DE QUEEN, Ark. - When Brad Chesshir and his coaching staff implemented plans to change the culture of De Queen football, it was welcomed by the Leopard players.
Chesshir, a graduate and multiple state champion at Nashville High School, has coached at Alexandria, La., Nashville, and Jonesboro before taking over the helm at De Queen this year.
"Our kids are hungry for success," first-year head coach Chesshir said. "All kids love change, whether things have been Skittles and Rainbows or not been Skittles and Rainbows. Kids are always a little excited about change.
"Our kids have really responded well to the new culture we've brought in and to the new schemes: we've changed a whole lot, even to how we walk into the locker room, how we get dressed, how we walk out of the locker room, how we approach the weight room, how we transition from one station to another, especially with the tempo and the pace."
Part of the initial plan was to keep the players engaged and the enthusiasm high.
"Culture is just a set of beliefs, and we've tried to give our kids something to believe in," Chesshir said. "Everyone talks about the KISS method, the Keep It Simple Stupid, but I'm more kind of the KILL method Keep it Likeable and Loveable and try to keep the kids engaged and motivated, keep the enthusiasm and morale high. And our kids have done an outstanding job of responding to that new culture and philosophy."
The Leopards brought back 25 lettermen from last year's team. De Queen has four returning starters on offense and nine on defense.
"We've still got a long ways to go; there's a lot that I still want to do," Chesshir said. "Some thing we haven't been able to do because of the restrictions and regulations (due to COVID-19) that we've had to implement. Hopefully, we can get into some of those activities and keep building our culture and give our kids something to believe in.
"If you can get kids to believe in who you are (as a coach and teacher) and trust in what you're doing, they'll run through a brick wall for you."
OFFENSE
Senior Gage Woods (5-11, 180) is back at quarterback for the Leopards, and Oscar Fernandez (5-11, 250) in the lone returnee on the offensive line.
Junior Jesus Camacho (5-10, 150) is back at running back, and junior Dylan Williamson (5-11, 150) returns at receiver.
"As a new coach, bringing in a new offensive scheme and new defensive scheme, you hate it for the seniors, a little, because you can't get everything installed in Year 1," Chesshir said. "You build your base and then work out of your base, and it takes about two years to get comfortable in the system.
"Our seniors are going to do an outstanding job; I just wish I had three years with that group. We've got a really good senior class, and I've seen some leadership coming out of that group early."
Robbie Fitzsimmons (5-11, 170) is a senior who did not play last fall but will help at receiver. Donyea Whitmore (5-11, 230) and Manny Hernandez (6-0, 150) are sophomores who will help in the backfield, at running back and QB, respectively.
Trey Brown (5-11, 210) is a sophomore tight end for DQ, and sophomores Monroe Barnett (5-11, 150) and Tye Lindsey (5-9, 150) add to the receiving corps.
"The improvement these kids have shown in a short amount of time has been amazing," Chesshir said. "Our first week, we might have a receiver catch a ball and just stop. Now they catch a ball and turn to get up field."
A big group of sophomores will help fill the voids on the offensive line, and included in that group will be Steven Peppers (6-1, 210), Jacob Olalde (6-0, 270), Nathan Patterson (6-1, 220), Kane Faulkenberry (5-11, 250), Payne Thornton (6-0, 260) and junior Luke Rogers (5-11, 250).
"One of our strengths is our linemen," Chesshir said. "Our group coming in has a really good group of linemen. It's hard to find high school linemen; most teams end up putting a linebacker on the offensive line to fill spots. We don't have that problem at De Queen; we've got some really good linemen."
DEFENSE
With just starters graduated from the defense, Chesshir is looking to make the defense something the Leopards can lean on early in the season.
The four linemen returning are seniors Giovanny Felipe (6-2, 260), Jose Cortes (6-0, 265) and Brandon Perez (6-0, 220) along with junior Enrique Hernandez (6-0, 210).
"We've got some very good experience coming back," Chesshir said. "We've probably got a little more back defensively than offensively. Our defensive line, we return all four of those guys from last year compared to one on the offensive line."
In the secondary, senior Jorge Vega (5-10, 160) is a 3-year letterman at safety, as is Dale Barnett (5-10, 160) at corner. Williamson is also back in the secondary at free safety.
Woods and Dayne Parson (5-9, 160) are both 3-year lettermen at linebackers.
"We've got some good veterans," the coach added, "and we have a very good young group coming up as sophomores. That's going to give us a lot of depth."
Expected to help on the defensive line will be Faulkenberry, Patterson and Peppers.
Barnett adds depth at cornerback, and Lindsey will help at linebacker.
"One of the things that's pleased me is the communication between the players, and watching the players coach each other," Chesshir said. "One of our pillars for success is 'players coach players' and that did not take long to see. When we implemented that pillar, it took off and the kids bought in."
FUNDAMENTALS AND WINNING
Chesshir knows the culture change he wants to instill doesn't happen overnight, but he has seen his players buying into the idea.
"Two areas we need to improve on before conference play starts with fundamentals," Chesshir said. "Fundamentals of our stance, alignments, how we perform this technique at this position, and beyond that, just learning how to win.
"Every day in practice, we try to find as many small victories as we can. We try to find a way to win the drill and celebrate it; we try to love our kids up and get happy and be excited when they do something right. We're not winning football games in practice, but once you get the fundamentals down and win at the small things, consistently, the wins take care of themselves."