BENTONVILLE -- There's nothing that excites a football coach like the start of preseason practices, even when he has spent a lot of time with his team during summer workouts.
Bentonville coach Jody Grant is no exception as he oversaw the Tigers through their practice Monday morning.
"It's just good to get them out there," Grant said. "These guys are in shape, and they know what we're doing offensively and defensively. It was just good to get them out here altogether, in jerseys and helmets, and let them fly around and introduce them to some special teams.I'm just grateful to be back doing fall camp."
Other than the special teams work, mainly with kickoffs and kickoff returns, Grant said what his players experienced Monday was very similar to what Bentonville has worked on throughout the offseason.
There are reasons for optimism for the Tigers, who finished last season 10-1 and enter the season with a 32-game win streak in 7A-West Conference play after winning their fifth consecutive conference title in 2020.
Bentonville returns senior receivers Cooper Smith (6-0, 170) and Chas Nimrod (6-3, 185), who combined for 82 receptions for more than 1,600 yards and 24 touchdowns last fall, as well as 1,000-yard rusher Josh Ficklin, along with running backs Sean Anderson and Chris Collier-Surly.
Nimrod is already highly touted as he has received more than 20 offers from colleges, including Arkansas and Tennessee. The Tigers also picked up a pair of key transfers -- Kendrick Saulu (Sr., 5-11, 185), who was an all-conference linebacker at Clarksville, and Joey Sa'u (Jr., 6-3, 315), who was a two-year starter at a school in California and has recently added a scholarship offer from Arkansas.
"I like the weapons we have on offense," Grant said. "I think we have some talented football players. Defensively, I think we have a group that is eager to get their opportunity to fly around and make a lot of plays for us."
Bentonville will hold its Tiger Pride scrimmage on Aug. 14 before taking on Owasso, Okla., in the Tulsa Union Gridiron Classic on Aug. 19. The Tigers will open their 2021 season at home on Aug. 27 against Liberty (Mo.) North.