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By Pat Dailey (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Forsyth coach Kris Conley suspects the Panthers’ opponents last season were often left wondering how Corgan Strong was repeatedly able to get the best of them.
Strong picked up All-Mid Lakes Conference Second-Team honors as a running back and linebacker during his junior season. The 5-foot-8, 180-pounder carried the ball 116 times for 1,021 yards and 12 touchdowns and caught five passes for 113 yards at running back. In addition, he posted 46 tackles, including eight tackles for a loss and three quarterback sacks, at outside linebacker.
On his way to reaching the 1,000-yard rushing milestone, Strong averaged 8.8 yards a carry and became Forsyth’s all-time leading rusher.
“He’s a pretty dang good football player, a heck of a high school running back,” Conley said. “He’s kind of an enigma, though. He’s not super fast. He’s not a laser beam. He is a stocky kid who runs with power, more power than you would think from looking at him. He’s hard to tackle. Also, he’s got great vision. His great vision is one of his biggest assets. He finds the hole and hits the hole faster and harder than you would think.”
Strong shared the spotlight in the Panthers’ backfield with Buck Sanders last season. Sanders had 99 carries for 1,083 yards and 16 touchdowns.
With Sanders graduated, Conley figures he will call Strong’s number in the Panthers’ flex-bone offense more often.
“We were pretty balanced last year,” Conley said. “He was a big part of the offense last year. Now, Corbin will be the feature back. “I think his number of carries will be higher.”
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Forsyth’s offense put up big numbers last season, as the Panthers won a school-record seven games. That surpassed the six victories the program had in its first three years of varsity football.
Conley’s crew averaged 8.4 yards per play while rushing for 3,137 yards and putting up 80 touchdowns — all school records.
Wide receiver Colton Long, a 6-foot-2 senior, collected 11 catches for 304 yards and four touchdowns a year ago to earn All-Mid Lakes Second-Team recognition.
“Colton is fast and athletic,” Conley said.
Conley anticipates Forsyth featuring a somewhat unique offensive line led by Colton Barrows, Kollin Kolb, Nathan Bruggeman and Zander Soloman.
Barrows is a 6-foot-5, 305-pounder.
“We should have a full senior offensive line, which doesn’t happen very often,” Conley said. “We’ve got size and athleticism on the offensive line.”
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Conley said the quarterback picture is wide open.
Forsyth’s defense will look to be a bit stingier than a year ago. The Panthers yielded 64 touchdowns in 11 games.
In addition to Strong, the defense welcomes back Long, Barrows and Zach Strahan.
Strahan, a defensive back, was in on 38 tackles last year.
“Zach is one of the better athletes on the team and will also be a running back and wide receiver,” Conley said.
Long is fresh from picking off five passes and posting 31 tackles.
Barrows contributed 25 tackles, including four TFLs and two sacks, last year.
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With Conley in his second go-around at Forsyth, the Panthers will finally have familiarity on their side.
“For these seniors, this is the first time they’ve had the same offense two years in a row,” Conley said. “They had three head coaches in three years, so they had a different system every year. It’s hard to get comfortable and figure things out when that is going on. Coming back this year and remembering things from last year, they know things a lot better and are able to move faster.”
