While Joplin lost several key contributors to graduation, one thing the Eagles will not be short on for the upcoming 2023 season are players with talent and experience.
Joplin is returning 13 starters and 26 total lettermen from a season ago—highlighted by a trio of NCAA Division I commits—with eyes on a Central Ozark Conference crown and a bid for a lengthy postseason run.
“To the casual fan, we return a huge core of our players,” said Joplin coach Curtis Jasper, who holds a 66-24 record at the helm of the Eagles. “That’s a good start, however, not only do (the returning players) have to get better for us to reach our goals, we have to fill in around them and continue to build depth because Class 6 is no joke. That is where we want to compete. Not just in our area and in our conference … We want to be competitive with the best of the best in the state. And if that’s our goal, we have a lot of work to do.”
Offensively, Joplin brings back a bevy of experience at the skill positions, while also returning several key offensive linemen to anchor the position group.
Leading the list of returnings for the Eagles are senior RB Quin Renfro—committed to South Dakota State—senior TE Whit Hafer, who is committed to Missouri, and senior LT Dontrell Holt, an Iowa State commit.
“I think it is a combination of the hard work and dedication of those guys and their teammates as well, but also the guys who came before them,” Jasper said when asked what it means for Joplin football to have three Division I commits on the roster. “You can go all the way back to Colby Cornett who walked on at SEMO and played through his eligibility to guys like Isaiah Davis who are currently on college rosters. All of that kind of goes hand in hand, and I think it speaks volumes.
Also returning to the skill positions on the offensive side of the ball for the Eagles is senior QB Hobbs Gooch, senior WR Aiden Sampson, junior WR Davin Thomas and sophomore TE Neil Barstow.
“The best thing about football is you know you are going to face adversity and it teaches life skills in such a tremendous way,” Jasper said. “Last year, we had our fair share of that. … These guys have been through that. We will be able to handle those types of things in a more experienced fashion. I think that is just going to help us out all the way through the year.”
Filling out the offensive line beside Holt will be returning senior C Cadyn Taylor-Wise as well as newcomers to the starting lineup—junior RT Brennen Washington, senior LG Josef Schuller and junior RG Maurice Clark.
“Not only are they talented from an athletic standpoint, but they’re both really good leaders,” Jasper said about having Holt and Taylor-Wise back to anchor the offensive line. “They are really good guys to look up to who care about the group.”
Defensively, the Eagles welcome back senior DE Gavin Smith, senior first-team all-COC LB Jonathan Williams, junior DL Keshawn Peavler, junior DBs Collis Jones, Noah Soriano and sophomore DB Cordell Washington are back with LB Garren Berry.
“Jonathan brings back so much experience, and his instincts at linebacker are phenomenal,” Jasper said of his senior all-conference defensive leader. “His work ethic and the way he goes about his business while including his teammates—he is a true team-first player. He is always putting the team before himself and I love that about him, and I think that is a true mark of a leader. That defense feeds off him.”
Expected to help fill out the starting and rotational roles are junior DL/LB Josiah Hazelwood, senior DL Alfredo Flores, junior DE Jakobe Taylor, senior DL Garrett Howard, senior DE Brandon Jackson as well. Sophomore LB Andrew Snider and sophomore LB David Bhend are also in the mix.
“I love what Coach (Nick) Reid does,” Jasper said when asked about the strengths of the defense. “This is my ninth year here and his ninth year with me as defensive coordinator. We keep it sound and simple so we can play fast. I really like how we swarm and get so many people to football in a hurry. … With the speed that we have in the secondary, I think we are going to be more flexible in the things that we do in the back end that we’ve been able to do since I’ve been there.”
“The competition at practice between the offense and defense has been a lot of fun to watch,” Jasper added about his defense. “You read in the press clippings about all of the returning offense, you wouldn’t know that the defense has really been bringing it in practice. We’ve had healthy competition all the way throughout the summer and fall practice. It’s been a lot of fun on both sides of the ball.”
Handling the kicking duties this season will be sophomore Toby Ipsen.
The confidence level within the program is high. But for the Eagles to continue raising their standard of play between the lines, Coach Jasper wants to see several improvements as the season gets started. Improvements that can inspire a dominant season and lengthy run in the postseason.
“Last year, we were replacing a lot of starters and some of our inexperience showed, especially early,” Jasper said. “Correcting those things is really what I’m looking for. We have to start games faster and once we accomplish that, when we get up, we have to be efficient and take care of the football and put teams away—not letting them hang around. We have a lot of tough teams on the schedule, so we will have to execute, especially in the fourth quarter.”
Joplin opens the season on the road with a matchup at Branson on Aug. 25.
