#HSFT16: Stop No. 7 – French Camp Academy Panthers

FRENCH CAMP, Miss. (WCBI) — Youth will be a theme with the Panthers in 2016.

After graduating a strong senior class the helped lead French Camp to their 4th straight playoff appearance, head coach Nathan Wright knows his team will take time to develop this upcoming season.

“We have a lot of young guys and that’s not always a positive thing,” Wright said. “It’s encouraging we have a young group of guys that have been here a while. For future purposes, we’re excited about the number of young kids growing up together. Immaturity will be something you don’t like so much but I do like their young enthusiasm.”

FCA does lose strong skill guys including quarterback Luke McKnight and athlete Corrie Witt but the Panthers will be strong in the trenches.

“We have a lot of possibilities returning,” Wright said. “We have some linemen returning. Last year it was the opposite. This year we lose quarterbacks and backs. Turn around and up front you have kids with experience. They know who to block, that always helps. We’re excited to have them back.”

Making the playoffs have now become the expectation at French Camp but the expectations this season for the coaches and players haven’t been set yet.

“We’re telling everyone it’s a clean slate,” said Wright. “We want to see where we are and we want to get better and physically fit for the game. It’ll take everything we have and more. We’re concentrating on getting faster and stronger and acclimated to the heat. I call this our honeymoon time. When August comes, it’ll be hotter and we’ll be working more clearly towards specific goals.”