Opelousas Tigers | Spring 3-2-1 Spotlight

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Opelousas netted its first winning season in decades this fall with an impressive 8-2 record and No. 3 seed in the Division-II Non-Select bracket.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And coach Jimmy Zachery and the Tigers only see further progress ahead with their loaded 2025 class leading the way with another year of experience and development under their belt.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Opelousas garnered an early stop on Prep Redzone Louisiana's spring practice tours and a series of "Spring 3-2-1" spotlights looking at three key returning standouts, two notable breakout candidates and one underclassman to know sooner than later.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>3 WELL-KNOWN RETURNERS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='710072' first='D'Shaun' last='Ford'] — 5-11, 210 RB — Opelousas (2025)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the lead stars of Louisiana's loaded 2025 running back class, Ford is a powerful throwback and workhorse of a back who consistently trucks opposing defenders and keeps motoring downfield. He said a focus this offseason is continuing to get more elusive and make more defenders miss to help lessen the wear before reaching a college such as LSU, Auburn, Tennessee, Tulane, Miami, Mississippi State and Ole Miss that are among the most prominent involved in his recruitment. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.youtube.com/embed/7qcVD3DJZXU","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"embed-handler","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/embed/7qcVD3DJZXU </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='710273' first='Corey' last='Amos'] — 6-3, 205 LB — Opelousas (2025)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The long, quick edge athlete is another notably ascending prospect in the 2025 class with Tulane, Missouri, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Nicholls State, Penn State and Grambling State among his spring run of offers. Amos is explosive to the backfield rushing from his outside linebacker position and comfortable and smooth dropping back into space.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.youtube.com/embed/U13aZpkdZa4","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"embed-handler","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/embed/U13aZpkdZa4 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='710769' first='Korey' last='Fontenot'] — 6-1, 165 WR — Opelousas (2025)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The biggest aerial complement to Ford's bruising rushing attack on the ground, "K2" is a speedy vertical threat who takes particular pride in his route running. Fontenot earned all-district recognition this fall as a sophomore and recently picked up his first college offer from Grambling State.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.youtube.com/embed/lsZaufRkf-E","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"embed-handler","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/embed/lsZaufRkf-E </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2 BREAKOUT CANDIDATES</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='913917' first='Zackeus' last='Malveaux'] — 5-10, 160 QB/ATH — Opelousas (2025)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another rising junior runs the offense in the quick-footed Malveaux, a backfield complement to Ford who can make defenders miss and take off with listed 4.4-second 40-yard speed and has enough of an arm to flick the ball downfield or to the sideline to Fontenot and company and burn opposing defenses going all-in in the box to stop the run. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='913928' first='Travis' last='Esprit'] — 6-0, 200 LB — Opelousas (2025)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Amos isn't alone among talented athletes to watch on the Tigers' defense — and, for that matter, even those still within that strong 2025 class. Esprit is a notable breakout candidate patrolling the middle of the field between Amos and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='915076' first='Jonathan' last='Ford']</strong> with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='913914' first='Jacobian' last='Ardoin']</strong> among the big bodies up front and lean, speedy corner <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='912270' first='Landon' last='Hammond']</strong> and safeties <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='913935' first='Jaylon' last='Breaux']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='913912' first='Kyran' last='Moore']</strong> among the leaders in the secondary.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>1 UNDERCLASSMAN TO KNOW</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='920639' first='Jamarion' last='Daughtery'] — DL — Opelousas (2026)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The rising juniors help headline the roster on both sides of the ball, but Daughtery is a rising sophomore to monitor as another big-bodied defensive lineman alongside Ardoin that appears to move well and have a solid closing burst to chase down quarterbacks and other ball-carriers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->