SPRINGDALE — Shiloh Christian defensive coordinator Tucker Barnard never expected the spotlight to approach him during the week of the Class 4A state semifinals.
Like it or not, though, Barnard will be on center stage as the Saints’ acting coach Friday when Shiloh Christian takes on Pulaski Robinson at Champions Stadium. Saints Coach Josh Floyd will serve a one-game suspension after getting ejected from last week’s 48-10 quarterfinal victory over Nashville for arguing a call.
Barnard, who has served as defensive coordinator since Floyd became the Saints coach in 2004, said his primary focus will continue to be defense Friday, although he will have a fewextra responsibilities. Offensive coordinator Rod Washington and line coach Haden Gilder will direct Shiloh Christian’s no-huddle, Spread, offense.
“I don’t know how different my role will be,” said Barnard, a former head coach at Arkansas Baptist High School in Little Rock. “Maybe it’s helping with clock management, calling timeouts or deciding whether we go for it on fourth down. I think I know how Josh thinks, so I’ll try to do what he’d do in certain situations.”
Meanwhile, it’s business as usual for Floyd until Friday night.
“It’s obviously going to be difficult for me,” Floyd said. “Our kids will be fine. I’m very confident in our kids and our coaches. We’ve got two guys that have been head coaches [Barnard and Gilder], and every guy on ourstaff has been a coordinator somewhere else.”
Robinson Coach Todd Eskola said the Saints (12-1), ranked No. 1 in 4A and fourth overall, are still as formidable even without Floyd.
“It’s not a one-man show,” Eskola said. “If you get to the final four, you don’t have one coach. You have great assistants across the board. The hardest thing will be him not getting to see his kids play.”
The Saints will be led by a high-octane offense, controlled by quarterback and Auburn oral commit Kiehl Frazier (2,428 yards passing, 1,025 yards rushing this year), running back Garrett Harper (1,159 yards rushing) and wide receiver Zann Jones (53 career touchdowns), all of whom are seniors.
Division I-bound tackles Travis Bodenstein (Kansas) and Samuel Harvill (Kansas State) - both of whom are fourth-year starters - anchor the Saints’ massive lines, with Bodenstein on offense and Harvill on defense.
“They’ve got some unbelievable athletes,” Eskola said. “It’s not always about X’s and O’s but Johnnys and Joes. He’s got them believing in the system and doing a good job, but it’s nice to have a lot of talent, too.”
Barnard will concentrate on keeping the ball away from senior Evian Hill, the Senators’ 6-2, 185-pound do-it-all athlete.
Hill, who runs a 4. 5-second 40-yard dash, has amassed 1,500 all-purpose yards, scored 18 touchdowns and intercepted 6 passes this year. Although Hill is listed as a wide receiver/free safety on the roster, the Senators will use him in every way possible.
“He’s played running back, receiver, wing-back, quarterback,” Eskola said. “He’s played everywhere. We like to move him around.”
Hill scored on three of his first five punt returns this year and had a fourth return touchdown called back because of a clipping penalty.
“Since then, no one has kicked to him,” Eskola said. “People are punting on the track to keep it away from him.”
Hill and senior running back Jaalen Watkins (1,700 yards rushing, 18 touchdowns this year) both have several Division II college offers. The Senators do not pass much in what Eskola calls their “smash-mouth Option” offense, but senior quarterback Cole Bulloch has been efficient with 950 yards passing and 11 touchdowns.
Beau Digby, a 6-3, 230-pound senior middle linebacker, gives Robinson an ideal leader on defense.
The Senators, ranked No. 3 in 4A, were eliminated in the semifinals in 2002-2004 and are back for the first time since. Shiloh Christian seeks its third consecutive state title and seventh overall.
“We’re going to play our brand of football and take what they give us,” Eskola said. “At the end, our chins are going to be up because we know we played hard.”
Sports, Pages 21 on 12/02/2010