Blue Devils hit the reset button after loss to Searcy

West Memphis gearing up for Homecoming showdown with Sylvan Hills

WM School District Billy Elmore hinted there would be personnel changes for his football team this week, and it looks like he’ll follow through on that.

Visibly frustrated with his team’s effort last Friday night in a 54-21 loss at Searcy, the West Memphis head coach said there may be some changes in the lineup for this Friday night’s homecoming game against Sylvan Hills.

“We had a team discussion in (Sunday’s) film session,” said Elmore. “We laid some a few things out and explained some things to some guys. And they responded very well on Monday of this week with maybe the best practice we’ve had in a long time.”

Elmore said fans can look for some starting spots to be reassigned, both on the offensive and defensive lines.

“It’s gonna require some guys playing both ways, and it was really hard to do that when it was real hot,” Elmore added. “You ask a kid to go out and play 120 or 150 snaps, and that’s hard. I know people say, well they do that in Double A and Triple A every week, but I don’t think they’re doing it with the same intensity that we’ve got to have our guys give. With it being cooled off I think guys will be able to play more snaps and we’ll get more out of them.”

Elmore said, even immediately after last week’s loss, that he was displeased with the overall effort of the team, and not necessarily in one area. The Blue Devils (2-3 overall, 1-1 in the 6A-East Conference) have been plagued by turnovers all year and at Searcy they committed four miscues, which gave the Lions three touchdowns.

“We were deficient at all positions,” he commented.

“Some of that, I’m going to take the hit for. We lost 20 starters from last year, and (Monday) we had a candid conversation about it. We haven’t been successful at going out and doing the job. It’s been a lack of focus in some ways, and maybe I’ve been giving them too much leeway in that regard. But that’s over.

Either they’re going to be focused in on Fridays and during practice or you’re going to be asked to leave.” The Blue Devil defense had a hard time keeping up with the lightning-quick pace Searcy’s offense displayed. Although the Blue Devils ran 37 offensive plays to 36 Searcy plays in the first half, the Lions played keep-away from West Memphis in the second half.

Searcy ran 35 plays in the final two quarters to West Memphis’ 12.

“Sometimes I think it’s focus, sometimes I think it’s effort,” said Elmore.

“I think, honestly, it’s a commitment to winning.

Hopefully, we’ve had a reset now that we’re halfway through the regular season.”

In that vein, the Blue Devils still can accomplish all their goals for the season, as they stand 1-1 in the conference.

“Now’s the time to do it, though,” Elmore said.

Sylvan Hills, last year’s postseason darling, advancing to the semifinals of the Class 6A state playoffs, is off to a 1-4 start. But the Bears have shown some promise. Marion had to come from behind to beat them a week ago.

“(Sylvan Hills) is talented,” Elmore said. “The fact is, they’ve had some hardluck losses. Pine Bluff beat them just 14-7. Last year they got it together and made it to the semifinals.

The scary part about that is, against Marion you could almost see them coming into their own in that game. If they’re going to put it together, let them put it together next week.”

Homecoming festivities begin Friday with a chili supper at 5 p.m. in the Academies of West Memphis cafeteria. The homecoming royalty ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m. with kickoff at 7 p.m.