By Kyle Roberts
MONROE, La. — Following the annual Byrd scrimmage last week in Shreveport, the Ruston High Bearcats will travel the opposite direction on I-20 Saturday night to take on the Neville Tigers in the penultimate 2024 Bayou Jamb matchup at Malone Stadium on the campus of the University of Louisiana-Monroe.
For Ruston High head coach Jerrod Baugh, it will be another opportunity for his team to get tuned up before the 2024 season officially kicks off on Friday, Sept. 6, at home against Acadiana.
“I’d like to see us get out there an be consistent with what we’re trying to get done,” Baugh said. “I think Neville’s going to be a good football team. Anytime we play, it’s a tight ball game.
“I want to see us get out there and get after it for the two halves that we’ve got. That would be a real plus for me — and to see us be consistent over a prolonged period of time.”
Ruston’s skill players had a great night against Byrd with both senior running backs Jordan Hayes and Dylone Brooks scoring multiple touchdowns. For Baugh, however, it felt erratic with lots of high energy in the beginning and near let-downs at the end.
“We’ve seen streaks of really good things and you think we’re turning the corner,” Baugh said. “It’s not day-to-day; it’s drill-to-drill. It’s a tough deal for high school kids to continue to keep focused and press the gas all the time to get things done — it’s tough for grown people, much less kids that have been at school and have a lot going on. But we’ve got to learn to do that, because that’s what it takes to win ballgames.”
The format for the scrimmage with Neville will be two 12-minute halves and the chance to see plenty of players on the field. Since the game will not count, Baugh said he believes it’s important for the players to get in as many situational sets as possible, such as two-minute drills.
Ruston High is not expecting to see senior Sam Nations or sophomore Ahmad Hudson on the field for the Bayou Jamb after being injured last week in the Byrd scrimmage.
Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.
