Carlois Walker, of Newton County, takes part in running back drills during a recent practice.

The 2020 East Central Community College football season was strange, to say the least, but despite the trials, the Warriors posted a 2-3 record with a shutout, 21-0, win over Southwest and a stellar 13-10 overtime victory against the Co-Lin Wolf Pack in Wesson. The season was cut short the following week due to concerns over COVID-19, and a year later, the Warriors are ready to get back on the gridiron despite facing another round of challenges. 

“This year could be even crazier than last,” ECCC head football coach Ken Karcher said, “but our men are hungry to play. One of our main focuses right now is for everyone, from players to coaches, to be flexible and be ready at any moment.”

The Warriors return some players on both sides of the ball this year, and Karcher plans on keeping the same offensive and defensive core while allowing room to adapt based on the abilities that each player brings to the team. Though it is too early to tell what will be ECCC’s biggest offensive weapon, the running game has shined in the opening weeks of practice.

“It’s too early to tell what our biggest strength is going to be this year,” said Karcher, “but I do know that we will be a very hard-nosed football team that has the ability to be very balanced on the offensive attack.”

The Warriors were pretty balanced a year ago in the shortened season as the team posted 766 passing yards and 582 rushing yards through five games while scoring three touchdowns in both the running and passing game. 

The run game is highlighted by talented backs, but the group plowing the way up front deserves a lot of the credit. Karcher and the Warrior coaching staff look to utilize some out-of-state players on the offensive line in 2021 to beef up quarterback protection as well as create running lanes.

Defensively, the Warriors will be led by a veteran group in the secondary. Experience is key in the MACCC, and with four returners the Warriors are set to have possibly the best defensive backend in the country. 

ECCC is talented on the defensive line and linebacker positions as well with players that can stretch the field and quickly get into the backfield to disrupt the opponent’s offensive timing.

The Warriors’ special teams are also falling into shape with heated competition for the punting position, as well as a strong leg in the kickoff and placekicking game. Pair this with one of the top long snappers in the league and ECCC is poised to continue the tradition of one of the most effective and well-disciplined groups of specialists in the MACCC. 

With a solid group of returners and an incoming class of young men ready to battle it out for playing time, the Warriors of ECCC are ready to take the field by storm in 2021.

“Our success is not measured entirely on the field,” said Karcher. “We want to see our players and coaches grow as men, and we want to challenge for the conference championship.”

The team opens the season with a pair of road trips to East Miss on September 2 and to Miss Delta on September 9, but will return to Decatur for the season home-opener on Thursday, September 16 versus Jones College at 6:30 p.m. All ECCC home games can be watched live at eccclive.com/gold.