FAYETTEVILLE — Daryl Patton is one of the top advocates you can find in support of 7-on-7 football in the state of Arkansas.
And while Patton believes every summer of 7-on-7 is important to a team’s success, the 11th-year Fayetteville coach looks at this year as perhaps the most key to date.
“Without a doubt,” Patton said. “We’ve got a new defensive coordinator, new defensive schemes, a new quarterback and some new wide receivers. So this year of 7-on-7 is maybe the most important one we’ve ever had.”
At A Glance
Harrison Goblin 7-on-7 Invitational
WHEN: Friday
WHERE: Goblin Stadium, Harrison
TEAMS: Fayetteville, Siloam Springs, Alma, Conway Christian, Greene County Tech, Harrison, Mountain Home, Springfield (Mo.) Glendale, Strafford, Mo.
SCHEDULE: Pool play begins at 10 a.m., followed by tournament play.
Fayetteville began 7-on-7 practice this week, in preparation for its first tournament of the summer. The Bulldogs will kick things off Friday when they begin play at the Goblin 7-on-7 Invitational in Harrison, facing Alma, Springfield (Mo.) Glendale, Harrison and Siloam Springs in pool play.
Senior Mitch Marshall ended spring drills as the leader for the starting quarterback position. Marshall — a backup to all-stater Austin Allen last season — split reps in the spring with junior C.J. O’Grady and senior Dre Greenlaw. Sophomores Jack Lindsey and Eli Hale are also candidates to play quarterback this fall for the Bulldogs.
In the past, Fayetteville has beefed up its summer 7-on-7 tournament schedule with trips to the National Select 7-on-7 in Hoover, Ala., and a visit to Nashville, Tenn. But with little experience returning at so many positions, the Bulldogs elected to turn down an invitation to return to Hoover this summer.
Instead, Fayetteville added this weekend’s 7-on-7 in Harrison, while also scheduling trips to Pulaski Academy and Shiloh Christian for other 7-on-7 tournaments.
“We don’t have a lot of experience coming back, so we’re going to take the approach of development,” Fayetteville offensive coordinator Zak Clark said. “We want to develop our quarterbacks and develop a fourth and fifth wide receiver.
“The last three years we knew we had a really good quarterback and we had a lot of receivers coming back. So there was a little bit more of looking at the brackets in these 7-on-7 tournaments and trying to win. But this year, it’s more about development. I could care less what the scores are. We’re just trying to get better.”
Fayetteville returns senior Jordan Dennis at wide receiver and senior Blake Power at tight end. Many other spots will be filled by players who didn’t see as much varsity time last fall.
“We’ve got to develop some kids who can pass it and who can throw it,” Clark said. “Right now, we need to find that extra one or two receivers and maybe another tight end.”
Despite its youth, Patton doesn’t back off high goals for Fayetteville, even when it comes to the 7-on-7 circuit.
“Expectations don’t change for us,” Patton said. “I told our kids this week, when we started 7-on-7 in the state of Arkansas the main thing we’re looking for is how well you can compete.
“That doesn’t change. We want to go out there and compete hard.”