr class.  They should be good next year and real good the next.  But, Dover always finds a way to screw it up.

[OLDSCHOOL82]

Where are my neighbors to the north?  Has anyone spotted any Hillbilly Goat supporters on the boards?

[x14113]

Where are my neighbors to the north?  Has anyone spotted any Hillbilly Goat supporters on the boards?

All quiet on the northern front... 

[x14113]

Ozark HC Jeremie Burns comments to the Times re the Hillbillies' pre-conference stretch of three defending state champs in a four-week stretch (including the preseason scrimmage):

I was going to see if somebody could check on a record, because I don't know if anybody's ever played three state champions in nonconference...All those teams have a lot of guys coming back, too.

Injuries were cited as a major factor in last season's trainwreck of a record, so mental toughness has been emphasized over the course of the off season. Says Burns:

The next guy needs to be in shape and ready to go.

Let's see if this translates to a more successful season.

[SUGARTOWN]

Who's the state champion that Ozark is scrimmaging? And there's no need to check the record to see if anybody's played 3 state champs Coach Burns, we all know scrimmages don't count...lol.

[x14113]

That would be Morrilton, though they lost the most out of the three champs in question.

Of course, the other two are part of Rivalry Row, so they'd be tough regardless.

[Gray lizard]

I have to admit I know very little about any team in the 4-4a, but it sure looks to be week.  Looks like 5 of the 8 teams had loosing records last season and you could add 3 of those 5 teams records together and stil have a poor season.  If you sent the top 5 to the playoffs one team would only have 3 wins.

I think Dardanelle could have a good team this year, but playing in the 4-4a will not help them.  They will not be ready for the playoffs and could go out in the first round.

Pottsville will be down this year but should have a good record at the end of this conf.

Dover will be better but still not very good.

Robinson and Clinton which I know nothing about I hope can field good teams.

What has happened to the Ozark program?  Did I read it right 2 wins last season.

Dover, Subiaco, and Arkansas Baptist just do not expect much from these programs.