6 THE RIVER VALLEY REPORT FOOTBALL PREVIEW | 8.11.2024
Grizzlies open 2024 season with challenges
Quarterback battle will highlight fall camp
LELAND BARCLAY
SPECIAL TO RIVER VALLEY DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
FORT SMITH— Fall practice takes on an added importance for the Fort Smith Northside Grizzlies.
Just before fall practice began on Monday, as sanctioned by the Arkansas Activities Association, Northside found out that quarterback McLane Moody would not play football his senior season
“ He’ s not going to chance it this year,” Northside Coach Felix Curry said.“ We met with him, and he’ s going to hang up football. He didn’ t want to chance his health.”
The 6-6 Moody, who was timed at 4.6 at the National Combine in January, pitched two innings in a scrimmage game prior to the baseball season, but lingering back issues forced him to miss the remainder of the season as well as spring football and the entire summer football practices and camps. He committed to play baseball the University of Arkansas in July 2023.
Sophomore Drew Jackson and 6-3, 180-pound junior Dorien Bowers, who moved in from Fayetteville in July, will go through fall camp competing for the vacated position.
“ We have a quarterback battle, and we will see which one separates himself,” Curry said.“ We’ ll get us a quarterback. Shoes like Moody’ s( are) hard to fill, but they have things we like in his place.”
Moody threw for 2,742 yards and 23 touchdowns and was considered one of the top returning quarterbacks in Class 7A. Northside will look to bolster the running game this season after averaging
Fort Smith Northside wide receiver Cam Massey looks on, Friday, June 7, 2024, following a quarterfinal game against Fayetteville in the 11th annual Lumber One 7-on-7 Showcase at Citizens Bank Field at Airedale Stadium in Alma.( River Valley Democrat-Gazette / Hank Layton)
just 61 yards per game on the ground last season.
“ We’ ve got three running backs that can go,” Curry said.“ All three of them are well over 400 pounds squat, and they’ re hungry.”
Senior Jayden Youngblood, and juniors
Warren Bijou and Ja’ Leal Covin are vying for the position, although all three may carry the load.
At offensive line and receivers, the returning starters are few but are loaded with depth.
“ They’ re good problems,” Curry said.“ The O-line, we’ ve got learn who the starting five is, but it’ s not because we don’ t have them. We’ ve got kids to choose from, and it’ s trying to decide who’ s the starting five. We’ ve got great depth there. We’ ve got
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