Usually it’s the more the merrier, but for the Southwest Mississippi Community College football team fewer players led to a better attitude during spring practice.
“There was a great attitude,” Southwest head coach Charles Anthony said. “It was the best I’ve had. With the low numbers, guys got a lot more work.
“They worked well with each other, had some pretty good contact and gelled together.”
The Bears lost their first big sophomore class in Anthony’s tenure as head coach. Six of the seven award winners from last year moved on, including freshman offensive lineman James Brown. All-MACJC second teamer Mychal Bailey is the lone returner from that group to anchor the linebackers.
Southwest will have a rebuilt defensive secondary and a new receiving corps. The other units will mix and match either returning sophomores, mid-term signees or incoming freshmen.
“I feel like we’ve got starters and they’re going to be our leaders,” Anthony said. “Then we’ll integrate the others in.”
Anthony said he felt set in the linebacking corps, two defensive linemen and a strong safety. On offense, three linemen look ready to be starters in the fall. And with progress at quarterback, adding in the group of signed skill position players in the fall should go well.
“I feel like we’ve signed good receivers,” Anthony said. “Eight to 10 of them and a bunch of defensive backs. I feel like they’re all good enough to play.”
The depth chart isn’t packed, and in the secondary, receiving corps and running back spot players have chances to show what they have, but they will have to compete to win the job.
“We got to see (three running backs),” Anthony said, “but we signed five more.
“We gave the wide receivers every opportunity to get better, but all starting spots for wide receivers and in the secondary are still to be determined.”
While spring practice didn’t set the team completely, the practice time was well worth it for the Bears.
“We got in 12 practices and four scrimmages,” Anthony said. “A 36-play, two 45-play and a 50-play scrimmage today.
“That 11 on 11 is going to help us in the fall.”
