ELLISVILLE – Both the 19^th-ranked Jones County Junior College Bobcats and 16^th-rated Northwest Mississippi Rangers think they will field good football teams this fall.
But they just don't know what to expect when they face each other in the season opener at 7 p.m. on Saturday at Bobcat Stadium/Sim Cooley Field. The game will air on www.jcjc.tv and WLAU-FM, 99.3.
"There is always a little bit of the unknown because you don't know much about their personnel," said second-year JCJC head coach David Thornton. "You know a little bit, but that kind of goes both ways. I'm sure they are sitting there asking themselves the same questions about us, so we are even."
Two of the "known" factors for Northwest Mississippi will be sophomore running back Justin Crawford (6-0, 200) of Columbus, Georgia, and freshman quarterback Gardner Minshew (6-2, 215) of Brandon.
Crawford led the MACJC and was fourth in the NJCAA in rushing with 1,551 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2014. He was a second-team NJCAA All-American. Minshew originally signed with Troy University, but transferred to Northwest after the spring semester.
Last year, the Bobcats defeated the Rangers 28-20 at Senatobia. JCJC jumped out to a 28-7 lead in the second quarter and held on for the win.
But the Rangers rebounded to finish second in the MACJC North Division and advanced to the playoffs, where they lost to Copiah-Lincoln.
Thornton believes the Rangers have added significant talent to their roster.
"Northwest had a good recruiting class, just like we did," he said. "I'm sure they will be a much improved team, but they made the playoffs last year. They have a good coaching staff and I know they will have them ready to play."
Thornton said the Bobcats are just looking forward to seeing a different opponent.
"After a while, you get tired of banging on each other and you figure each other out," he said. "We want some new people to bang on. The kids are anxious to play and we are, as coaches, ready to get the season started."
JCJC will have a good mix of sophomores and freshmen in the lineup this fall.
The Bobcats will look to start Gulfport sophomore Thad Miller (6-1, 215) at quarterback, while Port St. Joe, Florida, product Jarkice Davis (5-9, 200) gets the nod at running back. Alabama transfer DeSherrius Flowers (6-1, 210) from Vigor High School in Mobile, Alabama, Petal sophomore James Milledge (6-0, 215) and Gautier freshman Stephen Cowan (5-9, 190) will also play running back.
"Jarkice has had a great camp," Thornton said. "But all of those guys are doing really well in fall camp."
Across the front line, the Bobcats are expected to go with North Forrest sophomore John Brown (6-0, 300) at center, Taylorsville sophomore Doug Lofton (6-4, 325) at right guard, West Jones freshman Joshua Newcomb (6-2, 285) at left guard, Hazlehurst sophomore Toriaun Samuels (6-2, 310) at right tackle and Oak Grove freshman Dalton Bullock (6-5, 300) at left tackle. Freshmen Brock Flemings (6-3, 285) of East Webster, Vincent McGill (6-1, 300) of Laurel and Josh Alford (6-2, 270) of Brandon are also expected to play.
"Doug is kind of the leader of the group," Thornton said. "Toriaun has improved so much and worked so hard. He has been outstanding. John has done so well in preseason, too, as have Josh and Dalton. The whole group is really jelling well.
"Those guys are very gritty and very athletic. They move really well for their size. I was really impressed when they reported with some of the times they did."
At the receiver slots, JCJC is expected to start Alpharetta, Georgia, product and Vanderbilt transfer Carlos Burse (6-3, 210) at Z, Oak Grove freshman Logan Scott (6-5, 210) at Y, Stringer sophomore Tevin Moore (5-11, 205) at H and Petal freshman Barry Gibson (6-0, 170) at X.
"Carlos is kind of anchoring that group and he has committed to Southern Miss," Thornton said. "He has good speed and good hands and he has taken on a leadership role, as well. Logan has had an outstanding fall camp and is really playing well now. Tevin has had a great spring, summer and fall camp and has been a leader, too. Barry has really come on and worked hard. He is doing a great job."
Tennessee transfer Kyle Oliver (6-4, 230) of LaVergne, Tennessee, and East Central freshman Nate Cohen (6-0, 180) have also impressed in preseason.
"Kyle is some kind of athlete," Thornton said. "He is really something and Nate is doing a good job, too.
On the defensive line, the Bobcats are expected to start East Carolina transfer Markel Winters (6-3, 230) and Hazlehurst sophomore Javarious Tanner (6-0, 240) at the ends, along with Northwest Rankin freshman Tony Adams (6-0, 330) and Millbrook, Alabama, sophomore Arie Anderson (6-1, 300) at the tackles.
Hazlehurst sophomore Johnkil Skipper (6-0, 290), Wayne County freshman Tramond Lofton (6-3, 230) and Tylertown freshman Joe Gesse (6-2, 225) will also see action on the line.
"Arie has worked hard and is a great kid," Thornton said. "Javarious is very solid, too. Tony has come in and really plugged the middle for us and Markel is a good-sized kid for us. Tramond has had a really good camp and he has a bright future. Joe is also doing well.
"That is a talented group. They have good size and we are excited to see what they can do."
Brookhaven sophomore Ty Hill (6-1, 210) and McComb sophomore Jahmaad Harrell (6-2, 215) are frontrunners at linebacker, although Petal freshman C.J. Johnson (6-0, 210), Northwest Rankin freshman Cannon Gibbs (6-2, 215) and St. Stanislaus freshman Zach Ladner (6-1, 230) will also play.
"Ty and Jahmaad are the leaders, but C.J. has had a great camp," Thornton said. "Cannon is an athletic guy with great size and Zach has done well in camp, too. We really have some good linebackers that can play. They are smart players and that makes a big difference."
Opelika, Alabama, sophomore Al'Dreecous Wilson (5-11, 175) is the team's leading returning tackler and will be the Bobcat safety. Nacogdoches, Texas, freshman Jaylon Lane (6-1, 175), who committed last year to Oklahoma State, will start at one cornerback slot, while Picayune freshman Kadarius Cross (5-9, 170) will be the other cornerback. Picayune sophomore Daveon Greene (5-10, 210) is at strong safety and North Forrest sophomore Denver Magee (6-2, 210) is at free safety.
Mize sophomore Jamal Blackwell (5-10, 165) and Seminary freshman Eric Barnes (5-10, 180) will also play in the secondary.
"Al'Dreecous was a solid player for us last year at safety and corner," Thornton said. "He is a versatile guy and has received some interest from some bigtime schools. Jaylon has had an outstanding summer and camp. He is a great player and we are expecting a lot out of him. Kadarius has done really well in camp and so has Daveon and Denver.
"Jamal is a smart player, a great kid and a great student. He just does everything right. Eric has done well in camp and has a knack for being around the football."
Starkville freshman Michael Godley (5-11, 180) is expected to be the punter and kicker on Saturday, while Madison Central sophomore Drew Edgar (5-10, 230) will be the long snapper.
Thornton said the Bobcats must protect the football in order to have success on the field Saturday.
"It comes down to turnovers, which are always crucial, and which team can make adjustments," he said. "Conditioning will be important, especially early in the season. I think if we can play mistake-free football, we will have a chance to win it in the fourth quarter. That's all you can ask."
Overall, Thornton is pleased with where the Bobcats standing going into the opener.
"We have a lot of guys who are good kids and who work hard," he said. "They are getting better every practice and that's all we ask. Just don't take any steps back and they've done that.
"I think we have a talented group on both sides of the ball. They take coaching well and they have all pulled together. They are all pulling for each other."
Saturday's game will cap off Hall of Fame Weekend on campus.
The Ninth annual Bobcat Hall of Fame 5K Run begins at 8 a.m. at the stadium.
The Hall of Fame Banquet will take place at 5 p.m. at A.B. Howard Gymnasium. Linda Darty, Kevin Jackson, Tommy D. Parker Sr., Donald H. Pennington and Mike "Skeeter" Robertson will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the time and will be recognized at halftime of the football game.
The Bobcats go on the road next week for a 7 p.m. game on Thursday at Itawamba.
Northwest hosts Mississippi Gulf Coast on Thursday.