Once John Carr officially got started working with his new football team at Starkville in March, the first thing he did was bring each player in one-by-one for a quick chat. Before all the running, throwing and installation of a new offense and defense, he wanted to get to know the Yellow Jackets on a personal level.
Building that trust and relationship with each player is the key that unlocks their potential to be coached to the maximum.
“Once that part happens, the football takes care of itself,” Carr said.
He’s the new main man in town and that’s the way he does things. Carr, a Louisiana native with years of coaching experience at the college level, is replacing former head coach Chris Jones, who departed the Yellow Jackets after the conclusion of last season to take the head coaching job at Hinds Community College. Jones left a legacy of winning and state championship game appearances, and even led the Yellow Jackets to the 2022 Class 7A state title.
It may seem like big shoes to fill, but that’s exactly why Carr left Clinton after one year there to come to Starkville.
“As a coach, you want to compete at the highest level you can. That’s why I took this job, to embrace exactly what this school has to offer, which is you’re going to play the best,” Carr said. “You are going to get everyone’s best. And as a competitor, I want to play the best. I want everybody’s best shot. I want our guys to be challenged. That’s why you play the game at a place like this, and that’s why you coach at a place like this.”
With Carr came Jamario Winters as defensive coordinator from Choctaw County, Tyler Peterson, a former head coach at Brandon, as offensive coordinator from his time in Clinton, Von Smith, a former Northeast Mississippi Community College and head coach at Ethel, to coach wideouts and Tom Campbell as the team’s strength coach. Under Carr, the staff has brought in a different way of doing some things off the field. But on the field, the Yellow Jackets will feature a new high-tempo scheme.
“We kind of have a college model from the way that we meet, from the way that we practice,” he said. “All of those things are what I’m kind of used to the last 10 or so years. We like to play fast, so therefore we practice fast. … We brought a lot of that kind of college model stuff to (Starkville) because you’ve got time limits and constrictions in college so therefore you have to get out there and make use of it.”
“We threw a lot at these players from the get-go…things that were going to be done a little bit differently, not saying better or worse, but different,” he said. “I tip my cap to them because they embraced the change with no pushback. It’s been, ‘Yes sir, no sir. Coach, let’s go to work.’ So, it’s been fun to get to know these guys and watch them work.”
The Yellow Jackets are fielding some new faces at quarterback and in some key spots like receiver and defensive back. Their new signal-caller is junior Kingston Johnson. He’ll be tasked with manning an offense that is predicated on tempo and timing.
“We like to play fast,” Carr said. “As soon as the ball gets set, we like to be ready to snap it again. I kind of joked (with the team) and said, ‘We shouldn’t have any delay of game penalties.’ I mean, we like to play fast with a lot of personnel groups and just try to get our guys in space and play the numbers game. (We) try to create explosive plays.”
Carr said his offense doesn’t favor either passing or running more than the other, and will be fairly balanced based on what the defense shows. The key is getting the ball quickly to its playmakers, like Torien Knox and Graham Hancock at running back.
“We have to get them touches and find ways to get them the ball,” he added.
A’Braylen Jenkins is at wide receiver alongside Tylen Calvert and Trent Agnew.
“He’s our Swiss army knife,” Carr said of Jenkins. “He’s going to be doing a lot of things. Both (Calver and Agnew) are really explosive. Our offense will kind of go through our skill guys.”
At tight end is Philip Swann, a 6-foot-4 senior who is “a physical player who can run and catch the football.”
“(I) really like Philip,” Carr said.
Seniors Maurice Ward, Jason Posey and Kylen Sherrod bring returning experience on the offensive line, and sophomore tackles Larry Riley and Mason Harrison are battling for starting time as well. Kylin Boyd is a senior returner at defensive back.
“He’s a corner that really has the pulse of our team,” Carr said.” He’s a senior that played a lot last year. He’s kind of an alpha male, and I really love his competitive character.”
Kaesen McQuiller is at linebacker. He’s a senior “who didn’t play a lot last year but has really bought into what we’re doing and has had a good summer as well.”
And up front, Chris West returns at defensive end.
“Those three guys, one on the defensive line, one at linebacker and one in the secondary, those are three senior leaders that I think really have a good pulse of our team,” Carr said.
The Yellow Jackets are looking to bounce back from a 7-5 season in 2024 that ended with a heartbreaking 35-34 loss to eventual 7A champion Tupelo in the second round of the playoffs. But Carr doesn’t want his team looking backward; he wants their eyes on the future.
“When I got here in March, my biggest thing was, ‘I can’t control what happened in the past. All I can do is control moving forward.’ … The biggest thing that excites me is their eagerness to get out there, to get better.”
The Carr era gets under way today at 7 p.m. when the Jackets host Oak Grove to kick off the season. District 2-7A play begins on Oct. 10 at Germantown and the regular season ends with a contest at old rival Oxford on Nov. 6.
“I’m just excited to watch the guys play,” Carr said. “I know how much work they’ve put into it. I’ve watched them through the spring and summer and you get a bond with these guys and you build relationships, and you want what’s best for them. … (We) have to find a way to create good moments and stack those, and develop some continuity and some confidence to keep building week-in and week-out.”
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 30 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
