FAYETTEVILLE – If preseason scrimmages are supposed to reveal both what a football team can become and what still needs fixing, Greenwood got exactly what it needed last Tuesday night. The Bulldogs left Fayetteville’s Harmon Field with a 37-21 victory in their controlled scrimmage against the Class 7A Purple Dogs, offering plenty of encouraging moments in Jason Gill’s first outing as Greenwood’s head coach.

But nobody inside the GHS program is confusing a scrimmage victory with something that counts in the standings. But with the season opener at Bentonville West approaching, Gill and Offensive Coordinator Stephen Hogan came away encouraged by the effort, the depth, and the potential they saw. But both men identified several correctable mistakes that will demand attention before the games become real.

“It went well,” said Gill, the team’s new head coach who will also continue as its defensive coordinator. “We started out a little flat. There were just little things with execution that are very correctable. But I didn’t see any lack of effort, and I was proud of that.” And that distinction matters. Gill did not leave Fayetteville questioning how hard his Bulldogs played. He simply left wanting them to play cleaner.

Early lead slips away

Greenwood jumped in front 14-0 before allowing Fayetteville back into the scrimmage through a sequence Gill would prefer not to repeat. Back-to-back penalties helped give the Purple Dogs a short field and eventually led to a touchdown. Greenwood then threw an interception that Fayetteville returned for a score, quickly turning a two-touchdown advantage into a 14-14 tie.

Greenwood’s first score came on a long touchdown pass from Cruz Coatney to Ty Holt, who made a nice one-handed catch near the Fayetteville 40 before sprinting in for the 68-yard touchdown. The Bulldogs’ next score came on a 3-yard run by Rhett Holloway, set up by a 33-yard toss from Coatney to Braxton Canada. Kicker Landon Franklin added both extra points to put the visitors up 14-0.

After Fayetteville tied the score, the Bulldogs answered back to take a 21-14 lead, but another defensive mistake followed when Fayetteville converted a fourth-and-6 screen pass into a long touchdown after a missed tackle. For Gill, who has spent the past 11 seasons running Greenwood’s defense, those were precisely the kinds of plays that stood out on film.

“We had them down 14-0, and then we had two big penalties and gave them about 30 yards,” Gill said. “Then they score, and we throw the pick-six and let them right back into the game. “Defensively, if we correct a few things – our angles and tackling better – we wouldn’t have been in that situation.”

The fourth-down touchdown was particularly frustrating. Greenwood had done the hard part by forcing Fayetteville into fourth-and-6 near midfield. But one missed tackle erased it. “You get them to fourth-and-6 and then you let a big play happen,” Gill said. But those breakdowns did not erase the positives. They gave the Greenwood staff something useful to coach.

Offense shows weapons, but needs more consistency

The GHS offense supplied several explosive plays and eventually produced 37 points, including a late safety by the defense, but Hogan’s assessment sounded remarkably similar to Gill’s. There was plenty to like, but there was also plenty to clean up. “We’ve got to get more consistent,” Hogan said. “We’ve talked about that a lot with our kids – just consistency.”

The Bulldogs had several dropped passes, some early misfires in the passing game, and stretches when Hogan believed the offense needed to be more physical and dependable along the perimeter and in the running game. At the same time, he praised the pass protection and the quarterback’s ability to move within the pocket while keeping his eyes downfield.

After Greenwood’s first two touchdowns, the Bulldogs’ third score came on a 4-yard run by Mario Dunbar. Perhaps the most revealing offensive possessions, however, came after halftime. Greenwood opened the second half with a methodical 13-play drive built almost entirely around the running game.

Drake Little handled the football repeatedly as the Bulldogs marched downfield behind a group that included several second-team offensive linemen. The drive featured 12 running plays and ended with a 4-yard TD carry by Rhett Holloway. Drake Little scored the team’s fifth touchdown on a 5-yard run. For a Greenwood program long associated with spreading the field and throwing the ball, the ability to lean on the ground game with different personnel was an encouraging sign.

Seniors Mario Dunbar and Rhett Holloway, along with junior Drake Little, give the Bulldogs multiple options in the backfield. “We rotate probably seven guys up front,” Hogan said. “Then it’s by committee at running back. Consistency overall is really the big thing – being the same day in and day out and making sure we’re stacking days.”

Greenwood encouraged by quarterback development

The scrimmage also provided another important step for a Greenwood offense replacing the departed Kane Archer, one of the top quarterbacks in both school and state history. But Coach Hogan said he’s been pleased with the development of senior Cruz Coatney, who spent last season behind Archer and entered this offseason preparing to take over the offense.

But the Fayetteville scrimmage was not flawless. Gill said the pick-six resulted from a poor read when the quarterback failed to recognize a cornerback sitting underneath the intended route. Hogan also acknowledged several early throws he would like to have back. But neither coach sounded alarmed.

Quite the opposite. Hogan praised his QB’s preparation, coachability, and development throughout the offseason. He also revealed that Coatney was recently voted as a team captain by his teammates. “He’s won the locker room over,” said the OC. “He’s continued to learn and gotten better over time. He’s done a really good job day in and day out being prepared, wanting to be coached, and asking questions.”

The next step is gaining more experience, and that’s nothing that spring practice, 7-on-7s, or a controlled scrimmage can perfectly reproduce – Friday-night football under the lights in a crowded noisy stadium. Hogan believes additional game repetitions should accelerate that growth. “I’m very pleased with where he’s at,” Hogan said. “Obviously, there are things we still have to correct, but more time, more reps, and especially game reps will be a big plus for him.”

Sophomore Joey Young also impressed while handling the No. 2 quarterback duties. Hogan praised Young for making good decisions rather than simply trying to manufacture passing plays. During Greenwood’s run-heavy second-half possession, Young continued handing the football off when Fayetteville failed to stop it.

On another possession, Hogan said Young worked through his progression rather than forcing a covered throw. “I’ve been really pleased with Joey,” Hogan said. “He’s young and he’s still learning. He’s going to make mistakes, and that’s expected. But he’s made great decisions and put the ball where it needs to be.” For now, Young is Greenwood’s plan behind the starter.

Receiver depth gives Bulldogs options

Hogan also likes the number of choices Greenwood has at receiver. Holt has returned to football after concentrating on baseball in recent seasons, giving Greenwood another proven athlete on the perimeter. Senior Brayden Brewer has also moved back into a significant offensive role after spending time at linebacker during the spring. At approximately 6-4 and 220 pounds, Brewer gives the Bulldogs an unusually large and athletic target. Hogan believes his offseason – principally during 7-on-7 competition – earned him an important role.

“He’s a big kid, athletic, strong, can run, and is physical,” Hogan said. “As a senior, he’s worked himself into a role where we’re going to be really dependent on him.” Gill said improved linebacker depth made it easier to leave Brewer primarily on offense, although his athleticism gives Greenwood the option of using him defensively if circumstances demand it.

Cooper Webb, Brayden Renick, and Braxton Canada are the top returning pass catchers. Add to that mix Ty Holt and emerging sophomore Ty Karnes, who came up late last season as a freshmen. Along with Brewer, that gives Greenwood an amazing group of receivers to drive the defense crazy this season.

The result should look familiar to Greenwood fans: plenty of bodies moving through a passing game that historically known for its depth and quality. “We’ve got five really solid guys out there,” Hogan said. “It’s a good crew to have on the field for us. We’re excited about those guys.” The wealth of depth at receiver should also mitigate against the injury bug should it bite this season.

Gill likes defensive core and emerging depth

Defensively, Gill enters the season with many of his primary roles taking shape. Rather than searching for an entirely new starting group late in August, Greenwood is now refining a unit Gill described as largely settled. The Bulldogs return six bonified starters from its defensive unit last season and they are bent on improvement. Charlie Hudnall, Gunner Flanary, Brock Shepard, Bryer Hackler, Rodney Wirth, Drew Dickinson, and Bailey Thibodeau are among the players expected to hold significant roles, while other Bulldogs continue pushing for snaps.

Hacker was held out of the Fayetteville scrimmage while dealing with a shoulder issue, but Gill expects him to be available for the season opener. One player who benefited from the additional opportunities was junior Colton Lacy, who started at linebacker against Fayetteville and has earned Gill’s confidence through increased practice repetitions.

Gill also pointed to younger defenders like Wyatt Elliott and Ben Clark as sophomores who may work their way into Friday night opportunities as they continue developing. Elliott’s speed gives Greenwood something valuable in the secondary. Clark is still learning the varsity defense but has enough ability that he could begin earning snaps as the season progresses. The Bulldogs aren’t asking that young group to become starters immediately, but that depth will become increasingly valuable over a long season.

Turnovers remain a defensive priority

One statistical area Gill wants to change from last season is turnovers. Greenwood did not lose a fumble against Fayetteville, something both coordinators were pleased to see. The defense, however, did not force a turnover either, and that remains a priority. “We need to get back to that,” Gill said. “That’s something last year we didn’t do very much – creating turnovers. We’ve emphasized that we need to create some turnovers and get the ball back.”

Gill is also setting a clear standard for what he expects from his defense on the scoreboard. Greenwood allowed roughly 23 points per game last season after producing considerably stingier defenses in preceding years. Youth and injuries contributed to that increase, but Gill is not interested in excuses. One of Greenwood’s primary defensive goals is holding opponents to 17 points or fewer.

“We still want to get back around that mark,” Gill said. “If we can get around that mark, our offense will take care of the rest. We feel like if we hold a team to 17 or less, we have a really good chance of winning a football game.” Fayetteville scored 21 points last Tuesday.

Greenwood also knows exactly which plays made the difference, making 17 feel less theoretical and more possible. Fix the penalties, finish the tackle on fourth down, create a turnover, and suddenly the number begins looking attainable.

Mostly healthy entering opener

Perhaps the most important outcome from any preseason scrimmage is simply reaching the other side without major injuries. Greenwood appears to have done that. Hogan described the offense as healthy entering the final preparations for Week Zero. Gill said his defense is also in relatively good condition, although the Bulldogs continue monitoring several existing injuries.

Senior Griffin Mourton remains a potential mid-season returnee after an injury suffered in the spring. Sophomores Caleb Barber and Grady Garner are also recovering from knee injuries, with Garner potentially capable of returning later in the season. Meanwhile, senior Elijah Relamas, a former Greenwood junior high player who moved away but has returned this season, could become an important defensive addition. Gill said injuries elsewhere may accelerate his opportunity.

Next comes Bentonville West

Whatever the Bulldogs accomplished against Fayetteville now becomes background noise with the approach of the season opener. The Bulldogs begin their regular season on the road against Bentonville-West, the first of three Class 7A opponents and a team both Gill and Hogan regard as an imposing early test. The Wolverines return considerable experience from a young team that made a deep postseason run a year ago.

Gill watched the Wolverines scrimmage Fort Smith Northside and came away impressed with their explosiveness and sound play on both sides of the football. Hogan saw much the same thing. “They’re a really well-coached football team,” said Hogan. “They have most of their kids back and they do a great job on both sides of the ball and special teams. We know we’ve got a challenge ahead of us.”

The enrollment difference is obvious. Greenwood begins this season in Class 5A. Bentonville West resides in 7A and has a substantially larger pool of athletes. But Coach Gill does not expect his players to care about that once the game is afoot. “Our kids are going to go in like any other game,” he said. “They expect to win on Friday nights, and that’s a good thing. They’ll go out there confident. We’ve just got to keep getting better every day and not take anybody lightly.”

That may be the most appropriate takeaway from Fayetteville. Greenwood did enough good things to win the scrimmage 37-21. The Bulldogs protected the quarterback well. They generated explosive passes. They showed they could string together a long, physical rushing drive. Young players provided depth. The defense produced stretches of strong football. But penalties, missed tackles, dropped passes, inconsistent execution, and a costly interception also showed up.

It was August football doing exactly what August football is supposed to do. Highlight a team’s strengths and weaknesses. Now Greenwood has a week left to turn their corrections into execution. Bentonville-West is doing the same thing and will have home field advantage when the two teams meet next Friday. The Bulldogs won last year’s contest, 35-31, so we can expect another tough challenge with both teams ranked among the state’s top ten teams.

After Bentonville-West, Greenwood plays at Pulaski Academy before facing Rogers High School in their home opener on September 11th, the 25th anniversary of the terror attacks on the World Trade Center. The Rogers Mounties are also ranked among the state’s top ten best teams while P.A. is an old Greenwood rival and another highly respected team.

It will take a supreme effort and some good luck for the Bulldogs to emerge from those three games unbeaten before the start of conference play in the 5A West. It’s also worth remembering that the Dogs have a remarkable 77-game home winning streak dating back over the past decade. That mark will be severely tested when Rogers comes to Greenwood for game three.