Will Jackson come to pass?

The Jackson football program is known for its ground attack, but the Indians might feature more of a passing game this season with the emergence of first-year starting quarterback Marcus Harris and three tight ends with great speed and size.

"Anyone who follows us knows that we're going to run the ball first and throw it second," Jackson head coach Carl Gross said. "But we do feel like we have receivers and tight ends that can catch the football."

Harris started for the Jackson junior varsity team last fall. Gross said that he believes Harris threw more passes than the Indians' 2006 varsity starter, Rex Meyr.

Meyr, who graduated and accepted a baseball offer to Missouri, completed 46 passes for approximately 830 yards last fall.

Gross said they expected Harris to be the starter since the end of last season after watching him develop with the junior varsity, which completed an undefeated season.

But Harris had to work hard in the offseason, too. The junior attended Peyton Manning's football camp, completed his normal lifting routine and threw passes to his teammates on Monday and Thursday nights this summer.

"The big thing that I like about him is that the kids look at him as their leader," Gross said. "He's just been a really good asset so far. As far as his leadership skills -- I'm talking about in the huddle or directing the offense and in the locker room -- he's been very good."

Harris, who is listed at 6-foot-2, 175 pounds, played on the varsity basketball team as a sophomore. Gross said that Harris has a strong arm and a good release.

Three possible targets include tight ends, Antonio Garritano (6-5 240), Josh Gwin (6-4 225) and Kevin Pridemore (6-2 205).

"One of our strengths we feel this year, even though they are not wide receivers, is that we have three big tight ends," Gross said.

Harris said he enjoys having three big targets.

"They can all run and they've all got good hands, especially for tight ends," Harris said. "We expect a lot out of them this year. ... I expect to throw it to them, the receivers and the backs."

Gross said his team also has a number of talented wide receivers.

Matt Lang, James Perkins and Jake Wren all will be called upon to catch the ball. And Adam Zweigart will see some action as both a receiver and running back.

Gross does not want Harris to get too comfortable with any one receiver.

"I hope he's mature enough that he takes what the defense gives him because, like I said, we have some gifted receivers who can go up and catch the football and then do something with it after they catch it," Gross said.

Harris said the Jackson offense will line up in different formations.

"We got a little bit of shotgun, a little bit of under center, and we're spreading it out a little bit," Harris said. "So it's a little bit of everything and kind of mixing it up.

"However, you get the job done. If we got to run to win or if we've got to pass, it's however we've got to do it."

The Jackson running game should be strong with both Zweigart and Cody Randon taking some of the workload off Harris.

Randon led last year's team with 91 carries for close to 590 yards.

"They both can run and catch," Harris said. "When Adam is not running, he is also a receiver. Cody is mostly a running back. We'll use him out of the backfield to run play action once in a while.

"I expect big things from them. They both can run."

Zweigart and Randon will have a very similar number of carries unless one has a hotter hand, Gross said. He said each should receive about 15 carries per game.

Protecting Harris on the offensive line will be Brian Hill and Ethan O'Connell ?-- both of whom started last year. Other important linemen will be Kyle Schutte, Ryan Kessinger, Tyler Martin and Jacob Bullinger.

"Our offensive line was pretty solid [last year], we felt like," Gross said. "And right now we're pretty heavy with our offensive line, so we feel pretty good up front."

The backup quarterback will be 6-0, 150-pound sophomore Tommy Selsor.

"He's had a good fall camp," Gross said. "He throws and he can run. He's got good foot speed and a good arm."

Gross said Selsor would be able to step in if Harris suffered an injury.

"We can run a quarterback-friendly offense if we want to," Gross said. "We could do a lot of play-pass which gets him on the move and get him out of the pocket. So, yeah, we would feel comfortable with him at the helm."

Gross said he knows that there is a major difference between starting on junior varsity and starting on varsity, but he expects his young quarterback to make a smooth transition.

"We expect him to come in and respond," Gross said.

Jackson will play its first game Friday at Francis Howell Central. It will be a 7 p.m. start.

Later this fall, Harris and the Indians will go against one of the top quarterbacks in the country. Parkway West, Jackson's Class 5 district opponent Oct. 26, features Blaine Gabbert, who has already committed to play at Nebraska next fall.

Harris said he has no personal goals in his first year of varsity.

"I expect to win and do the best I can do," Harris said. "To me, winning is the most important thing.

"I'll do whatever I have to do to win."