Zak Clark takes the reigns at Searcy

Every offseason high school football teams undergo a rebuilding process. In some cases, schools are not only looking for new players to step up and fill roles but new coaches as well. With this particular case, the Searcy Lions will be breaking in some new players and getting to know new head coach Zak Clark. We are going to take a look at some key players returning for the Lions as well as look at the work Clark has put in during his career. Clark is no stranger to high school football in the state of Arkansas having played and served as an assistant coach at Fayetteville High School. During his six years, at Springdale Clark always put together teams that would make the opposing team work on the defensive side of the ball. Clark has always done a good job of tough teams that will compete for all four quarters. Clark took Springdale to four state playoff appearances. Taking the Searcy job makes it to where Clark is not having the talent pool split between two high schools. The Searcy Lions have an extremely talented roster returning for the 2021 season. More importantly, the Lions have some experience returning at key positions. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="75095" first="Daniel" last="Perry"]-Athlete/Defensive Back-2022</strong> Perry is a weapon on both sides of the ball for the Lions. All offseason Perry has been lighting it up at 7-on-7 tournaments and showing impressive coverage skills as well as being able to make plays with the football. He has shown impressive athleticism and excellent hands. Perry is athlete that has the potential to light up both sides of the ball for the Lions. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="135995" first="Braden" last="Oliver"]-Defensive Back-2022</strong> Whenever you have a player that earned All-State honors returning for another year, you are in rather good shape. [player_tooltip player_id="135995" first="Braden" last="Oliver"] is a safety that is not afraid to hit and light the opposing wide receivers up. Oliver racked up over 130 tackles in 2020 and picked off two passes. Oliver is a player that the Lions are going to be glad to have back on the defensive side of the ball. Clark is going to count on Perry and Oliver to be team leaders this offseason. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="130971" first="Reid" last="Miles"]-Wide Receiver-2022</strong> Miles is a productive wide receiver for the Lions. Last season, Miles hauled in 33 receptions for 501 yards and five touchdowns. The defense is forced to account for Miles he is athletic enough to cause the opposing defense plenty of headaches. Miles is a player willing to block for his teammates in the run game. He is a player that will also put some work in on special teams and give the Lions a versatile player that they can move around on the field and be creative with. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="136008" first="Dede" last="Johnson"]-Running Back-2023</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="136008" first="Dede" last="Johnson"] is a player that shows a second gear at the running back position. The Searcy Lions have a running back that can take it the distance from anywhere on the field. He is a versatile player that can catch the ball out of the backfield and be a threat in the passing game. The Lions have a player that is going to cause opposing defensive coordinators plenty of headaches over the next two years. Johnson is a player to keep an eye on in Clark’s offense he has the potential to be an All-Conference player this season. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="137077" first="Eli" last="Wilson"]-Tight End/Offensive Line-2023</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="137077" first="Eli" last="Wilson"] gives the Searcy coaching staff a player that is incredibly versatile. Wilson can play the tight end position effectively or he can kick inside and be an impressive offensive lineman. Wilson is a player that has excellent footwork. He can be a threat in the passing game; however, he has the potential to be an offensive lineman that shuts down an opponent’s pass rush. Wilson is a player to keep an eye on this season on both the offensive line and at the tight end position. Clark has a good mix of experience and young talent returning this season to the Lions. Searcy is a playoff contender, and they are a team that can may a deep playoff run. Clark is one of the best offensive minds in the coaching ranks in Arkansas and he has plenty of talented players returning. Searcy is going to be an interesting team to watch this season.