Hope's Tamorrion Lindsey takes advantage of a big hole opened up by the Bobcats' offensive line against Nashville during Hope's home opener September 2.

To take on the Ashdown Panthers, a nine-win team last year that returns seven on offense from that season, the Hope Bobcats have to put its 74-42 loss in its home opener to Nashville behind them.

Bobcats Coach Phil Turner said that his team (0-1) emerged healthy after the game and with good morale despite the lopsided score, but improvements must be made. Asked what area he would be focusing on with his team for its home stand against Ashdown tonight, Coach Turner said, “Playing assignment football. Everyone doing their job and trusting their teammates to do theirs. And tackling. We have to tackle better.”

But despite the scoring deficit with Nashville last Friday night, Turner said, “I was proud of everyone. The effort was there throughout the entire game.” Meanwhile, there was a reason junior running back Tamorrion Lindsey ran for 223 yards and three touchdowns on 13 carries, and KD Gulley got 69 yards on five carries, scoring a touchdown himself.

“I was proud of our offensive line,” Coach Turner said. “Because they haven't had a lot of work together, but they played well as a unit, opening up big holes for our running backs.”

That line also protected Bobcats junior quarterback Tyler Patterson long enough for him to throw two long touchdown passes in Friday’s game to senior receiver Triston Young, Young’s only receptions that night, but both totaled 124 yards.

The Bobcats will need their potent offense and a much-improved defense against Ashdown, who scored 45 unanswered points in a home shut out against DeQueen last week and who had little trouble in a 28-13 home opener against Hamburg. Granted, those were two-win teams last year.

Turner is not likely, however, to underestimate the Panthers. “Ashdown will be a very disciplined and well-coached team with a ton of athletes. We have to play mistake-free football and keep their athletes off the field.”

Asked how preparing for Ashdown compared to preparing for Nashville, Turner said, “The comparison to Nashville is that they both want to be a physical downhill running team, but Ashdown has more weapons on the perimeter this year than Nashville.”

Kickoff is tonight at 7:30 p.m. at Hammons Stadium. The game will also be streamed live by SWARK.Today.