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The 2010 Corinth High football team features several freshmen "and guys who have never put on a uniform until last spring," says its head coach, Jimmy Mitchell.

Through its first two games of this season, Corinth sits at 0-2, following a pair of seven-point losses to Class 4A teams Senatobia and New Albany.

"We gotta grow up some more," said Mitchell. "That's the bottom line. This (game against New Albany) helped us immensely."

And even though his team lost 14-7 at New Albany, the Daily Journal's third-ranked large school, on Friday night, Mitchell can certainly be proud of his team's effort.

"I thought the defensive effort was good," the veteran coach said of his Class 3A team. "The kids on both sides of the ball are playing hard. ...

"Our guys played well. I'm really pleased with them. I'm disappointed that we didn't win. It's one of those deals where we played hard enough to win, but we just didn't make the plays that you have to make to win.

"And once we learn to do that, then we will change things around."

For the next couple of weeks, Corinth's non-division schedule against Class 4A teams continues against the likes of Shannon, Tishomingo County and Itawamba AHS.

"We're going to have to step up again," Mitchell said of playing Shannon this coming Friday. "We'll have to improve some more to compete with them. That's what our plans are."

Despite their struggles to begin the season, look for the Warriors to once again contend for the Division 1-3A title.

“I think they’re (Corinth) the best team in that division out of Booneville, Ripley and them,” said New Albany senior quarterback Tyler Basil, whose team has played all three of those Division 1-3A teams this season.

The Daily Journal's third-ranked large school, New Albany High, survived an upset bid by unranked Class 3A Corinth High School on Friday night.

After his team's 14-7 win at home, New Albany senior quarterback Tyler Basil spoke about his team's struggles against Corinth and, most important, his team's 3-0 start this season.

Click here to view the interview with him.

As a Tupelo High assistant football coach, Bob Monroe was quoted about the Starkville High-Tupelo High rivalry in the Y'all Vs. Us book.

If you ask most people around Tupelo who happen to know him, they would say Bob bled blue and gold.

“We tell old stories all the time," former Tupelo High assistant Chris Coleman said about reminiscing with Monroe about their days coaching the Golden Wave. "We got a bunch of old ones. They were a lot of good ones from the Tupelo days. We won a lot while we were there."

When asked which state university he pulled for – Mississippi State or Ole Miss – Monroe would simply say, "I'm a Tupelo fan."

This year, however, Monroe has traded his blue and gold for the maroon and white of New Albany High School. After sitting out the 13 previous falls, Monroe has returned to coaching, leading the defensive backs at New Albany this season.

"I have been through the years," Monroe, now 59, said about his Tupelo High fandom. "Right now I'm a New Albany High School fan."

When Tupelo took on New Albany in a preseason jamboree game at Ole Miss' Vaught Hemingway Stadium last month, one may have wandered what it was like for Monroe to coach against his longtime employer. Even after Monroe stepped down from coaching in 1996, he still worked for the Tupelo School District out of their central office.

In June, Monroe retired from his director of human resources position in the Tupelo School District.  A couple of months before he retired, Monroe – who has been living in New Albany since 2002 after getting married to a woman who resided there – was asked by New Albany head football coach Ron Price if he was interested in coaching again.

Monroe eventually said yes.

"It was a tough scrimmage," Monroe said of New Albany's 24-14 win in its two-quarter scrimmage versus Tupelo. "I darn sure wanted to win, but I darn sure don't enjoy playing Tupelo. It was tough."

He says he'll still wish the Golden Wave the best and that he has nothing but fond memories of being associated with the school. He says he has tremendous respect for the Tupelo school's administrators and coaches.

But he is now at New Albany, he says, and that's where his loyalty resides.

"I have been for 33 years," Monroe said about being a loyal Golden Wave fan. "I'm now a New Albany fan."

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For those in the area who are former students, players or colleagues of Bob Monroe, and wish to share your favorite memories of him, feel free to post them in the comment boxes below.

Rivals.com has the South Panola High football team ranked No. 1 in the country. (Click here to view Rivals' rankings.)

USA TODAY has the Tigers ranked third in the nation. (Click here to view the rankings.)

Following his team's 49-0 loss on the road to rival New Albany High on Friday night, Ripley High head football coach Grady McCluskey said he's "been beat before and embarrassed before." 

But, "It's what you do to bounce back," he added.

That is exactly what his young team needs to keep in mind as it moves on from such a tough loss.

"We just gotta build. Our kids are young," McCluskey said. "It doesn't do any good to jump all over them. They didn't play very well, but we'll get better. That's the main thing. ...

"I told our kids, 'If you are going to live 80 years, then sometimes you're going to be embarrassed; sometimes you're going to stumble and fall. You gotta get up tomorrow. On Sunday, we gotta lift weights, watch film and try to get better."

With playmaker Acie Vance and talented running backs Devin Jones and Tony Hernandez on offense and some defensive starters begin to get healthy, the Tigers could win their fair share of games this season.  It may just take some time for the young guys, such as sophomore quarterback Austin Hamilton, to grasp their assignments and start performing well on a consistent basis.

"I think we got a good team," the first-year Ripley head coach said. "We are going to come back. We're young, and I think New Albany is the best team we are going to play all year on our schedule. ...

"I think our division (1-3A) is definitely winnable, and I think we're going to have a good football team come playoff time. But, we just gotta get better."

(Photo by C. Todd Sherman) Itawamba AHS senior quarterback Maikhail Miller

slideshow

Itawamba AHS senior quarterback Maikhail Miller will be a guest blogger here during the 2010 high school football season. Miller, who has committed to Ole Miss, will share some insight on being a high school quarterback and NCAA Division I prospect.

Here are the Daily Journal All-Area quarterback's thoughts for this week, as his team gets ready to face Amory High:

––––––––––––––––––––––––

I did have a slight concussion after last Friday's game (vs. Hernando). I took a CAT scan the other day, and everything is all right. I'll play Friday (vs. Amory).

The Hernando player just got me in the right spot. That was my first time to have a concussion.

I was fine right after the hit. It wasn't too bad after the hit, but later on in the game, it got on me a little bit. It got worse later Friday night and early morning Saturday.  I went up there to the Barnes Crossing imaging center in Tupelo and had my first CAT scan.

I sat out practice this week until Wednesday.  That was my first practice back.  I never had to miss practice for an injury before.

******

After Friday's (27-7) loss to Hernando, we won't lose too many more games, I think. These first couple of games will be the toughest, but I don't see us having a losing record.

We kind of had to play freshmen, and a lot of our players are going both ways.

Next week we play Tupelo. (Running back) Ashton Shumpert played for us last year as a freshman, but now he's at Tupelo. His parents moved over to Tupelo or his mom did, I think.

He'll be a great player. He still has a lot more to learn, but he's good for his age as of right now.  For all the people his age, he's really good, though.

******

I'm still all the way at Ole Miss. I'm still committed there. (Jeremiah) Masoli should be a pretty good addition to their roster. Coach Nutt was looking for somebody to run that Wild Rebel. He'll be a pretty good match for it. I haven't gotten a chance to meet him yet.

I haven't really had any other thoughts about going to another school. Vanderbilt is still talking to me.

I haven't planned any of my visits yet.  I guess I would still go visit or listen to other schools if they show interest.

*********

We're pretty much running the same things on offense this season if I had to guess.  I know we have had a coaching change and everything, but it's just different terminology. We got different things in it and we change every week, but it's basically the same thing.

Last year's offense was really complicated.  I had to get plays in from the sideline and I had to look at how the defense lined up.  However, once you learned it, it's pretty easy once you get used to it.

Last year, we signaled the plays in. We do have wrist bands and we change our numbers around.

********

I think we'll have a pretty good scheme for Amory.  We practiced it a lot for them. We've been looking at film.

I didn't see anyone particular on the Amory defense to be especially concerned with – not that I can see from watching film.  I mean, they're good all around.  They all fly to the football.  It didn't seem like there were complete standouts.  They all play well together.

********

I usually get out of our practice complex about seven every night.  I watch film before and after practice.  I watch film of both me during practice and of our opponent.

We have a big advantage with our film room or rooms.  I know some other schools don't have film rooms like that.

That football complex of ours, it's a big advantage. We got a big film room and we got a little room where we call it a 'war room.'  It's a smaller film room, and it helps, too.

I got the ability to check stuff before a play since I have been watching film a lot more.  I've been able to read defenses a lot better, and it just works out a lot."

(Stay tuned for further updates by Maikhail during the course of the season.)

WEEK 2 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW CAPSULES

(EXPANDED VERSION)

All kickoffs at 7:30 p.m. unless noted otherwise.

Itawamba AHS (0-1)

at Amory (1-0)

* Rankings: Neither team is ranked.

* This week: Amory, fresh off a 10-0 shutout of area rival Nettleton last Thursday, will take on an Itawamba AHS team that had a rough-going in its season opener Friday: a 27-7 loss to Hernando at home. Tonight’s contest will also be one of head coaches in their first seasons with their respective teams: Ashley Kuhn at Itawamba AHS and Trent Hammond at Amory. Since they played on different nights, both teams’ coaches got to watch the other team play in person. “Not a lot,” Kuhn said when asked if he watched film of last year’s meetings. “We got two new coaches. They got a new coach doing some different things. I don’t know how much it (last year’s games) translates year to year. We’re bringing totally different staffs into the game. We’re now in the position with our guys being young, while they are the ones who are older and more experienced.”

* Recent history: The Indians defeated Amory twice last season in Fulton: 49-7 in the regular season and 25-0 in the first round of the playoffs. In 2008, IAHS won 35-14. The Panthers got the best of the Indians in 2007 with a 24-14 home win and in 2006 with a 35-6 victory in Fulton.

SCOUTING REPORT

* Itawamba AHS: Even though Itawamba AHS lost six offensive starters and its head coach and offensive coordinator from last season, Hammond said he and his staff still looked at game film from last year’s contests. “They have a lot of skill guys,” he said. “They spread the ball out. They got the quarterback (Ole Miss commitment Maikhail Miller) and some good athletes. They share the ball around.” ... Without a true feature back heading into the season, Kuhn said Miller, his team’s quarterback, will probably have to run a lot more this season – and Miller says he's good to go this week after taking a hard hit in last week's game. Last year, the 6-foot-3, 235-pound QB averaged 4.27 yards per rushing attempt. Against Hernando last week, he had 11 attempts – some when scrambling after the pocket broke down – for a team-high 56 yards (5.09 ypc). ... On defense, Hammond says the Indians “just fly to the football. Once you get a lot of kids playing that are able to run and do some things, that presents you some problems (on offense).” ... OG Preston Cross (concussion) and Tyler Atkins (kneck) will miss their second consecutive game.

* Amory: Against Nettleton, Hammond said his team’s offense wasn’t as crisped as they would have liked, but then again, the offense didn’t do anything to beat itself. ... Hammond said his team is balanced on offense. ... In his second season at QB, Forest Williams has had to learn a new offense. “He’s done well. There’s been a change in the offensive system, and he’s been trying to get a grasp on something new. It’s taken a little while, but I really like him.” Kuhn said Williams is a good passer, putting the ball in places only his receivers can catch. ... Punter Jake Shelly proved he is effective in pinning the opponent deep in its own territory when he punted six times for an average of 36.50 yards, with five inside the 20-yard line and the longest of 50 yards, against Nettleton. He even made a 37-yard field goal. ... Kuhn is impressed with Amory’s ability to swarm to the football on defense. “Their middle linebacker (Channing French) makes a lot of plays, but all of them are really fast on defense.”

Ripley (1-0)

at New Albany (1-0)

* Rankings: Ripley is tied for second with Corinth in the Daily Journal’s Class 3A rankings. New Albany is the Journal’s fourth-ranked large school.

* This week: In a rivalry game, a pair of 1-0 teams will take to the field at New Albany High School’s Kitchens’ Field. This is Grady McCluskey’s first Ripley-New Albany game. “I know it’s a rivalry,” the first-year Ripley coach said. “You want to play as hard as you can. You want to play your guts out. You want to win, no doubt." And he knows if his team doesn't follow through with its assignments against the Bulldogs, then it'll be in for a long night.

* Recent history: New Albany defeated Ripley last season for the first time since 2006. Prior to the Bulldogs’ 33-28 victory last August, the Tigers won 2008’s contest 27-14 and the year before’s 35-14.

SCOUTING REPORT

* Ripley: New Albany head coach Ron Price said the Tigers like to “get physical and run right at you.” He added that the Tigers did get in spread formations a few times. ... Sophomore QB Austin Hamilton has returned after a knee injury and replaced last year’s starter Acie Vance under center. With Hamilton at QB, Ripley can run the option more and not have to worry about the lanky Vance (6-1, 168), also a defensive back, taking a pounding. Meanwhile, Vance can take snaps as a receiver and a running back. When Vance is lined up on the outside, opposing defenses will find it difficult to box up effectively against Ripley. ... Ripley head coach Grady McCluskey said his offense is “a little more than halfway into the playbook.” He added that Hamilton has picked up some concepts and is a little more comfortable with the offense, and the offensive line has blocked pretty well. ... OL/DL Keeton Hamilton won’t play tonight due to a broken wrist. CB John Austin Moore (broken thumb) is expected to play, while DE Isaac Bails (ankle) is a game-time decision.

* New Albany: QB Tyler Basil and WR Taylor Goode certainly have a lot of chemistry. The two hooked up for 7 receptions for 199 yards and two scores vs. Booneville last week: a 34-yard TD and 69-yard score. “I knew where he was going to be,” Basil said about throwing to Goode last Friday. “He just trusts me, and we just trust each other. We have that chemistry.” ... RB/DB Kareem Brown will play in tonight’s game. He sat out the entire second half of last Friday’s game after cramping up in the final minute of the first half. “He was like a lot of the other kids who were cramping up. He was out there on every play offensively and defensively in the first half. We kept him out to keep him safe. He just needed some fluid in him.” ... Price said his defense did a great job despite being put in difficult situation after difficult situation when the Bulldogs turned the ball over three times in the second half. “They kept doing a good job getting off the field,” Price said, “and then we kept putting them back on the field.” Look for Ripley, a running team, try to eat the clock by running the football and getting first downs, so that New Albany’s quick-scoring spread offense is limited in its possessions.

West Point (1-0)

at Mainland (0-0)

* Rankings: West Point is the Daily Journal’s top-ranked large school. Mainland (Daytona Beach, Fla.) is tied for eighth with Plantation in the Associated Press’ Florida Class 6A rankings.

* This week: As part of the Gridiron Challenge Foundation Games this weekend, Mississippi’s defending Class 5A state champion takes on a powerful Florida team at 7 tonight. There will be several NCAA Division I prospects playing in this game. The game can be viewed live at westpoint.k12.ms.us.

* Recent history: The two teams have never played one another.

SCOUTING REPORT

* West Point: Even though it is going up against a tough, athletic defense, West Point will continue taking to the ground. “Anybody that follows West Point knows that when they walk into the stadium, we’re going to run the ball,” said Green wave head coach Chris Chambless. “We run the football, and throw the football when we have to. Teams try to gear up and stop it (West Point’s running game). That’s what we do. That’s what we’re geared for: We run the football until you force us to throw it.” ... The Wave ran for 253 yards vs. Shannon last week. ... RB LaKenderic Thomas served a one-game suspension last week. ... West Point held Shannon to 7 total yards and 2 first downs in the first half.

* Mainland: Chambless said the Buccaneers are 50-50 running and passing the ball. “They’re not a team that sits back and throws it all the time or runs it all the time. They have a pretty balanced attack.” ... Mainland’s QB Shelton Willis, who is quite effective throwing and running the ball, is a transfer student who had started two Florida state championship games at Warner Christian (South Daytona, Fla.). ... Chambless said the Buccaneers have some great receivers, including Cortez Davis (also a DB), a Clemson commitment who has “hands like glue.” ... RB Marlin Lane is also a Clemson commitment. Chambless said that the Buccaneers have a couple other big backs who can spell Lane. ... Chambless added that Mainland’s offensive line has tremendous size.

Wheeler (0-1)

at Tupelo Christian Prep (0-1)

* Rankings: Neither team is ranked.

* This week: This battle of the Eagles should be more of an even matchup than both team’s season openers last week. Wheeler, with just 21 bodies, got drubbed by talented running back Shaquille Perry and his Walnut Wildcats, 45-22. Tupelo Christian Prep, with 28 players, got blasted by another MHSAA Class 2A club, Mantachie, 48-7. “They’re a very comparable team,” TCPS head coach Aubrey Boren said of tonight’s opponent. “We’re both teams struggling to get enough bodies out. ... We’re both having to play iron-man football.”

SCOUTING REPORT

* Wheeler: If the Wheeler Eagles are to win tonight, they need to, simply put: block and tackle better. The Eagles allowed four rushing touchdowns of 40-plus yards and an 80-yard kickoff return in last week’s game. Wheeler didn’t score until the second half. ... Head coach John David Horn says his team doesn’t throw the ball often. “We just look to run the ball,” he says. Look for RB Calebb Shinault to get most of the carries. ... Horn says his team needs to put pressure on TCPS QB Will Cockrell. “We gotta put pressure on him,” said the first-year Wheeler coach. “If he has all day, he’ll kill us. He’ll pick you apart if he has all day long back there. The big thing is to try to mix things up to mess up their rhythm as much as we can.” ... Horn said a lot of his players had problems with cramping up last week. On the injury front, offensive guard/defensive lineman Cody Nichols is hampered by his MCL.

* TCPS: Boren said his team needs to improve its conditioning so that they can withstand the heat better for four quarters. ... TCPS had 8 players make their varsity debuts last week. ... A big concern for TCPS is the center-quarterback exchange. Poor snaps grounded the Eagles’ offense against Mantachie. “We operate under the (shot-) gun 99 percent of the time,” Boren said. “That is an essential piece of our offense. We have to shore that up. We have to have a backup in place in case of injury.” ... After tonight’s game, there could be some changes on TCPS’ offensive line. The Eagles surrendered seven sacks to Mantachie, and the Mustangs were frequently in the Eagles’ backfield. “We gotta find the right combination,” Boren said. “Sometimes it’s chemistry among the guys there. They need to work together well and be a cohesive unit. Our job (as coaches) is to put the best out there each week.” ... Boren also said his team needs to tackle better and run to the ball better on defense. DB Andrew Soper did have 13 tackles vs. Mantachie.

MISSISSIPPI PUBLIC BROADCASTING HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TOP 25

(Monday’s rankings as voted on by various media members throughout Mississippi. First-place votes in parentheses.)

SCHOOL                     CL    W-L  PTS    LAST

1. South Panola (27)    6A    1-0    559    1

2. Madison Central        6A    1-0    490    3

3. Meridian (1)              6A    1-0    486    4

4. West Point                 5A    1-0    483    2

5. Wayne County            5A    1-0    377    6

6. West Jones                 5A    0-0    368    5

7. Olive Branch                6A    1-0    356    9

8. Moss Point                   5A    1-0    304    10

9. Lafayette County          4A    1-0    286    11

10. Oak Grove                  6A    1-0    269    13

11. Gulfport                      6A    1-0    260    12

12. Picayune                      5A    0-0    243    7

13. Ocean Springs              6A    1-0    223    14

14. Southaven                   6A    1-0    194    17

15. Clinton                        6A    0-1    121    8

16. Jackson Academy        AAA    1-0    115    18

17. Noxubee County            4A    1-0    93    25

T18. Brandon                      6A    1-0    91    NR

T18. Jackson Prep              AAA    1-0    91    20

20. Natchez                         6A    1-0    76    T22

21. Bassfield                          2A    0-1    38    15

T22. Petal                              6A    0-1    29    19

T22. Tylertown                        3A    0-1    29    16

24. Taylorsville                        2A    1-0    27    NR

25. New Hope                          5A    0-0    20    NR

* Dropped Out: St. Stanislaus (20), Pearl (21), Aberdeen (24).

* Others receiving votes: Callaway 19, Durant 18, St. Stanislaus 17, Oxford 15, New Albany 15, North Pike 15, Aberdeen 14, Charleston 13, Brookhaven Acad. 13, Pearl 10, Morton 10, Forrest County AHS 8, Ridgeland 8, Hazlehurst 8, George County 8, Tupelo 7, Hernando 7, McComb 6, Greene County 6, Long Beach 5, Philadelphia 4, Purvis 4, Neshoba Central 3, Collins 3, West Bolivar 3, Columbus 2, Forest 2, Franklin County 2, Raleigh 2, Forest Hill 1, Winona 1, Mount Olive 1.