FAYETTEVILLE — Clarksville head football coach Kris Buckner’s team is fighting through struggles, but he can see a bright future.
That’s in large part due to a team full of talented sophomores, including fullback/tight end/ defensive lineman Mike Powell (6-4, 300) and his son, quarterback Nicholas Buckner (6-1, 165).
Farmington jumped on Clarksville 27-7 in the first half of a week-four game Friday, but Buckner’s young Panthers got back within a touchdown before the Cardinals put the game away late in a 61-41 win.
“It’s been that way all year for us,” Coach Buckner said of his 1-3 team. “It seems like we got down early in every game, but our kid always fight back. We are starting nine sophomores so it is just a matter of them getting some game experience, getting used to the speed of the game and getting acclimated to the game.”
Powell - who moved to Clarksville from Tampa, Fla., in the seventh grade - is one of the largest people you will see in a high school backfield, but he enjoys being a back. He has scored a touchdown this season, a 43-yard run on 4th-and-9 against Ozark.
“I like running the ball,” Powell said. “It was pretty cool getting my first touchdown. I feel like being in the backfield that I can get our guys some blocks and show off my speed at times.”
Buckner sees Powell, who has 15 pancake blocks from his blocking back spot, as a good fit in his Wing-T offense.
“He’s a big old kid,” Powell said. “When he gets to running downhill he really roots people out. He will absolutely take control of a defensive end obviously with being that big.
“He does a lot of good things, but obviously he is young. He is a young 15-year-old and he has a lot of growing up to do, but he is going to be scary when he figures the whole thing out.
It’s evident an offer from Arkansas would be a blessing to Powell.
“I would love to go play at Arkansas,” Powell said. “It would be close to my home and my family and friends would be able to see me play. They have an awesome program. It would be outstanding to go and play for them.”
Powell spent more time on defense than offense against Farmington.
“We work him as a blocking back, but we also need him more at times at D-tackle and that’s where he played most tonight because Farmington has a lot of speed to the edges and they were ram-jamming C-gap to C-gap.”
Powell is a work in progress.
“I have to work on using my hands on offense and on defense,” Powell said. “I am trying to power through everybody, but could have better technique and better footwork and that will allow me to be a better finisher.”
Powell doesn't care what position he play in college.
“It don’t matter to me,” Powell said. “I love both sides for the ball. I just like to come out and play a physical game and hit somebody. I just love the game and want to play for a long time.”