A-J FOOTBALL UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT

Brett Detering, Anna-Jonesboro High's first-year head football coach, says his players certainly don't carry the look of a program that has been struggling for nearly a decade.

The Wildcats, who earned an Illinois state championship in the mid-1980s, have gone just 10-53 over the past seven years, including consecutive 1-8 seasons.

But Detering, who was an assistant coach last season at Blackburn College in Illinois, believes the Wildcats possess the types of attitudes that could eventually help turn the program around.

"Our kids have had a great attitude so far," said Detering, who is originally from Nashville, Ill. "We have a lot of great kids on the team."

Detering doesn't know how much a positive attitude will translate into victories on the field this season, but he is hopeful as A-J prepares for Saturday's scheduled opener against visiting Massac County (the game has been up in the air pending a possible settlement of the Massac County teachers strike).

"Last year the team went 1-8 and most of the games were lost by a pretty good margin," he said. "One thing we're wanting is to become more competitive. We've got five playoff teams from last year on the schedule and two other teams had five wins, so it's a tough schedule.

"But I'm excited. I feel we have some pretty talented kids at all positions. The problem is numbers. We'll have about eight or nine kids going both ways so they're going to have to be in great shape."

Detering said he is looking for good things from senior quarterback Jake Alley, a 6-foot, 180-pounder who also plays basketball and baseball for the Wildcats.

An all-junior backfield will feature the likes of Dusty Newman, Zach Short, Mikey Cunningham and George Howard, who Detering said is the fastest player on a team not blessed with an abundance of speed.

"We've got some pretty fast kids but no real breakaway threats," he said.

The receiving corps will consist of senior Josh Roach, junior Zach Short and sophomore Ricky Tweedy, who joins Howard as one of the squad's fastest players. Two juniors who go 6-1 and 190, Perry Littrell and Matt Hopp, are working at tight end.

Detering lists a fairly large offensive line as one of his team's strengths. Four seniors return from last year in Chris Houseman (5-10, 250), Jason Short (5-10, 260), Thomas Corbitt (6-1, 210) and Pat Dallas (5-10, 190).

Also helping out up front will be junior Mike Sanders (6-0, 190), junior Seth Peters (6-1, 230) and sophomore Jared Webster (5-11, 230).

Most of those same players will turn around and also lead the defense.

Up front defensively will be Houseman, Jason Short, Corbitt, Littrell, Webster, Peters, Hopp and big sophomore Brock Proctor (6-5, 285).

Among the linebackers will be Alley, Cunningham, Dallas and Sanders, with Newman, Zach Short, Roach and sophomore David Carter heading up the secondary.