ELLISVILLE – Jones College, like all football teams, has had to deal with COVID-19 for the past 18 months. 
 
And this past week, the Bobcats had to deal with Hurricane Ida. 
 
But now the storm has passed and Jones College will open the season at home on Thursday vs. Northeast Mississippi.
 
Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at Bobcat Stadium/Sim Cooley Field and the game will air on JCJC.TV, SuperTalk WLAU-FM, 99.3, and SuperTalkLaurel.com with Mark Easley and Luke Johnson on the call.
 
Jones College head coach Steve Buckley said his team has done what it can to prepare for the opener.
 
"It's been a crazy week with the hurricane and everything," he said Wednesday morning. "I think our kids have handled all of that very well. We were able to get out yesterday (Tuesday) for the first time this week – actually the first time since last Thursday. We gave the kids off this weekend just because it was the weekend before the first game. 
 
"We brought them back in on Sunday and got a lot of gym work and meeting time in and we were able to get on the field yesterday. It was muddy, but we made it work and I think they are excited about playing this week."
 
Jones features numerous third-year sophomores this season because of COVID-19. Buckley is pleased with the way they have practiced during fall camp, but is concerned about the incoming freshmen and how they will perform when the lights come on Thursday.
 
"I've said this several time because of COVID last year a lot of our young kids have not gone to school and not gone to class," he said. "They did not know if their high school was going to practice each day or play. Just getting them reeled in and focused on what we are trying to accomplish here is the big thing. Those young players have got to be our depth players and there are a lot of question marks there right now. I'm not sure if it's all their fault.
 
"I would love to see more focus out of the young kids because they are going to be in a playing role and it's an important role in this game, whether it's the kicking game or as a backup. They've got to be ready to roll."
 
The Bobcats went 3-2 during an abbreviated 2020 campaign. Northeast had one of its better seasons in years, going 5-1. The Tigers' only loss was a 34-28 overtime decision to eventual MACCC champion Northwest Mississippi.
 
Buckley said Northeast presents a major challenge for his team.
 
"I know very little about them, but I know everybody in the league is going to be strong this year because everybody has a lot of returners for a third year because of COVID," he said. "They all have a free year. If you read the articles they have put out, I think they have seven All-Americans (JCGridiron.com). They had a great year last year. They went 5-1 and lost to eventual conference champion Northwest in overtime.
 
"It's easy to say they were the second best team in the whole league last year. They have a lot of talent on that football team. They have done a great job of recruiting. They've got kids that can run and size up front on both sides. Their quarterbacks are athletic. It's going to be a great game and it will take a great effort for us to come out with a win."
 
Buckley said the Bobcats must adjust to the speed of the game and limit mental mistakes as much as possible.
 
"We have to slow the game down mentally," he said. "Anytime you take a step from high school to college, the speed of the game is the big difference. You take your first game for your entire team and it's always faster than you are expecting. We talk about that all the time. The first quarter will be over before you know it and then it will be halftime before you turn around. And you look up and the final horn blows.
 
"So, I think one of the keys is that we have to slow the game down mentally. I'm not talking physically because it will be a fast pace and there is a lot of speed on the field for both sides. I think our kids on both sides of the ball and even in the kicking game have to slow the game down mentally. And we have to execute. I think we have great game plans in all three phases, but it's just a matter of executing."
 
On the field, Buckley said the Bobcats must limit turnovers and be sound defensively and on special teams.
 
"We have to take care of the ball on offense because usually the team with the least amount of turnovers wins," he said. "That's one of the keys in every football game."
 
The forecast calls for clear skies and temperatures in the low 80s at kickoff.
 
Buckley encourages fans to be at Bobcat Stadium/Sim Cooley Field for the season opener. 
 
"We want everybody to come out," he said. "It's going to be a great night. We've missed real football for the past year because last year was a wash. We don't even count it. We are back to our sense of normalcy. I just want to challenge all of the people in this area to get out and support the Bobcats."
 
The Bobcats will return home at 7 p.m. on Sept. 9 to host Northwest Mississippi. Northeast hosts Mississippi Gulf Coast on Sept. 9.
 
Single-game and season tickets are on sale now through jcbobcats.com/tickets. Jones has partnered with HomeTown Ticketing to provide fans with the convenience of cashless, paperless and pre-sale ticketing.
 
HALL OF FAME POSTPONED TO SEPT. 9
The Hall of Fame festivities originally scheduled for Sept. 2 have been postponed until Sept. 9.
 
Former Jones tennis and soccer coach Mark Easley and former Bobcat football player Mark Barron will be inducted into the school's sports Hall of Fame.
 
There will be a dinner at 5 p.m. in A.B. Howard Gymnasium and both men will be recognized at halftime of the football game vs. Northwest.