KC spring game Saturday
New AD Rieves, NFL's Demorrio Williams will coach
By CHRIS CRADDOCK Special to the News Herald

RIEVES

The Kilgore College Rangers football team will bring back two familiar faces to the field for its spring game this Saturday, April 26: former head coach Jimmy Rieves and former Ranger and current NFLplayer Demorrio Williams.

Rieves and Williams will serve as guest coaches for the two squads at the annual Blue and Gray Spring Game. Kickoff is slated for 11 a.m. Saturday here at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium.

Head coach J.J. Eckert said he is thrilled that Williams will be able to make the trip to help KC athletes and give back to the community that gave him a good jump start on his career.

"When former players (Williams) go on to have successful college and NFLcareers, we need to get them back here to work with the young men currently trying to maintain their legacy," Eckert said. "It will be great to have a former Ranger who is now in the NFLto come back and impart some of his knowledge with our athletes."

Williams played for the Rangers from 2000-01 under Rieves and is now a player in the NFLwith the Kansas City Chiefs. While Williams was at KC, Rieves decided to move him from from cornerback to a linebacker, the position he currently plays for the Kansas City Chiefs.

WILLIAMS

Williams helped lead Kilgore to an undefeated season in 2001, and a No. 2 national ranking. He transferred after his sophomore campaign at KC to The University of Nebraska where he completed his degree in sociology and was a fourth round NFLdraft pick for the Atlanta Falcons in 2004.

Williams started all 16 of the Falcons' regularseason games of the 2005 NFLseason, recording 132 tackles, and ranking second on his team for that statistic. He had a career-high 15 tackles in a December 12, 2005 game against the New Orleans Saints. He will play his first season with the Chiefs this season, having signed a five-year contract with Kansas City this past March (read more on Williams' journey in Friday's News Herald).

Rieves coached the Rangers from 2000-06, compiling a 48-27 record and winning two conference titles in 2001 and 2004, including the undefeated season in 2001. Rieves is currently the director of student success and the assistant athletic director at KC. He will take over as KC's athletic director this summer upon David Castles' retirement.

"It's going to be a lot of fun. I won't have to worry about winning or losing. I can go for it on fourth down every time if I want to. It's like a coach's dream," Rieves said. "It's the best of both worlds- I can be an armchair quarterback and not have to worry about what people think about my play-calling the next day."

The Rangers opened spring workouts March 27, and second-year head coach Eckert said that he is excited that expectations are high this coming season for the Rangers after a successful 9-3 season. The Rangers were regular-season champs last season, but lost the conference championship game to Navarro College, 56-28.

The Rangers signed more than 40 players in the offseason, and have 45 players returning to the team, including second-team All-American Woody McClendon, a tight end.

"We have some really good experience returning," Eckert said. "We don't have to introduce a brand new scheme like we did last year. A lot of these guys have 12 games under their belt as a Ranger. ...We're ready to get suited up and see exactly what this team is capable of."

Eckert has reworked the point system of Saturday's game as well. Gone is the traditional scoring of a normal contest and in its place is a structure that more evenly distributes points between offense and defense. The scrimmage will consist of four quarters, with at least 15 plays per quarter. Points will be awarded to offense and defense for specific achievements.

"A touchdown will still count six points, a PAT one and a field goal six, but additional points will be given for first downs and plays longer than 30 yards," Eckert said. "The defense can also score by forcing a punt or a three-and-out series, and by making a fourth-down stop, a sack, a negativeyards play, a turnover or a turnover for a TD."

Each drive will begin at the 35-yard line. If a punt is forced, the ensuing drive will start where the ball is fielded. If a turnover is forced, offense will again start at the 35.

"We've reworked this to try and give it a little more pep and make it more festive of an atmosphere," Eckert said. "The more people we have out there taking an interest and supporting our football program, the better. Hopefully everyone that comes will enjoy themselves."

The 33-year-old coach has also enlisted the assistance of KC cheerleaders, who will be helping with water, T-shirt and hat sales at Saturday's game.

Also, raffle tickets will be available for $5 each. Grand prize is two tickets to a Dallas Cowboys' home game plus hotel accommodations.