DECATUR -- Numbers are trending up for the Bulldogs. James Ortiz hasn't had much time to catch his breath after taking over the football program just a few weeks ago. But the former Pea Ridge assistant is getting to know his players and his new community as the Bulldogs get ready to embark on a historic season.
Decatur is one of a handful of teams in the state that made the decision to launch eight-man programs this season. Ortiz does not have any eight-man coaching experience, but the coach said, "football is football, whether it's eight-man or 11-man."
Ortiz expects more than 20 players on the roster once school starts, which will put the Bulldogs in a rare position of having enough players to have full contact scrimmages. In 11-man, Decatur never had that luxury.
"It seems to me, and I'm not trying to poor-mouth anyone, but it seems to me that the kids just got disenchanted with football," Ortiz said. "They couldn't compete and they just did not want to play. So I think now they see, going to eight-man, they will be able to compete with schools that are our size and our situation.
"And I think more schools in Arkansas are going to do this."
Ortiz said he has had around 14 players at practices so far, but always the same 14, which has been encouraging, he said.
Decatur will host Hermitage in the season-opener on Friday, Aug. 31. The Bulldogs' junior high team will take on Hermitage at 5:30, with the varsity game to follow at 7:30.
Sports on 08/15/2018