SPRINGDALE - Whoever wins the Springdale High quarterback battle wont have to worry about who to get the ball to.
The RedDogs may not have Division I prospects starting at the wide receiver position, but what they do enjoy is players who know their role and do what theyre coached to do.
Weve got a group of wide receivers that love to compete and make each other better, Springdale
THE SKINNY
Position Battle: Receivers
BIGGEST STRENGTH: Attitude. Middleton noted that this group strives to make every practice better than the previous practice and run every route better than the one they just ran.
BIGGEST QUESTION MARK: Size. None of Springdales wide receivers are very tall or big, so if they go up against a bigger, physical secondary, it may be tough to get open.
WATCH OUT FOR: Zach Burton, junior wide receiver.
wide receivers coach Nate Middleton said. They come out every day with a lot of intensity.
Senior wide receiver Quiency Patton (5-foot-8, 170 pounds) started last year at receiver, and Middleton says that hes made significant strides from a year ago.
Hes got great hands and catches anything thrown his way, Middleton said. Hes worked extremely hard all offseason and improved his route running. Plus hes our best blocker on the perimeter.
A junior that Middleton expects to step up and log significant snaps is Zach Burton (6-1, 150).
One of the hardest working players Ive ever coached, Middleton said. He will do anything you ask him to do. He and Quiency will lead our wide receiver corps.
But if you count tight end in with the receivers, then the RedDogs do have a collegiate prospect in Josiah Wymer (6-5, 270).
Josiah is a big target with great hands, Middleton said. He runs well to be a big guy. Expectations are high for him and hes working to be a more complete tight end.
Wymer was looked at in the spring by Arkansas, and picked up an offer in June from Louisiana-Monroe. Other schools that are interested include Arkansas State, Auburn and Memphis.
Other players that could snag passes include John Hunter (5-8, 157), Edgardo Salamanca (5-8, 142), Salvador Sandoval (6-0, 142) and Will Johnson (5-5, 140).
Star running back Deandre Murray (5-10, 163) might also line up at wideout in certain situations. He caught 11 passes for 145 yards last season.