In the three seasons since Brandon Clark took over as the head football coach at Derby, the Panthers have made steady progress in the win-loss column as well as in the Kansas state football playoffs.
That trend, however, could be in jeopardy in 2009. Heavy graduation losses will force Clark and the rest of the Panther coaching staff to make all of the right moves during the offseason.
Fortunately for the Panthers, a rule change in Kansas has made it possible for Sunflower State coaches to begin working with their players as early as June.
“Offensively we’re going to be young,” Clark said. “We’ll pretty much have a new cast.
“But with the new rule change we will be able to begin installing our various packages ahead of fall camp. That’s a real benefit for our kids. Once preseason practice rolls around the kids can concentrate on the game of football, and not the Xs and Os and the schemes.”
In his first season as head coach, Clark guided the Panthers to a 1-8 record before producing a 5-5 campaign that concluded following a first round exit in the 2007 Class 6A state football playoffs.
Last season, the Panthers put together an 8-1 regular season and earned an appearance in the 6A semifinals before closing out the year with a 10-2 mark following a 22-3 loss to eventual state champion Junction City.
That season ending loss could be the shot in the arm that Clark’s 2009 team may need to recover from the loss of 16 starters.
“Junction City proved to be a very good football team last year,” Clark said of the team that knocked off Lawrence Free State for the Kansas 6A state title. “That game made the kids hungry for more.
“These kids hate to lose. We use last year’s semifinal loss as motivation. We remind them (players) of the feeling they had following the loss in hopes that it will motivate them to get better.”
Clark and the rest of the Panther coaching staff will be looking for steady improvement throughout the season in hopes of peaking at districts and eventually earning another postseason berth.
But for that to happen Clark admits he will need to find a way to create depth once the Panthers begin conference play.
Derby will have to face 2008 Class 5A state champion Hutchinson and state qualifiers Salina South, Salina Central and Goddard if they are going to win a second straight conference title.
Maize, who qualified for the playoffs in 2006 and 2007, is also a member of the league.
“Our league schedule should prepare us well for the playoffs,” Clark said. “We try to make each league team our rival.
“We hope to get better each week and learn from our mistakes. If we do stay healthy I think we will be a pretty good team, especially by season’s end. We will definitely have the potential to make the playoffs.”
One area hit hard by graduation is Clark’s offensive line. Travis Anderson (6-foot-4, 280 pounds), the lone returning starter and an all-conference and all-state selection a year ago, is one of four juniors that should earn a starting nod.
Skyeler Reynolds (6-4, 250), who will be the only starting senior along the front line, and Travis Hart (6-0, 260) also earned the praises of their coach.
Clark, who owns a 16-15 record at Derby, lost three-year starting quarterback Jake Snodgrass at the conclusion of the 2008 season.
Tyler Harrison (6-4, 200) will step in and replace the former Panther signal caller who threw for 1,975 yards and 24 touchdowns and rushed for another 700-plus yards and 14 scores a year ago.
Set to play catch with Harrison are two-way players Devin Hedgepeth (6-0, 190) and Taylor Smith (6-1, 190), both of whom earned post-season honors at defensive back a year ago. Ethan Jewell, a defensive back in 2008, and Dylan Reese will compete for playing time at receiver as well.
Jameson Moore (5-10, 235), who makes the switch from middle linebacker to running back this fall, and Kyle Heard (6-0, 210) will lead a bruising rushing attack for Clark.
Clark’s defense should carry the Panthers during the early portion of Derby’s schedule, which includes contests against Wichita Haysville Campus and Salina Central right out of the gate.
Returning linebackers Meshach Kennedy (5-11, 195) and Ian Whittit (5-9, 190) return to man that same position in 2009, while Cole Carpenter (6-1, 230) is set to wreak havoc from his defensive end position.
Hedgepeth and Smith will return to what should be a terrific secondary. Derby also returns Heard at linebacker, defensive back Jonathan Stove (5-11, 190) and defensive lineman Bryce Fisher (6-3, 250).
“Defensively, we’re going to be fast and aggressive,” Clark said of the Panther stop unit. “We may be undersized a bit, but we will make up for it with speed.
“On offense, we want to spread the field and wear the other team down. I guess you could call us a high-paced, no-huddle-type of team.”
