OWENS SHOWCASES TALENTS IN WEEK ONE WIN

SPRINGDALE — Chris Owens scooped the ball off the turf and quickly looked up to check his surroundings.

“I just saw the end zone,” Owens said.

The Springdale junior cornerback raced into the end zone untouched, returning the fumble 25 yards for a key third-quarter touchdown in the Bulldogs’ 42-27 season-opening win at Batesville.

It was Owens’ first touchdown since ninth grade, when he played running back. The game was filled with firsts for the 6-foot-1, 165-pounder.

He recorded his first career interception on Batesville’s first offensive snap of the night, a score that led to a Springdale touchdown and helped the Bulldogs seize momentum early.

“That’s probably the best play I could start the season with,” Owens said. “We were in a Cover 2. My guy had a post and I just went up and made a play.”

Springdale coaches hope Owens impressive performance is a sign of what’s to come in his junior season.

“Friday night he played the best game of his life,” Springdale coach Shane Patrick said. “So he’s come a long way.”

Owens finished with 32 tackles as a sophomore starter for the Bulldogs last season, making an impact despite his youth.

“It’s extremely rare to have somebody like that,” Patrick said. “He’s an extraordinary athlete. He’s not a guy that’s probably as fast as some people around. But he’s so long and he uses leverage so well. He can be extremely physical. He’s just done a great job.

“He had some issues last year like any sophomore does, but he was so far advanced versus just an average sophomore coming in that he was able to play. You don’t ever want to have to start a sophomore, but when they’re the best one you play them.”

Owens is part of a defense that returns a starter at every position in the back seven, valuable experience that could lead to an improved unit this fall. The Bulldogs gave up just 270 yards against Batesville, significantly less than the 347.7 yards they averaged allowing in 2012.

“I’m more comfortable,” Owens said. “Watching film, I’m pretty sure what routes they’re going to run on like what down and distance.”

Springdale hired Derek Moore to coach cornerbacks in the spring. The first-year Bulldogs coach has been impressed with what he’s seen from Owens in the few months he’s been at the program.

“He just plays physical,” Moore said. “Physical kid with great ball skills. Good kid to be around. Last Friday he played really aggressive and it was probably the best I’ve seen him since I got here in the spring.”

Owens, who also plays on the Springdale varsity basketball team, has a combination of physicality and length that could give him the opportunity to play football at the next level.

“He’s got a chance,” Moore said. “He’s just got to be in the weight room and get stronger. He just hasn’t had much chance to be in the weight room playing two sports. Once he gets in there and goes through a complete offseason, his body is going to change.”

He already showcased the offseason improvements he made during his big week one performance. Batesville didn’t throw his way again after his interception on the Pioneers’ first play.

“I think that means there’s kind of respect there,” Owens said.

Owens hopes to earn a lot of respect this year.

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