Salem has had a strong run of skill players in the last few years. The Tigers rode a strong senior class to a 5-5 finish last year.
This year, the offense must reload with a completely new crop of skill players as Salem returns less than 100 yards of rushing and just one reception from last year’s team.
“We are trying to get those kids to develop an identity and personality. All of the kids we have right now that are starting at the skill positions have all been JV ball players the last two or three years. We are trying to see which one of those kids is going to step up and play at that Friday speed level because they have never really had that opportunity,” Salem head coach Brian McNamee said.
Senior Cam Camden provides some starting experience at quarterback. He started the final three games of the season after starter Zak Eplin went down with injury.
The backfield is all new with Sam Ball, Chandler Gray and Logan Ousley all competing for carries.
The receiving game will look to Lawson Toman. Toman plays both basketball and baseball for the Tigers, but was recruited out this season to help on the edges. He will have to step into the shoes of graduated JJ McGowan who had 571 yards receiving on just 21 catches last season. He is now playing college football at Graceland.
The offensive and defensive lines will be anchored by Evan Howard and JD Bowling. Howard will be a three-year starter and stands at 6’1, 265 pounds. Bowling is 6’4, 235 pounds.
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Both players will be instrumental to Salem’s successes this season.
“Those two guys have both had outstanding offseasons for us. At camp, Evan Howard was dominant at the nose guard position. JD is great athlete. He went to state in track and field in three events. Anybody that can do that is pretty athletic,” McNamee said. “We are looking for those two to be solid and that to be a solid spot for us.”
Taylor Shipp returns in the middle of the defense at linebacker after leading the team with 115 tackles last season. He was a second-team all-conference selection at the position.
The secondary will have the biggest hole to fill with all-time program great Eli Floyd and Eplin graduating. Both were four-year starters at corner back. Floyd, who had 15 interceptions over the last three seasons, is now playing football for Missouri State.
“That was a kid who was a great coverage kid. We put him on everybody’s best receiver. They would take one or two shots at him just to (try to) say I was the guy who beat this guy. After two shots at him they would leave him alone because they just couldn’t get by him,” McNamee said.
The entire secondary will be new and led by Toman who will play safety. He plays centerfield for the baseball team, which has him ahead of the game when it comes tracking a ball in the air.
“That is an area we have really focused on in the offseason and at camp; trying to get those guys ready to play at the next level,” McNamee said. “That is an area we are rebuilding at right now.”
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Salem opens the season on Aug. 18 at home against McDonald County, but McNamee knows the team he sees in Week 1 will look different than the one that takes the field come district time in terms of experience.
“We want to build every week. When you have such a young group of kids you go day by day. Right now we are looking to be better every day. There is so much learning that occurs with these young kids that it is a constant learning curve,” McNamee said. “As coaches, (we need to be) more patient with the kids understanding that the learning curve is bigger this year than it has been in the past. With kids that have had experience your expectations are different. With real young kids like this, you have to be more patient and accepting of those kids’ learning curves.”
The Tigers will have their Jamboree on Aug., 11 at Sullivan with the host Eagles, St. James and Pacific.
