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GO PANTHERS! Hwy. 16 • 1 mile south from 412 Bypass Behind DaySpring - Siloam Springs 479-524-9213 ROGERS Automotive 875 S. Dogwood St. • Siloam Springs 479-373-6608 GO MARCO! 441 Hwy. 412 W. Siloam Springs 479-524-5131 WassonFuneralHome.com Have a great season Panthers!!! 200 Progress Ave Siloam Springs, AR 72761 479-524-6605 | dogwoodjunction.biz BRANDS WE CARRY Football, it's all about the math –– One yard at a time —— 100 times! Hoping you have a season filled with victories! Panthers turn to new faces on offense 2019 Football Preview 2C n Wednesday, August 28, 2019 Herald-Leader/Westside Eagle Observer The Siloam Springs offense will look to build on the success of 2018, a year in which the Panthers averaged more than 330 total yards per game and amassed 190 first downs — the most head coach Brandon Craig has ever had in a season. The Panthers got a huge chunk of their yards on the ground, led by 1,580-yard All-State rusher Kaiden Thrailkill, who was lost to graduation. Siloam Springs also lost All-Confer- ence quarterback Landon Ellis, who threw for 1,578 yards and 10 touch- downs, and All-State tackle Corbin Collins and All-Conference center Dillon Conn. Quarterback Senior Taylor Pool (5-11, 179) has played some quarterback for Siloam Springs in each of the last two seasons, including starting the final two games of the 2017 season after Ellis was lost to a torn ACL. Pool started at safety on defense for the Panthers in 2018. Pool will get his chance as the team's signal caller for the 2019 season, and he's likely to be just as dangerous run- ning the ball as he is throwing it. "He's a kid who has a ton of athletic ability," Craig said. "He's worked on his leadership in the offseason. From the standpoint of being able to do what we want to do on offense, he gives us a run and pass threat. It's really exciting to move into the season with a quar- terback that can do so much." In limited action at quarterback in 2018, Pool rushed the ball 10 times for 62 yards and scored one touchdown in the season opener against Pryor, Okla. He only threw one pass which was incomplete. In 2017, Pool rushed 16 times for 19 yards and completed 26 of 76 passes for 309 yards with four touchdowns and seven interceptions. Pool is one of the faster kids on the team and the Panthers plan on utilizing his speed. "This guy can go," Craig said. "He's a 4-6-4.7 (40-yard dash) guy. He's a kid that has some toughness about him. He's not afraid to stick his nose in there. He gives us another threat in the backfield we may not have had in the past." Sophomore Hunter Talley (6-3, 206) will be the primary backup at quarter - back and run the junior varsity team on Monday nights. Talley fits the mold of the prototypi- cal drop back passer, Craig said. "Hunter is extremely intelligent in academics and football," he said. "He knows our playbook inside and out. He's a kid you can coach, and he does a good job of understanding what we're trying to accomplish." Junior Gavin Henson (5-9, 128), who plays wide receiver, would be the team's emergency quarterback. Running back The Panthers aren't asking any run- ning back to duplicate the numbers Thrailkill put up in 2018. But they are hopeful maybe they can recreate them through a bevy of players. "It's going to be running back by committee," Craig said. "We lost K.T. and there was probably too much em - phasis on our running back position last year, but he was a special player." The Panthers have been impressed with the work of senior Jackson Nor - berg (6-1, 173) through the offseason, spring and summer. "Through spring ball and pad camps, he's been outstanding," Craig said. "We've see burst and good vi - sion." Norberg suffered a big toe injury in the summer in a lawnmower accident, but he is expected to make a full recov - ery, Craig said. "We've been told he'll be 100 percent back at some point," Craig said. "May not be 100 percent for the first game." By Graham Thomas Staff Writer n gthomas@nwadg.com See OFFENSE on Page 6C