Don’t tell the Gentry Pioneers their successful 2024 season was a fluke — finishing the regular season 8-2 and going on the road to win their first playoff game in more than a decade. And don’t recite any preseason rankings to second-year Pioneer head coach Tyler Clark either — especially those that predict a mediocre season.
“We go into every game with a mindset that we can win it, and that’s not going to change this year,” said Clark, a coach who has seen success at every stop of his career. “A lot of this game is about preparation and mental toughness. Some teams step off the bus already defeated — and that’s not us. We walk onto that field always knowing we have a chance to win and a chance to be successful.”
Clark isn’t predicting an undefeated season or a state title. He knows it will be challenging to replace 13 seniors who played “fearlessly” and maximized their abilities last season through preparation and mental toughness. He also knows his players aren’t always going to be the fastest or the biggest on the field.
But looking across the field at players running 100-yard wind sprints at the end of practice recently, he sees hard workers and emerging leaders. And hearing the repeated clanks of the weights from the upstairs area of the team’s fieldhouse during the summer is a melody Clark has heard before — a song that has transitioned into success.
“There are teams that will outrun us. There are teams that will be bigger than us. But there are no teams that are going to push us around,” Clark said. “When we step onto that field, we expect to win and know we have a chance. That’s the way we coach, and that’s the way we prepare our team each week.”
Clark recalls a 7-on-7 event during his first summer as head coach when the Gentry bus parked next to a 6A powerhouse, which drew the attention of his players. It became a teaching moment — and a learning experience. Before they got off the bus, Clark reminded his team they could execute plays and outwork any opponent across the field, regardless of size or reputation.
“It’s not the name on the side of the bus that matters, and our players are realizing that,” Clark said. “It’s the players who walk off that bus who matter. Are they ready? Are they prepared? That’s where we are with our program — and that’s where we want to be.”
Clark also wants to build Gentry into a program that others fear, beginning in the weight room with a manageable but rigorous summer schedule under the watchful eye of defensive coordinator Chris Thompson, who also serves as strength and conditioning coach, following a stint at a 7A program in the area. Clark doesn’t want his players to burn out — a common risk he’s seen at other schools — and he believes strongly in balance, a principle he's further implementing in his second year.
Still, he knows that while games can be lost between the ears, it takes both mental and physical toughness to win. His job, he says, is to put his players in the best possible position for success.
“For us, it’s always going to be about competing for a conference championship,” Clark said. “We want to be playing meaningful games in Week 8 and Week 9. Last year, our goal was to remain mentally tough and to get to the playoffs. This year, we’re building on that and focusing on developing skills. I’m a big believer that mindset will take you a long way — especially in high school football — and having the right skills will take you the rest of the way.”
Offense
The biggest question every coach faces each year remains: Who’s going to step up and lead the team? Clark thinks he has the answer.
Returning quarterback and senior Talan Williams was a difference-maker last season, returning from injury to throw six touchdown passes in the Pioneers’ playoff win at DeWitt. It will be Williams’ third season as the starter — and his leadership has already impressed Clark.
“He’s a winner, plain and simple,” Clark said. “If we’re on the one-yard line with the game on the line, he’ll find a way to get into that end zone. Whenever he gets going, he’s very difficult to stop.
“You can’t be a leader unless you’re willing to do the extra work — and Talan puts in the extra work.”
Williams also benefits from chemistry with other skill position players. Familiar faces Tylan Owl and Owen Foreman at wide receiver, and tight end Jaxson Holt — all seniors — round out a class that has battled together for several seasons. That chemistry has paid off during preseason and will be key throughout the year.
Several backs will get a chance to run the ball this season, keeping opponents off balance and allowing the “hot hand” to take over games. Among them: senior Christian James, junior Atreyu Banks, senior Chris Huey, and sophomore Ethan Meyers.
After graduating an offensive line that averaged more than 280 pounds, rebuilding that unit will be crucial. The Pioneers will lean on junior Dylan Eller, junior Laine Phillpott, sophomore Jakob Duerr, and junior Peyton Wooten, though several others are also competing for spots.
Ric Davies serves as the Pioneers’ offensive coordinator.
Defense
Defensively, Gentry will show multiple looks to keep quarterbacks off-balance and harder to prepare for, Clark said. At the heart of that defense is senior Aiden Eller, an all-conference nose guard and arguably the strongest Pioneer — squatting over 500 pounds.
“I think he’s a monster — a super strong kid who can draw two or three offensive linemen and allow us to do a lot defensively,” Clark said. “If our opponents don’t dedicate a lot of attention to him, he’ll spend a lot of time in their backfield.”
In Thompson’s scheme, the defensive backs are crucial to both coverage and pursuit. Among the standouts: senior safety Phillip Thompson, and cornerbacks C.J. Bolinger (junior) and Noah Palacio (senior).
“They do a great job in coverage, but they’re also fast and aggressive,” Clark said. “We rely heavily on our defensive backs.”
Special Teams
Clark said Jaxson Holt, who also handles placekicking duties, has made noticeable improvements this offseason, especially in accuracy and power. That could be a major factor this fall.
“We know he can hit from 40 yards — and sometimes further,” Clark said. “He has a ton of talent, and we’re excited to see what he can do.”
Learning and Leading
Clark, a 2009 Russellville High School graduate and former starting lineman, earned his bachelor’s degree from Arkansas Tech in 2014. He coached offensive line at state-title-winning Warren for two years and later at Marion, before becoming the head coach at Paris High School — his first opportunity to lead a program.
It was at Paris that Clark’s coaching philosophy took shape. His first season ended in a humbling 0-10 record, but that didn’t deter him or his players.
“I was embarrassed. I was depressed. I had all the doubts,” Clark said. “But we didn’t give up. I didn’t give up. We hit the weight room, and we changed that losing attitude quickly. The players really bought in. They had every reason not to — but they did, and that made us successful.”
Paris finished 3-7 the next year, but those losses were close — a stark contrast from the blowouts of the previous season. Something had shifted, and the players felt it.
The third season brought an 11-2 record, including a playoff win.
“We saw a big change from 0-10 to 11-2,” Clark said. “The kids and the community had every reason to run from what we were doing, but they embraced it — and we were successful.”
Fast forward to Gentry, where Clark took over a program that had grown accustomed to being middle-of-the-pack — but also one backed by a community passionate about its athletics, especially football. Following a 9-3 record and a playoff victory at DeWitt last year, Clark sees the right mix of strength, mental toughness, and school and community support.
Most of all, he sees a group of players ready to give their best every time they wear the Pioneer jersey — no matter who lines up across from them.
“I want our kids to do something they love — not just something that’s expected of them,” Clark said. “I want them to love football. I want them to enjoy the locker room and the memories they make. But most of all, I want them to know they did their best, tried their hardest, and left everything on the field. That’s what we’re building here in Gentry.”