With the first preseason scrimmage still a week away, Forrest City Coach Donnie Willis is just trying to keep his Mustangs "on course."
The Mustangs will travel to West Helena on Tuesday, Aug. 27, to scrimmage the Cougars. The Mustangs are scheduled to officially open the season on Friday, Sept. 6, when they take on Class AAAA state champion Wynne at Yellowjacket Stadium.
"We had a controlled intrasquad scrimmage Saturday," Willis said. "And we saw some good things. I think we are probably where we need to be but we've still got a lot of work ahead of us."
Keep in mind, Saturday was only the third full day in pads for the Mustangs.
And Willis and the Mustang assistant coaches are still trying to get the right players in the right positions.
"We've had some kids emerge at some different positions that we maybe weren't expecting," Willis said. "That's a plus for us anytime that happens."
The most notable thing while watching a Mustang football practice is the team's very large presence.
In other words, the Mustangs have some size...and the speed and strength to go along with the size.
"We have some kids who are big and strong," Willis said, "and that is a result of the good off-season we had. The kids were in the weight room and they were working hard."
Willis said for the next week he and his staff will continue to evaluate each player.
"We going to keep on bumpng along," Willis said. "And we will keep on repeating out offensive and defensive drills. Physically we are in good shape. Now we have to get to that point mentally. And the only way to do that is to stay on he course that we've set. We're keeping things very simple and very basic right now."
The Mustangs are coming off a 4-6 season which left them in seventh place in the AAAAA-East.
*The Forrest City Mustang Athletic Booster Club will hold its first meeting of the year on Monday, Aug. 26, at 6:30 p.m., at the Forrest City High School Lecture Hall.
New Forrest City Athletic Director Michael Bender will be the special guest at the meeting.
Family memberships into the Booster Club will be available for $10. Everyone is invited.
*Jacksonville Red Devil Coach Johnny Watson has 75 players on the practice field as the team prepares for its season opener against former AAAAA-East member Little Rock Mills.
The Red Devils have scheduled the annual Red-White scrimmage for Saturday, Aug. 24, at 7 p.m.
Jacksonville plays at Forrest City on Oct. 25.
*The Cabot Panthers open the season early on Tuesday, Sept. 3, when they take on Conway on the campus of UCA.
The Panthers have close to 60 players dressed out for summer drills.
*The Hughes Blue Devils will play a preseason scrimmage game at Trumann on Tuesday, Aug. 27, while the Palestine-Wheatley junior and senior Patriots will play a preseason scrimmage at Clarendon, also Tuesday, Aug. 27, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
* PREP FOOTBALL
HIGH SCHOOL
Forrest City Mustangs
Sept. 6 at Wynne
Sept. 13 Marianna
Sept. 20 Osceola
Sept. 27 at Jonesboro*
Oct. 4 Searcy*
Oct. 11 at Cabot*
Oct. 18 Blytheville*
Oct. 25 Jacksonville*
Nov. 1 at Mountain Home*
Nov. 8 at West Memphis*
Palestine-Wheatley Patriots
Sept. 6 Des Arc
Sept. 13 at Earle*
Sept. 20 at Cross County*
Sept. 27 Rector*
Oct. 4 Walnut Ridge*
Oct. 11 at Hughes*
Oct. 18 Turrell*
Oct. 25 at Parkin*
Nov. 1 Marked Tree*
Nov. 8 at Salem*
Hughes Blue Devils
Sept. 6 at Barton
Sept. 13 Walnut Ridge*
Sept. 20 at Rector*
Sept. 27 Cross County*
Oct. 4 at Salem*
Oct. 11 Palestine-Wheatley*
Oct. 18 Parkin*
Oct. 25 at Earle*
Nov. 1 Turrell*
Nov. 8 at Marked Tree*
JUNIOR HIGH
Thursday, September 5
Marianna at Forrest City Blue, 7 p.m.
Forrest City White at Brinkley, 7 p.m.
Earle at Palestine-Wheatley, 6 p.m.
Thursday, September 12
WMemphis Wonder at Forrest City Blue, 7 p.m.
Forrest City White at Wynne, 7 p.m.
Cross Colunty at Palestine-Wheatley, 6 p.m.
Saturday, September 14
WMemphis East at Forrest City 7th & 8th (Blue) 9 and 10:30 a.m.
*Conference Game