eTearsheet - Kentucky Press Association

THE NEWS-ENTERPRISE FOOTBALL 2012 THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012 15
NORTH HARDIN
TROJANS
Ready To Make Some Racquet
Thompson and Trojans look to take another step forward this year after 6-6 season
By CHUCK JONES
The News-Enterprise
The North Hardin Trojans took a
huge step forward last season, and
despite undergoing major
changes in the offseason, they hope to
make some more noise this year.
The Trojans went 6-6 last season, winning
a playoff game for the first time since
2004. It was exactly what the once-proud
program needed. Making the second
round of the playoffs has served as motivation
during the offseason.
“That definitely helps us out,” North
Hardin senior lineman Kyle Peropat said.
“We got a little taste of it and we wanted
to go further. We’re looking forward to a
great year.”
Although they have big expectations
this season, the Trojans will have a new
look this year. Brent Thompson replaces
Crad Jaggers, who resigned in March after
going 18-26 in his four-year tenure.
Thompson was an assistant at
Elizabethtown and Pelham, Ala., before
serving in the same role for Jaggers last
year. He brings a new energy and fastpaced
offense to the program. Thompson
has adopted the motto of “All In” which
Auburn used during its national championship
run two years ago and the players
have bought in.
“We’ve been together for a while,” said
North Hardin senior Vincent Dobbins,
who will start on both sides of the ball.
“We’re closer on and off the field. We’re
more of a team. When one person goes
down, someone else steps up. Everybody
is on the same page now and it’s going to
make us a better team.”
Jaggers isn’t the only change. North
Hardin lost a number of players to graduation.
Gone from the offense are running
backs Mathew Brownell, David Hickman
and Antonio Simmons, wideout Avery
Price, tight end Jeremy Brown and linemen
Kris Cornett, Aaron House and
Cameron Padget. On defense, the Trojans
will have to replace House, Hickman,
NEAL CARDIN/The News-Enterprise
North Hardin seniors Kyle Peropat and Dontre Woodruff hope to help the Trojans make some
noise this season.
Simmons, defensive lineman Adam
Hendrix, linebacker Josh Greenwell, linebacker
Antonio Jackson and defensive
back Jarard Williams.
The cupboard isn’t barren of talent,
though. Senior Johnny Hopkins and
Dobbins both started on both sides of the
ball last year as did senior Michael
Brunson, who hasn’t been with the team
much during the preseason.
“We didn’t return a lot,” Thompson
said. “We don’t have a lot of experience.
The good thing is we don’t start district
games until like the fifth or sixth week, so
by then, we hope to have things in place
to make a good run at this. We have lofty
goals, like every team in Kentucky we
want to win a state championship and
that’s what we’re working for.”
After reaching the second round of the
playoffs, the Trojans believe they can
make a deeper run this season.
“It was more disappointing than anything,”
Hopkins said of last year’s 31-10
loss to John Hardin in the playoffs. “We
should have won or could have won that
game. We need to continue to work on
those things that we didn’t do well last
year. Everyone is buying into it this year.
If we do that, the sky’s the limit for us.”
It starts with the offense, which will use
a fast-paced, spread system made popular
by Tony Franklin. The Trojans, who averaged
31.7 points and 276 yards a game last
season, are excited about the changes.
“We can be good offensively,” Dobbins
said. “We have the potential to be good.
We’re going to play fast. We need to focus,
but we can be really good.”
Junior Andrew Rugerio takes over at
quarterback, replacing Brunson. Thompson
praised Rugerio’s decision-making,
being able to get the ball to the right spots.
He’ll have plenty of options on the outside
in Dobbins, Brunson, senior Kirk
Oxendine, sophomore Jeremiah Draper
and junior Dante Johnson.
“We have three or four kids that run
track and you can’t say enough about our
track program,” Thompson said. “That
bodes well for us. We want to get them the
ball in space. We have speed and that puts
pressure on the defense.”
But don’t look for the Trojans to be one
dimensional. Thompson plans to run the
ball – and run it effectively. Senior TreVon
Johnson will run behind an inexperienced
line with only Hopkins returning.
“No matter what offense you run or
how good your passing game is, you have
to run the football,” Thompson said.
“We’re going to try to play at a fast pace.
It’s the same way we practice. We want to
get our guys one-on-one battles where if
they make someone miss they have an
opportunity to score a touchdown. But
we’re still going to run it. We have to be
able to run it.”
Defensively, the Trojans will stick with
the same defense as they used the last couple
of years. They allowed only 198.5
yards per game last year, but they still
managed to give up 25.4 points – a number
they must improve on this year.
“We’re definitely going to be younger
this year,” Hopkins said. “That doesn’t
mean we’re not as talented. We have talent;
they’re just inexperienced. We’re getting
them ready in practice, so when we
step on the field they can just play. The
young players will do just fine. We need to
eliminate the mistakes and not give up the
big plays.”
If they can do that, the Trojans believe
they could take another huge step forward
this season.
“We want to make it farther than last
year,” Dobbins said. “Last year, we won
one and then we lost one. We lost focus
and we wouldn’t bring back that same focus
the next game. We need to be better.
We need to be more consistent this year.”
If they are, the Trojans could make a
lot of racket this year.
Chuck Jones can be reached at (270) 505-1759
or cjones@thenewsenterprise.com.
Serena Williams of the United States won the women’s singles gold medal as well as the women’s doubles gold with sister Venus.
Middle Hitter
Johnny Hopkins loves contact and he should get plenty of it after move to inside linebacker
By CHUCK JONES
The News-Enterprise
North Hardin senior
Johnny Hopkins
always finds
himself in the middle of
the action no matter what
side of the ball he’s on.
The 6-foot-2, 255-pound
Hopkins is the only returning
starter on the offensive
line. On defense, he is shifting
from lineman to middle
linebacker this season. It’s a
move that fits Hopkins’ personality.
“I’m looking forward to
it,” Hopkins said. “I like to
hit. It’s more about taking
anger out. I’m not mean; it’s
a part of football. It’s different
but I like playing linebacker.
I didn’t think I
would, but I get to hit.”
Making the move to linebacker
has been a smooth
transition for Hopkins. He’s
still picking up all the intricacies
of the position.
“I’m picking up all the little
things,” Hopkins said.
“All the things people know
that’s been playing there
longer. I’m only learning the
position this year. I’m trying
to work hard and play fast.”
Hopkins said the key is
getting to the point where
he is just going on instinct
and not thinking so much
about where to be or what
to do.
“You want to play fast,”
Hopkins said. “Stuff happens
so fast. You want to react
and attack. You don’t
want to be thinking and
then attack. You just want to
react. I’m getting there.”
First-year North Hardin
coach Brent Thompson
said moving Hopkins was
an easy choice. Not only
does he have great size, but
Thompson said Hopkins’
speed sets him apart.
“He could be a really
good one,” Thompson said.
“He is great at running
downhill and he’ll hit you
when he gets there. He
moves pretty well. He
worked a lot on his speed
and in the weight room.
He’s definitely doing the
right things.”
What Thompson likes
about Hopkins is he’s always
placing the team first.
Like the move to linebacker,
Hopkins did it because
it made the team better.
“To me, he’s the prototypical
leader,” Thompson
said. “That’s why he’s one
of the captains of the team.
He’s one of the best kids on
the field and in the locker
room. He has stopped practice
and said we need to do
that again. He’s taking ownership
of this team.”
Hopkins has become
more vocal this season than
in the past. He realizes this
is his final season and he
wants to go out with a bang.
After going 6-6 last season,
Hopkins said the
Trojans have bigger goals
this year. The Trojans won a
playoff game for the first
time since 2004, and they
envision a deeper run this
season.
“It’s not about focusing
on myself, but getting everyone
on the same page,”
Hopkins said. “I knew I had
to take more of a leadership
role. He (Thompson) talked
to me about becoming
more of a leader and what
he expected. And it’s what I
should expect from myself.”
While Hopkins will be
the heart and soul of the defense,
Thompson said
Hopkins will also be the anchor
on the offensive line.
NEAL CARDIN/The News-Enterprise
North Hardin senior Johnny Hopkins will anchor the offensive
line and start at middle linebacker.
Hopkins is entering his
second year at left tackle.
Left tackle is such a vital position
because he protects
the quarterback’s blind side.
Thompson said Hopkins
has the physical tools that
you can’t coach.
“He has long arms and
he’s athletic and he has
speed,” Thompson said.
“He has great speed so he’s
not going to get beat off the
edge. He has long arms to
be a great tackler. He’s such
a good pass protector.”
Thompson recalled first
meeting Hopkins two years
ago. He noticed he had the
physical gifts to be a special
player, but he had no idea
Hopkins would develop
this much.
Hopkins’ work ethic is
what separates him from
other players, according to
Thompson. It’s that work
ethic which has driven
Hopkins to become one of
the area’s top linemen and
attracted attention from colleges.
But Hopkins’ only focus
is helping the Trojans reach
their goals. He wants to
leave his mark on the program
and restore its onceproud
tradition.
“I’m looking forward to
it, but I’m dreading it at the
same time,” Hopkins said.
“I’m dreading the day I take
that jersey off for the last
time. Hopefully it will be a
win. We want to go further
than last year and we have
an opportunity to do that.
The sky’s the limit for this
team.”
Get
Ready
For
Fall!
Chuck Jones can be reached
at (270) 505-1759 or
cjones@thenewsenterprise.com.
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