eTearsheet - Kentucky Press Association

FRIDAY,AUGUST 17, 2012 MADISON COUNTY FOOTBALL PREVIEWRichmond Register 9EAGLESContinued from page 5really stepped his game up.”Junior linebacker Tyler Haganled the team last year with 105tackles and sophomore linebackerAaron Sipple (who added35 pounds of muscle) was secondwith 77 tackles.Hitting the weight room hasalso benefited the offensive line,where the starters haveincreased their average weightfrom 201 pounds to 250 pounds,Clark said.Offensive lineman ClaytonO’Neal had a growth spurt overthe offseason, going from 6-foot,205 pounds to 6-foot-4 1/2, 250pounds, while right tackleClayton Barnes is listed at 6-foot-1, 255 pounds and right guardMatt Howard has increased hisweight from 179 to 205 since lastseason.“That’s all we did,” Clark saidof weightlifting. “We had 90 percentattendance during the offseason.To have 68 kids andhave 90 percent attendance inthe weight room three to fourdays a week, it changes your ballclub. The athlete is starting tocome out, but the athlete isn’t140 pounds anymore. It’s 180pounds. No question we’re headedin the right direction.”Southern should be loaded onoffense, where it returns most ofthe key players from a team thataveraged 23.5 points per gamelast season.The Eagles expect to use athree-back system.That will include sophomoreDamien Harris, who in just sixgames last year rushed for 742yards and 11 touchdowns on only62 carries.Harris averaged 11.9 yards percarry before being injured midwaythrough the season.When Harris went out, seniorCoty Russell took over.Last year he rushed 104times for 790 yards and ninetouchdowns.Also in the mix will be seniorWes Proctor, who was slated to bethe starting running back lastyear before breaking his leg inthe preseason and missing theentire season.“I just want to get back outthere and go hard,” Proctor said.“I feel like I have a lot to prove,just to step up and be a leader.Since we don’t have just one goodrunning back, it gives each runningback their reps, gives othersa breather and it gives thedefense different looks.”Also expected to get somehandoffs is senior Cody Ocelli,who is currently recovering froma knee injury.The fullback position will berun by committee.Brett and Aaron Sipple andfreshman Logan Coomer shouldall see time at that position.Southern used two quarterbackslast season — AdamSimpson and Devante Linville.Linville will miss the seasonwith an injury.Last year, Simpson ran 50REGISTER FILE PHOTOMadison Southern coach Jon Clark talksto his team during a game last seasonin Berea.times for 374 yards and fivetouchdowns and was 7-for-21passing for 129 yards and twotouchdowns.Simpson also caught 10 passesfor 141 yards and a touchdownlast year.“It’s been more of a mentaldevelopment for me, going fromreceiver to quarterback, but ourbackfield is definitely ourstrength,” Simpson said.Another key player will betight end Spencer Stone, who isthe team’s leading returningreceiving, having caught 14 passesfor 191 yards and one touchdownlast season.Like his teammates, Stone (6-foot-3, 220 pounds) has beenworking hard in the weightroom.“A lot of teams overpoweredus last year,” Stone said. “We feelwe’re as strong or stronger, andas fast or faster than everybodyelse. Most of the time up front wewere getting pushed around lastyear. This year we definitely feelthe difference up front. We’reready to turn things around andwe feel this is the year to do it.”Southern opens the season onAug. 24 at Bourbon County.Last year the Eagles lost to theColonels 60-21.