FAYETTEVILLE -- Jake Faulkenberry didn't catch many breaks July 14 during the second week of the NWA Passing League 7-on-7 games at Harmon Stadium.
The Gentry junior moved from offense to defense, and also from wide receiver to quarterback as the Pioneers battled Huntsville, Springdale Har-Ber and Fayetteville under a cloudless July sky.
SCHOOL: Gentry CLASS: Junior HEIGHT: 6-1 WEIGHT: 175 POSITION: Receiver/quarterback/defensive back NOTABLE: Made a big impact as a sophomore in 2013 with 33 catches for 415 yards and three touchdowns. … Will also see time at quarterback in some packages this season. … His older brother Stone is the Pioneers’ starting quarterback. … Will also play cornerback on defense.
Faulkenberry (6-foot-1, 175 pounds) will continue that role for the Pioneers this season as not only a two-way starter, but also shifting from wide receiver to quarterback in certain packages, said Gentry coach Brian Little.
Faulkenberry's older brother, Stone, is Gentry's starting quarterback, but Jake will also take snaps.
"He will play some (quarterback), for sure," Little said. "He and Stone are pretty interchangeable. Their talents complement each other. I think Stone was our leading receiver last year and Jake was second. There are some things that Stone does really well at receiver and things that Jake does really well as quarterback. So they are very complementary of one another."
Jake said the team has been busy this summer with morning workouts and competing in the NWA Passing League games the past two weeks with one more to go.
"We have also been working out on our own quite a bit," Jake said.
Having brothers has created a unique dynamic for the Pioneers, Little said.
But occasionally the siblings don't exactly see eye-to-eye.
"If I'm open and he doesn't get me the ball, every now and then we get in little fights about it," Jake admitted. "But I can yell at him and we will work it out later at the house.
"We get picked on though, if we throw to each other too much. Like I'm his favorite or something."
The connection between the brothers has been uncanny at times. For example, last year in a game, one brother caught the other brother's fumble in midair and raced for a touchdown.
"Last year in Week 10 at Ozark, the opening kickoff came to Jake at halfback," Little said. "He carried it from about the 15 to across midfield and got down to about the 30 or 35 and spun off a tackle and lost the ball. It popped up in the air. His brother Stone, who was at the other halfback spot, in stride, grabbed the ball in the air and went down the sideline all the way to the house to open the game.
"It was just one of those things that you don't see that often. What made it even more special was that not only were mom and dad there, but their uncle was coaching on the other sideline and their grandparents were there as well."
Little has coached brothers in the past, specifically the Catons at Rogers. He understands the bond between siblings.
"When you are as talented as they are, and they compliment each other the way these guys do, it's really fun," Little said.
Sports on 07/23/2014