BENTONVILLE -- Kasey Ford and Dylan Smith were mere spectators on the sidelines when Bentonville opened its football season last fall, but for different reasons.
Both of them were in the Tigers' starting lineup by the final nonconference game against Euless (Texas) Trinity and never left that spot. They return to those positions this fall, and Bentonville hopes to benefit from the season of experience.
The Skinny
Position Breakdown: Offensive Backfield
Watch Out For: Senior Kahlil Gunn, who returns as the Tigers’ third tailback. He doesn’t have the size of a Dylan Smith or a Hekili Keliiliki, but his elusiveness can give Bentonville a change of pace in the backfield.
Biggest Strength: The Tigers are loaded with experience, whether it be Ford at quarterback or the combination of Smith and Keliiliki at tailback. Ford threw for 1,846 yards and 22 touchdowns, while the two tailbacks combined for more than 2,100 yards and 24 scores.
Biggest Question: Can Bentonville find a way to evenly distribute the ball around with so much talent in the backfield?
Ford (6-foot-5, 230 pounds) went on to throw for 1,846 yards and 22 touchdowns last season and had his best game in the Class 7A State Championship, when he passed for 265 yards and three scores and was named the most valuable player. The junior has already gained notoriety nationwide and has received a college offer from Louisville during the offseason.
"The difference I see in Kasey this year is the confidence level," Bentonville quarterbacks coach Kevin York said. "He knows he can do it and knows he can win at this level.
"When he played last year, at times I thought he was feeling like 'Can I do this? I'm in the pressure cooker.' Now he wants to be in the pressure cooker, and he knows he's the guy and it comes with this air of confidence."
Bentonville also enjoys some depth at quarterback if it needs to use it. Senior Chase Hunter returns as the backup at that spot, but York said he his being pushed by sophomore Canaan Ross, and Aaron Estrada is also practicing at that spot.
There's also depth at tailback, where the Tigers enjoy the one-two punch of Smith (6-0, 200) -- a 1,400-yard rusher last year with 13 touchdowns -- and fellow senior Hekili Keliiliki (6-2, 224), who added 771 yards and 11 touchdowns. Kahlil Gunn (5-9, 150) also returns as the third back and can give the Tigers a different look.
"I feel really good about having a lot of experience back there," running backs coach David Pollard said. "With Dylan and Heliki, they bring a lot back to the table. They're solid in the run game and have a great set of hands. Both of them are great in the pass protection and have great vision when they run. You can't ask for a lot more.
"I'm really looking for Kahlil to do some things this year. He's been in the program for three years and has steadily become better. In the spring and in the offseason, he's been steady for us."
A couple of sophomores, Jacob Clark (5-9, 156) and Destyn Adkins (5-10, 165) are waiting in the wings and have shown flashes of promise during the offseason.
Sports on 08/30/2014