DECATUR — For the first time since 2017, the East Central Community College football Warriors will play more games at home than on the road as head coach Ken Karcher will rely on a mixture of proven returners and talented newcomers in a quest to return to the postseason after a two-year absence.

It will be how the Warriors fare in those home games in Decatur that will determine their postseason fate.

“It’s important for our football team that we win our home games,” said Karcher, who has led the Warriors to the playoffs twice in the past four seasons. “We must approach each game strategically and be who we are, and not try to be a team we are not. And we must eliminate dumb mistakes. If we do those things and win our home games, then we have a chance.”

Karcher and his re-tooled coaching staff welcomed 67 players to campus Aug. 4, with the first fall practice taking place the following day. 

The final 2019 Warrior squad will be trimmed down to 60 players following a home scrimmage against Hinds Community College on Aug. 16.

The Warriors return four starters on offense and five on defense from the 2018 squad that finished 4-5 overall and 3-3 in the MACJC South Division. Nine starters from last season are playing at four-year colleges and universities this fall.

“We lost some good, quality football players from last year’s team,” said Karcher. “But we are expecting big things from some of our returning players, and we had a strong signing class this year, and we expect some of those new players to contribute early.”

Returning on offense is MACJC First Team All-State wide receiver Jaylen Zachery. The product of Thurgood Marshall in Dayton, Ohio, had 27 catches for 396 yards and four scores a year ago. Ray Thomas is back at tight end. The Senatobia native had eight receptions and one touchdown in his freshman season.

Karcher said the quarterback competition has yet to be settled, with two freshmen vying for the starting nod. Holman Edwards, a 6-2, 205-pound signal-caller out of French Camp Academy, and 6-3, 235-pound Deont’e Yarbrough from Louisville are both getting reps under center in the preseason.

Karcher hopes sophomore Marquavious Qualls (Lake) can fill the shoes of last year’s workhorse James Smith III. Smith III, who is playing for the University of West Alabama this season, rushed for 872 yards and had another 138 yards receiving.

Other big shoes to fill on offense will be tackle Ethan McMullan, now at the University of North Alabama, and wide receiver/returner Kevontaye Caston, who will play for Prairie View A&M this fall. Caston had 1,114 all-purpose yards last year while averaging nearly 30 years per kick return.

On defense, the Warriors return five starters, including two key players from last year’s defensive front that helped contribute to 27 sacks in nine games. Defensive tackle Alvin Dempsey III (Port St. Joe, Fla.) and defensive end Ronnie Thomas (Clinton) are both back. Dempsey totaled 40 tackles, six and a half sacks, and seven tackles for a loss last season. Freshman Joshua Ratcliff out of Assumption High School in Napoleonville, La., is expected to step in alongside Dempsey and Thomas.

Sophomore linebackers Elijah Keyes (Mize) and Payton Rogers (Forest) and cornerback Fredrick McGee (Greene County) all saw extended playing time last season and return for the defense.

Karcher said he is counting on three freshman defensive backs to contribute early and help offset the departure of two-time NJCAA All-Region 23 and MACJC First Team All-State safety Keonte’ Daniels, who signed with Mississippi Valley State University. Tra’Jen Anderson (North Forrest, Hattiesburg), Anthony Thomas (Stringer), and Jaeden Webb (Northwest Rankin) are all expected to get early playing time with McGee in the defensive secondary.

Both kicking specialists from last season return but are being pushed for their starting jobs by newcomers. Punter Steven Anderson (Purvis) and placekicker Sam Cox (Starkville Academy) handled most of the kicking duties in 2018. However, freshman punter/kicker Robens Beauplan (Fort Myers, Fla.) and freshman kicker Jose Ortega (Denham Springs, La.) have created a four-way battle for playing time as the season opener approaches. 

Aug. 29 — Northwest Mississippi CC

Sept. 5 — Itawamba CC

Sept. 12 — at Southwest Mississippi CC*

Sept. 19 — Pearl River CC*

Sept. 26 — at East Mississippi CC

Oct. 3 — at Copiah-Lincoln CC*

Oct. 10 — Mississippi Gulf Coast CC*

Oct. 17 — Hinds CC (homecoming)*

Oct. 24 — at Jones College*

*MACJC South Division contest