No. 12 South Panola

South Panola was the best football team in the country last season.

The Tigers finished No. 1 in the final Xcellent 25 Rankings presented by the Army National Guard. Though graduation hit the Mississippi school hard, it will be the top team in the Magnolia State and will again rank with the nation's elite.

Issac Gross and Temario Strong, both committed to Ole Miss, anchor an impressive defensive line that also boasts Kendall Carr.

Tevin Flowers takes over at quarterback, but expect athlete Antonio Conner to also see time behind center. He'll be used all over the field and will likely be one of the more versatile players in the country this season.

Head coach Lance Pogue has a system in place that should allow South Panola to minimalize dropoff at other key positions. Sophomore Quandez Lee is one of the many options the team has at running back.

Pogue will need to retool the offensive line, but with Deon Nix, Justin Barksdale and several other young, jumbo-sized linemen, the Tigers' skill players should thrive again in 2011. Nix saw action last season and will be the lineman that South Panola looks to run behind, especially early on. The offensive line, if it continues to come together as it has this spring, will actually be a team strength.

Defensively, the secondary will be an area for Pogue to keep an eye on, as it loses Nickolas Brassell and Kendrick Market, who both doubled as receivers. Their production on both sides of the ball will be difficult to replace, but Jaterrian Wren will assume more responsibility, as will 6-foot-3 senior Ron Taylor.

Football bloodlines run deep in Mississippi, Panola County in particular. Many players on this year's team are relatives of past Tigers and recognize the tradition of the Tigers: South Panola does not rebuild.

This year's team will be inexperienced, but it will be talented and teeming with players who will have an opportunity to prove themselves. Expect nothing short of another 6A title from South Panola.

Continue to School Profile
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School size: Class 6A


Enrollment: 1.200 (approx.)


2010 finish: 6A state champions; No. 1 in Xcellent 25 Rankings


Head coach: Lance Pogue


Career record: 142-42


Years at school: 4


Notable players coached:
RB Darius Barksdale (Ole Miss, Jacksonville State)
RB Nick Parker (Ole Miss)
ATH Nickolas Brassell (Ole Miss)

Continue to Key Returners
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No. of returning starters: 2 (offense), 4 (defense)

Key losses:
QB Lee Self
RB Qyen Griffin
WR Nickolas Brassell
WR Kendrick Market

Key returners:
QB Antonio Conner
DL Temario Strong
DL Issac Gross

Key newcomers:
LB Quandez Lee
OL Justin Barksdale
WR Ron Taylor




Continue to Season Outlook
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Toughest game: Hoover (Ala.). With respect to West Point and Gulfport, Alabama powerhouse Hoover is the toughest game on South Panola's schedule. The Buccaneers will challenge the Tigers athletically and schematically.

Top Local Contenders: Although South Panola is the undisputed top dog in-state, Oak Grove, Olive Branch, Meridian and Gulfport are all capable of challenging South Panola. Madison Central also merits mention.

Question Marks: The offensive line and defensive secondaries are the biggest unknowns at this point. The Tigers have the depth to replace their losses from a year ago but will begin the season with inexperience in both places.

Overall outlook: The schedule is brutal early on for South Panola, opening with defending 5A champion West Point before traveling to take on Alabama power Hoover, followed by Gulfport. If the Tigers can weather the storm early, they will have a great shot at another undefeated season. The 2011 Tigers may look a lot like the 2009 Tigers. If they play at a high level this season, the 2012 Tigers could look like the national title-winning squad of a year ago.

Coach quote: "We expect to win the state championship, that's a given. We're young. Me and coach Pogue and all of us talk about how we're young, but talented. We've got some leaders in Gross, Strong and Carr but we have some young kids coming up that know the expectations. They'll follow suit. If we stay healthy, and of course that's a cliche, we've got a shot to win it."
- Assistant coach Jamie Easley

Continue to Video of Returning Players
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