ARKANSAS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Coaches look for ways to top Burks, Warren

Warren wide receiver Treylon Burks (center) has helped lead the Lumberjacks to the Class 4A state championship game the past two seasons. The Lumberjacks defeated Pea Ridge in the 2016 title game, but lost last season to Arkadelphia.
Warren wide receiver Treylon Burks (center) has helped lead the Lumberjacks to the Class 4A state championship game the past two seasons. The Lumberjacks defeated Pea Ridge in the 2016 title game, but lost last season to Arkadelphia.

Joe T. Robinson Coach Todd Eskola is very familiar with Warren wide receiver Treylon Burks.

The Lumberjacks have eliminated the Senators the past two seasons in the Class 4A postseason, including last year's semifinals in which Warren won 35-28 in overtime.

"He's the best we've seen," Eskola said of Burks. "He never leaves the field."

Whether he's lined up at wide receiver, running back, quarterback, linebacker or returner, the University of Arkansas oral commitment makes the biggest impact in Class 4A and arguably the state of Arkansas.

In 2017, Burks caught 45 passes for 1,090 yards and 14 touchdowns. He rushed for 936 yards and 27 touchdowns on 114 carries, and added 4 special teams scores (3 punt returns, 1 kickoff return). On defense, Burks returned three of his five interceptions for touchdowns.

Burks enters his senior season with 143 receptions for 3,159 yards and 39 touchdowns. He was the first ninth-grader to start for Warren Coach Bo Hembree, who coached future NFL players Jarius Wright and Chris Gragg.

Arkadelphia Coach J.R. Eldridge saw his Badgers face Burks and the Lumberjacks in last season's Class 4A state championship game. Burks had 178 yards receiving, 116 yards rushing, 4 touchdowns and 16 tackles against the Badgers, who went on to win 28-27.

"He's one of the best high school football players I've coached against," Eldridge said. "At Arkadelphia High School since I've been there, the best player we've played against.

"He can do pretty much everything for them. When you're in a one-on-one situation against him, it's very tough to win it."

Hembree said despite Burks' success, he is a humble person.

"He'll do whatever we ask him to do," Hembree said. "He'll play every snap if we ask him to. That's what makes Treylon Burks special. He's a team leader. He means a lot to us."

While Burks is a big part of what Warren does, Hembree doesn't want to put nearly as much on him as he has in the past.

Hembree is counting on senior quarterback Jmalachi Kinnard and senior wide receiver Keemontrae McKnight as well as junior running back Vincent Steppes to play bigger roles for the Lumberjacks this season.

"Last year, we leaned on him a little too much," Hembree said of Burks. "When he got back spasms in the Arkadelphia game, we weren't able to function as well. That series where he was out, we didn't get a first down.

"He's going to be a key to what we do. But we want to do just as good without him."

When Burks was asked in December about a recruiting decision, he said he was planning to wait until after his senior season to make it. However, Burks committed to the Razorbacks on July 30, becoming the top in-state recruit to pledge to UA.

"He didn't like the recruiting process at all," Hembree said. "He didn't get caught up in it. It wasn't always about him.

"He went to Arkansas for that picnic. I had a good feeling. I figured he wouldn't take too many visits. Coach [Chad] Morris and [offensive coordinator Joe] Craddock built an unbelievable relationship with him."

Staying in Arkansas was what Burks wanted, Hembree said.

"I know his makeup," Hembree said. "He loves Warren, Arkansas. He loves to fish and hunt."

But Class 4A teams have one more season of trying to stop him.

The first team to face Warren will be Southside Batesville on Aug. 25 at North Little Rock High School.

Southerners Coach Kenny Simpson has never faced Warren, but he respects what Burks has done in his Lumberjacks career.

"You just try to do the best you can to contain him," Simpson said. "In the NBA, it's like playing against LeBron James. You know he'll probably get his. So you try to limit the damage and make it as tough on him as possible.

"But you understand that kid is special. Defensively, you make sure to try to get two or three guys watching him at all times. It will be tough, we understand that."

Robinson won 12 games last season and the 7-4A Conference championship. The Senators had aspirations of playing in the Class 4A state championship game, which would have been against their 7-4A rival Arkadelphia.

But when Burks made a fourth-and-goal stop at the 2 on running back Ceazar Warren, Robinson saw its dreams of a state title disappear at the hands of the Lumberjacks again.

Even with Burks back, Eskola and the Senators are not shying away from a possible third matchup against Warren in November -- or even December in the Class 4A state championship game.

"Speaking on behalf of everyone in our program, we pray every day we get to play them again," Eskola said. "That's driven our offseason."

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Democrat-Gazette file photo

Treylon Burks, who has committed to play at Arkansas, led Warren to the Class 4A state championship game last season. He finished the season with 45 catches for 1,090 yards and 14 touchdowns, and 114 rushes for 936 yards and 27 scores. He also had four scores on special teams and returned three of his five interceptions for touchdowns.

Sports on 08/16/2018

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