In his second year at Newton County, Bobby Bass will be playing with his own schedule and trying to help guide the Cougars back to the playoffs.
But first, Bass said there are some things that the Cougars need to learn.
“You have to learn how not to lose before you learn how to win,” Bass said. “That was one of the things we focused on in the spring is not turning the ball over or not missing tackles, executing in key down situations, winning on first down, executing on third down, dropped balls on third downs, dead-ball penalties. Learning how to do those things makes a difference and is usually the difference in winning and losing.”
The Cougars will start the season has they host a preseason jamboree on Aug. 16 against Lake in a game that will be played at Newton County.
The Cougar will open the regular season at Leake Central on Aug. 23. Last year, the Cougars won just two games, as they beat the Gators 21-13. Lake Central finished the season 0-10.
“They will be an athletic team,” Bass said. “We watched them in their spring game, and it looks like they have gotten a lot better. They competed well in the spring and beat Pelahatchie. They are a scrappy bunch and got after it.”
The Cougars will then return home and host Kosciusko. The Whippets were 3-8 last year but have one of the state’s top recruits in the class of 2020 in receiver Antonio Harmon, who has multiple SEC and Division I offers.
“I didn’t get to see them in the spring but watched film on them last year,” Bass said. “They were a young football team kind of like us. They had some good athletes, especially on the defensive side of the football. They have a really good receiver who has several SEC offers.”
On Sept. 6, the Cougars will travel to Morton as take on the Panthers, who were 3-9 last year but made the Class 3A playoffs.
“They were on the schedule when I was here before, and that was a division game and a pretty good rivalry game,” Bass said. “It’s not too far away and usually both bring pretty good crowds. I know they will have some athletes so I think it will be a good matchup for us.”
After Morton, the Cougars will host Southeast Lauderdale, which was 3-9 last year and will be coached by former Meridian High coach Calvin Hampton after being hired this spring.
“They have been on the schedule forever,” Bass said. “Coach Hampton is the coach over there now, and he came from Meridian. I’m sure he will have them amped up. I don’t know what they did in the spring.”
The Cougars will then travel to county rival Union, a team they lost to 41-38 in a heartbreaking loss last year.
“They are really strong and will be huge up front,” Bass said. “They have really good athletes, and Coach (Brad) Breland does a good job with them. That one hurt a little bit last year. We felt like we had that one.”
The Cougars will finish up their non-division schedule as they host Sumrall on Sept. 27. The Bobcats were 8-4 last year and won seven games in a row to start the season last year and lost 18-16 to South Pike in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs.
“I don’t know much about them,” Bass said. “I know they had a dandy dozen quarterback (Dannis Jackson) last year who was a good athlete. I know they have a big defensive lineman who is pretty good and will be a junior. He is huge. They will be a challenge.”
The Cougars will open October with a trip to Mendenhall. The Tigers were 10-2 last year and lost to South Pike in the second round of the Class 4A playoffs. Mendenhall won last year’s game 34-3.
“I know they lost a good many players off last year’s team,” Bass said. “They lost the quarterback, (Christian Allen) who made them go. I thought he was pivotal in everything they did last year. I don’t know what they will have at quarterback this year.”
On Oct. 11, the Cougars will host long-time division foe Quitman. The Panthers were 5-7 last year and beat newton County 47-20.
“I don’t know what Quitman will have,” Bass said. “They have a new coach who came in from Hattiesburg. They should be loaded this year. I don’t know how many seniors they have but most of their team was juniors last year. How they transition with a new coach will depend on their success. Talent wise and look wise, that was the best team we played last year by far. It wasn’t even close.”
After Quitman, the Cougars will take on a pair of new division foes as the travel to Richland on Oct. 18 and host Florence on Oct. 27. Richland was 0-11 last year while Florence was 5-8 last year.
“They are two new teams to the division, and I don’t know a lot about either one of them,” Bass said. “I think we can compete in this division. I think we can compete with anybody up there. Our kids have to develop that mentality.”
The Cougars will round out the regular season as they travel to Northeast Jones. The Tigers were 1-9 last year and finished out the season with a 42-21 win over Newton County.
“I know they have been up and down,” Bass said. “They had a rough year last year, but they did beat us to finish out the year.”
