INAUGURAL ZERO WEEK SET TO KICK OFF IN ARKANSAS

Beginning this season, and in just a few more days, kickoff time comes early for several high school football teams across Arkansas. Those teams will get to take part in the inaugural Zero Week slate of games. Zero Week in Arkansas follows the lead of other states which have installed the concept, such as Texas and Oklahoma, which established its Zero Week two years ago. Zero Week affords teams the opportunity to schedule a regular-season game one week ahead of the regular general opening week, otherwise known as Week 1. Those schools that decide to play on Zero Week will also get to have a bye week during the course of the season. Teams that have chosen to play on Zero Week range from schools in the highest classifications to those in the smaller ranks. One big school making the decision to play later this week is Northside, as the Grizzlies will start their season this Friday at home against Rogers Heritage. Northside coach Mike Falleur is very familiar with the Zero Week concept, having done it when he served as a coach in the state of Georgia. “I like it,” Falleur said. “We had it in Georgia, and so when they said they were going to have it here, the first thing I wanted to do was schedule a game early. “Now I’m kind of wishing sometimes I had a little more time. ... But really and truly, you’ve been going all summer, so you’ve been up here every day all summer except the two-week dead period. Then you start July 30 and you pretty much go every day up until your first game.” The Grizzlies will play their first three games, all non-conference ones, on Zero Week as well as Weeks 1 and 2. They will then take their bye week the following week, which will also be the week before their 7A-Central conference opener against Bryant. “Our (bye week) is before we play Bryant, so we’re going to play our first three games, and we’ll come in on Monday (on that bye week) and watch film of our game from Friday and then we’ll practice for Bryant Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday,” Falleur said. “So that’s three extra days to prepare for what they’re doing. In that sense, hopefully that will help us. “When I was in Georgia, I always tried to schedule (a bye week) in Week 4 or 5, so you’re about halfway through the regular season and you’ve got a break. Just physically, mentally, you’ve just got to step back and kind of breathe for a second.”

INAUGURAL ZERO WEEK SET TO KICK OFF IN ARKANSAS

BUCK RINGGOLD

Times Record | 8/19/2018

PHOTO CREDIT: Brian D. Sanderford