Among the units on Marion's football team that were ravaged after 33 seniors graduated at the conclusion of the 2025 season, the defense had to rank near the top.
After all, 17 of the top 19 tacklers from a season ago walked the stage in May, with seven of them signing to play college football at the Division 2 level or above.
However, Marion's defense certainly looked the part in last Friday night's 14-10 victory over 6A West power Mountain Home in each team's benefit scrimmage inside Southern Bancorp Stadium.
The Patriot linebackers and defensive line made plays all night, limiting the Bombers to less than 100 yards rushing on the night and surrendering a field goal only after a long fumble return, and although the biggest play of the night covered more than 60 yards for a touchdown, the Marion stop troops were sound.
“I wasn't necessarily surprised, because those guys have been working hard knowing this was their chance to play and make a difference,” said Marion head coach Claude Johnson. “Our defensive box (defensive line and linebackers) competed hard all night. Never took a play off, ran to the ball, all the things we ask them to do. We need to keep progressing and keep stacking good weeks, but if we do, we are excited about the team we can be in a few weeks.”
Senior defensive tackle Gary Wilson will be a three-year letterman at Marion, and he locked a starting role over the summer. Wilson found success against a big Mountain Home offensive line, finishing with three tackles in one half of play and “who knows how many blockers he worked on,” said Johnson. “When he didn't make the play, he made it easier for someone else to get there. You don't always see the interior guys, but Gary was active against Mountain Home.”
Jalen Hunter had a big night against the Bombers, racking up four tackles, including a tackle for loss, in one half of varsity action. Julian Tucker tallied two tackles for loss from his defensive end spot, and Draylon Thompson shifted this week from offense to defense to add depth and veteran know-how to that unit.
Gavin Bohannon, Jayden Curne, Tim Lemon, and Tyron Clay all made plays at tackle and end during the first-half, varsity portion of the scrimmage.
“Those guys all earned their way onto the field; now it's their turn to keep it,” said Johnson. “We want to play a lot of guys up front, and they've done a lot to condition and be able to play 50-60 snaps. That combination could change depending on the night, but as long as they keep working and preparing, this will work, because defense is all about effort.”
Graduation ravaged Marion's linebacking corps, as well, with four 'backers exhausting their eligibility last November, including Kennesaw State signee and 6A East Defensive Player of the Year Zadean Wilson, and Henderson State signees Chris Byrd, Beau Fenter and Bryson Gladney.
However, if the preseason exhibition was any indication, Terrion Royston, DeShaun Dabney, Stephen Nesbitt, Mason Ruffin, and Jeremiah Shackleford could replace that production sooner rather than later.
“That's a smaller group of guys who have played, but it's one that I am confident in,” said Johnson. “They're all football guys, guys who love the game, think the game, they're preparing, they're competing. They're just linebackers, they're in the right spot, and they're going to be big for us.”
Marion's defensive down linemen and linebackers will be put to the test on Friday night when the Patriots officially open their 2026 football season by continuing the school's oldest and longest-running series as MHS heads about 40 miles west to do battle with the Wynne Yellowjackets.
Marion has played Wynne in football every season since 1969, typically in conference action until Marion moved up to Class 6A in time for the 2006 season, and then the teams continued a non-conference series.
Johnson may be in his first year at Marion, but he's already heard about the importance of this game from the community.
“When I first got here, maybe I'd been here a week, I reached out to (longtime MHS boys basketball coach) Coach (Melvin) Brown, and he kept bringing up Wynne,” said Johnson, a Pine Bluff native. “He said that was the big game in basketball; it meant so much in football. I'm excited to continue the series, keep playing a program like Wynne, but our job as coaches doesn't change. We have to keep preparing to win. We have to prepare and practice the right way if we want to beat anybody, and that's true again this week.”
There will be a familiar face on the Wynne sideline, as well. Longtime Jonesboro head football coach Randy Coleman, who guided the Golden Hurricane to a 113-60 record from 2008-2022, took over the program in the spring.
On the field, Wynne shifts from the Split-Back Veer that it ran under Coach Clay Totty the past three seasons to a Spread/Shotgun scheme that Coleman installed in spring camp.
All-state tailback Caden Crawford returned to the district over the off-season after recording more than 2,000 yards last season at Cross County, leading the Thunderbirds to the Class 2A state championship. Kaden Dixon and Devonte Duckett make plays at receiver, while the Yellowjackets return Grant O'Guin at h-back/tight end.
“Coach Coleman's offense is well known across the state; they're going to run the ball,” said Johnson. “The h-back is able to move around and manipulate the defense, and they have backs who can all run.”
Defensively, Wynne employs a 3-3 stack scheme with three down linemen and three linebackers and “plenty of speed,” said Johnson. “They run fast, and they play fast.”
HOW TO WATCH
Kickoff between Marion and Wynne is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday night at Yellowjacket Stadium. If you can't make the game in person, you can watch for free on the MPAN YouTube channel.