By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

EDGARD – West St. John quarterback Austin Howard grins from ear to ear when asked about his team’s offensive philosophy.

“I love it,” said Howard. “This spring, to me, has been our best spring yet. We’ve been running this offense for a year now and everyone knows their assignments. I don’t have to tell our lineman what to do. Everyone’s coming in ready.”

Howard will be a senior this fall. Even as just a junior, he already boasts more playing experience than most graduating seniors statewide. Howard started a partial season as a freshman, then helped lead the Rams to finishes as a state-runner up and a state semifinalist in his sophomore and junior seasons.

Boasting a quarterback with over 30 starts to his name – including nine postseason games – gives Rams coach Robert Valdez a lot of flexibility with his offense, flexibility that the coach takes full advantage of. West St. John used a no-huddle set throughout last season, then turned up the volume full blast on that set in district play: WSJ adopted an Oregon Ducks style hurry-up offense designed to maximize the number of plays in a game – and minimize any available rest for weary defenders.

“The main thing is we have a catalyst at quarterback who understands the offense completely,” said Valdez. “We’re not really doing anything new on offense this spring. No new schemes, really. We’re running it at a great pace. It enables us to use our athletes in the best possible ways.”

The Rams are short on numbers compared to a year ago, the 1A school currently boasting a little more than 30 players. They’re not short on playmakers, though, with Howard throwing to a deep cast that includes tailback Jeremy Jackson.

Jackson split time with senior Kylum Favorite a year ago, when both players established themselves among the most feared runners in the state. Favorite moves on to play at Southern, leaving Jackson to lead the backfield.

A home-run hitter as a rusher, Jackson also lends a pair of experienced hands to the receiving corps when split out wide, something the Rams did plenty of to maximize the amount of time he spent on the field together with Favorite.

“When you have a guy back there who can do anything you ever need him to do offensively, it just makes you feel that much more confident,” said Howard. “It’s really a blessing.”

In the no-huddle, Jackson won’t be asked to carry the load alone. That’s why Valdez said the Rams are counting on Bradley Borne and Lamore Boudoin to provide quality carries.

At wide receiver, Keith Miller returns after a breakout year to lead the receiving corps. Brandon Matthews, Morrell Bartholomew and Laterence Mitchell look to fill out the pass-catching corps, all of whom earned playing time a year ago.

The offensive line, though, loses three starters from last season’s team. It won’t lack for size – the team’s tackles are mammoth, with 6-foot-5-inch, 340 pound Dontrell Smalls at left tackle and 6-foot-3-inch, 280 pound right tackle Dustin Sorapuru as its bookends.

Valdez said the team will be as good as its line play, which he believes can be very good. But it will take dedication.

“I want to see that group commit themselves,” said Valdez. “If our line betters its work ethic, we can win plenty of games. It starts with them.”

The Rams defense must retool after losing eight starters on that side of the ball.

Matthews returns as one of the leaders on that side of the ball. A jack of all trades who sees time at receiver, linebacker and defensive end, he said the Rams’ defense expects to remain among the state’s top playmaking units.

“We lost a lot of guys, and a lot of people don’t think we’ll get back to where we were,” said Matthews. “But we’re not really rebuilding as much as we’re reloading with younger guys. These guys played a lot last year, so they’ve got experience. It’s time to step up.”

He said practicing against the no-huddle serves to condition the team’s defenders very effectively.

“When our opponents get tired, we’re not because we practice at this pace non-stop, every day,” he said.

Koi Rainey joins Matthews in the front seven, another versatile linebacker/pass rusher. Kylon Adams returns at safety and Trey Nathan at corner to lead the secondary.

“These guys have played before and earned their stripes,” said Valdez. “We’re counting on them.”

The Rams will travel to Bonnabel to compete in their spring game today at 10:30 a.m. It will pit the Rams against both the Bruins and Scotlandville in a rotating three-way scrimmage.