Patriots working hard under new coach

Coach Jake Hill pulled a line from an old Jerry Reed song when giving a summer update on his Marshall Academy football team.

“We’ve got a long way to go and a short time to get there,” he said.

Reed sang “Eastbound and Down” in reference to truck driving for the 1977 film Smokey and the Bandit. For Hill, starting his first year at MA, he is using the words from the song when pointing toward the Patriots’ season-opener August 21, just six weeks away.

“I just got the job when summer started and hit the ground running,” he said. “We had a good June. We’re headed in the right direction, and I can’t wait to see what type of July we have.”

Marshall wrapped up June with a couple of seven-on- seven contests versus Rossville Christian Academy. Hill said he saw lots of improvement in his team from the first to the second summer match-up.

“It was good to see some of the guys in action, competing against other players,” he said. “That’s a part of the evaluation process for us. Of course, we were missing a few key players due to vacations, church camps and baseball, typical summer stuff, and that’s OK.”

He said he and his assistant coaches will continue to implement their way of doing things and their expectations.

“We have a game plan of where we want to be toward the end of summer workouts and starting fall practice (July 27),” Hill said. “The kids are doing an excellent job. They, too, know we have a sense of urgency to get where we want to be. But overall, I am pleased with where we are at this point.”

The Patriots kick off the 2026 campaign Friday, Aug. 21, at Starkville Academy. The next Friday, Aug. 28, is the home opener versus Winona Christian School. The remainder of the regular season slate includes Sept. 4, Lee Academy (Clarksdale), away; Sept. 11, Magnolia Heights School, home; Sept. 18, Regents School, away; Sept. 25, North Delta School, home; October 2, Greenville St. Joe, home; October 9, Greenville Christian School, away; October 16, Washington School, home; October 23, West Memphis Christian School, away; and October 30, Rossville, away. District 1-3A opponents are Washington School, West Memphis and Rossville.

Last season the Patriots finished 10-3, losing in the Class 3A Division II state championship game. Several starters, on both sides of the football, were lost to graduation