Hornets work for title repeat
MARTIN COUCH Sports Editor

TOP RECEIVER KEVIN NAGLE PHOTO Bryant Hornets senior receiver Tim Floyd was a 7A-Central All-Conference selection last season and is one a few returning starters for the Hornets this year. Floyd is projected to be an All-State candidate.

Senior receiver Tim Floyd is a preseason contender for the top player in the 7A-Central Conference based on his performance in the Bryant Hornets' climb to the conference championship.

Floyd returns this season as a leader at his receiver position, but one man does not a team make and Bryant head coach Paul Calley point out, "The key is for us to stay healthy.

"We're very young," Calley said.

The Hornets are scheduled for a controlled scrimmage game at home on Aug. 26 against Pine Bluff. Meanwhile, the Hornets have fought through two weeks of hard practices to prepare for their first outing.

"Since the injury to Ethan [Powell], I'm scared to death to scrimmage," Calley said. "We're going controlled, we're tapping down and not tackling, which will probably hurt us going into the first game, but if I'm going to lose a kid, let it be in a game and not practice."

Since Powell suffered a seasonending injury in last spring's Blue- White game, junior Jimi Easterling has stepped in to fill the quarterback position. Blake Davidson, a sophomore, has also had reps at quarterback in practice.

"It was kind of bad Monday and Tuesday - the rain days," Calley said. "We got back in the weight room and we got back in the film room. We rotated in and out of the indoor and still did our group stuff, just not a whole lot in the kicking game. The tempo this week hasn't been as upbeat as it was the first week. Everybody was glad to be back, but now everybody is feeling sorry for themselves.

"Even if the tempo slows down a bit, I don't think it's slacked off any, they are still going to try to do the right thing," the coach continued. "When they start school and go to class all day, then come down here and beat on each other, it will be tough. We're going to have to get into better shape."