Despite breaking in 11 new starters following a 3-8 campaign, there’s renewed optimism surrounding the Columbia Academy Cougars.
With talented skill players aplenty, new coordinators on both sides of the ball and a monster transfer, the Cougars are ready to flip the script this season.
Following the departure of so many seniors who were leaders, fifth-year head coach Randy Butler said it’s been difficult finding players to fill the void. He added he’s not sure if it’s the culture in today’s society with everyone, including teenagers, trying to be politically correct, but it’s not in the nature of today’s teenagers to be leaders when needed.
“It’s not in their nature when they see a teammate making a bad decision to say, ‘Hey, that’s not the way we do it.’ As coaches we need to develop the kind of people who will stand up for what’s right and say, ‘That’s not the way this team does things, and that’s not the way we do things at this school,’” he explained.
However, Butler said Robert Johnson has been the one who has taken it upon himself to be the vocal leader the Cougars need.
“Whenever I have to say something, I’ll do it,” Johnson said.
Junior Kris Ginn and freshman Cole Fortenberry are locked in a battle to replace Ras Pace, who started three seasons under center for CA, and Butler said the pair are pretty even at this stage. Fortenberry started CA’s scrimmage, but they played about the same number of snaps, according to Butler.
“Both of them are going to play. (Fortenberry) really works at it hard. It means a lot to him, and he really studies the game,” he said. “Kris has been a linebacker, and coach (Keith) Stanley really started trying to develop him in the summer. Last year you could see at practice when kids are out there throwing it around that Kris can really spin it. He just hasn’t played the position.”
Sophomore running back Preston Sauls returns after a monster freshman year landed him The Columbian-Progress Newcomer of the Year award. He accounted for more than 800 all-purpose yards, which is likely only the beginning, according to Butler.
“Whether we had Ras coming back or not, 44 (Sauls) is going to have it under his arm a good bit,” he said. “We didn’t want to overdo it with him being a ninth grader last year, but in hindsight we probably didn’t give it to him enough, especially late in the season. Looking back at that playoff game against Riverfield, if we had given it to him maybe 10 more times you never know what might have happened.”
Sauls said he’s ready to get however many touches the coaches will let him and wants to rush for at least 1,500 yards and 15 touchdowns, but he won’t be alone this year. Another freshman will get a chance to play a big role in CA’s backfield again this season with Nick Terry projected to spell Sauls. Butler said the 5-foot-8, 145-pound back is a natural with the ball in his hands with great vision and a feel for when to stay inside and when to bounce it.
The Cougars have their No. 1 receiver back in Johnson, and he will have some big-time help with the arrival of Trey Stringer, who transferred from Copiah Academy. Johnson is the most excited about Stringer, saying he won’t have to be double teamed nearly as much this season.
“He’s going to help a lot. Once they started doubling me last year, we didn’t give anybody any trouble. That will be a big thing to have two, three or four really good receivers. You can’t double us all,” Johnson said. “(Stringer) is a gamer.”
Johnson added if the offense improves this season, the Cougars will improve drastically because he has full confidence the defense will hold its own.
“Last year we didn’t produce the way we should have. I think this year we can,” he said.
Holton Hartzog has emerged as a starting receiver, and Trevor Courtney and Eli Beard return as well after playing a lot last season. Jacob Reid and Zach Lowery will get some opportunities in an H-back role.
CA’s entire offensive line graduated, and Butler said there simply isn’t a lot of bodies available. Dylan Elkins projects as the center with Riley Bond and Dakota Breeland at guard and Noah Branch and Nick Reagan at tackle. Hunter Herring, Landon McNabb and Ethan King will be the primary backups for the line.
Those same guys will be manning the defensive line for the Cougars with Elkins, Bond and Breeland working at defensive tackle. The defensive line received a huge boost recently, though, with the arrival of senior Jeremiah Haynes, who starred at Columbia the past few seasons. The 6-foot-2, 315-pound force has scholarship offers from just about every junior college in the state and could completely change CA’s defense.
Ginn has amassed 246 tackles the past two seasons as an inside linebacker and will be joined by Jacob Reid, who missed all of last season with a broken foot. At outside linebacker, which the Cougars call “nickel” and “wolf,” CA will deploy a mixture of Courtney, Lowery and Stringer with McNabb serving as a backup.
Butler said Sauls has taken on a big role defensively as well and has shown the natural ability to be a playmaking safety alongside Eli Beard, who started last season. Sauls’ emergence has allowed the Cougars to take advantage of Johnson’s length on the outside at cornerback after he had been a safety the past two seasons. Courtney has started a couple seasons at cornerback as well and will flex between cornerback and the “nickel” linebacker spot based on the matchup. When he’s at linebacker, Hartzog will man the outside.
“Skill wise we’re in pretty good shape. That sophomore class has some really good players, but our numbers are just way, way down from what they’ve been,” Butler said. “District wise I think we’ll be OK. Wayne Academy has a few more numbers than we do, but we’re a lot like them and had some really good games with them the last two years. You never know about Bowling Green. They started out in a whirlwind last year, but they were playing some ineligible guys. That set them back a bit.”
The goal is to win both district and state this year, according to Johnson, and Sauls said the Cougars are capable of winning a bunch of games.
Stanley has been elevated to offensive coordinator this season after having great success as an assistant and as the junior high head coach. Butler hired Blake Hall, who was an assistant at Jones College, to be the defensive coordinator, which will allow Butler to focus more on every aspect of the team after calling defensive plays the past few seasons. Former CA stud Blake Fornea is helping out as a volunteer coach as well.
Columbia Academy opened its season with a home matchup with rival Simpson Academy Aug. 21.
