Arrow offense experienced and may be explosive

By Danny C. Davis    

Just a year ago, entering the 2025 season, the Clinton Arrow offense had lost four key starters to transfer and did not have any experience at quarterback or running back, and not much at wide receiver.

Fast forward to this season, and the offense has experience and depth at just about every position.

Led by an experienced offensive line and experienced quarterback, and with a lot of depth at running back and wide receiver, CHS could put up a lot of points in 2026.

“We had a good spring and summer and got a lot of reps from a lot of different people,” said Arrow offensive coordinator Ben Shelton. “And we spent a lot of time trying to clean a lot of things up on offense, because a lot of last year was up and down on our offense. It was because we had a lot of young players trying to learn in a hurry.  We won a lot of stats last year, like yards per game, but then we lost the two most important stats, turnovers and red zone production.”

“We had some leads in district games, and then turned the ball over multiple times and lost.  Our red zone production was not good, either. We would at times drive the length of the field and get inside the 20 yard line and have to settle for a 3 points [field goal], instead of getting a touchdown…Our opponents would just load the box, and we could not run the ball, [which] forced us to try to pass.”

“Our big focus this year is protecting the football and, for the quarterback, it is making completions, and, for our running backs, it will be falling forward for first downs.”

“We are feeling good right now with the progress our skill players and lineman made this summer in their 7 on 7 camps and the fact that every position has experience and depth.”

One of the keys will be the play of junior QB Jayden Jones, who showed a lot of promise last year running and throwing the football.

“Jayden has had a very good spring and summer and improved a lot,” said Shelton. “The three 7 on 7 camps against good competition really helped, and he got to work out with the quarterbacks at Mississippi State.”

The Arrow offense, according to Shelton, has more depth at running back and wide receivers than in past years.

Clinton has a stable of good running backs, including two juniors, that were very productive in the backfield in 2025. Last year’s leading rusher was Braylon Lowery, a tough downhill runner that had 719 yards and nine TDs in 2025, and Cayden Albert, a talented back that can line up at running back, quarterback or wide receiver.  Also back in the backfield is senior Boskey Evans, who has breakaway speed once he gets past the line of scrimmage and who had 307 yards last year. Then, if you add in talented sophomore Amarreau Coleman, last year’s ninth-grade QB, who can line up in the backfield or at QB or at wide receiver. With these guys, the Arrows feel they can move the ball down the field and score.

“We are really excited about our running backs, and then you have our QB Jayden Jones that is always a threat running,” said Shelton. “And Amarreau is getting better every day learning the concepts of our offense.”

“We have more depth at wide receiver than any year that I have been at Clinton,” said Shelton.

The Arrows indeed have an arsenal of wide receivers.  Senior Jayden Johnson was Clinton’s best receiver last year and is back, after spending a lot of the season injured, and will start at outside wide receiver. Also on the outside receiver slot may be the Arrows’ most talented transfer in a long time, sophomore Matthew Fletcher.  The Central Hinds transfer has been impressive at outside wide receiver in summer work outs. Senior Jamari Smith also returns at outside receiver.

At inside receiver, junior Dayson Scott returns and had a productive year last year, but missed some time with injury.  Senior John Jackson is back on the inside and also will field punts. A big surprise in the offseason is talented ninth-grader Ayden Johnson, who will also line up at inside receiver.

Shelton also feels good about the players returning on the offensive line.

Indeed, a lot of talent returns on the offensive line.  The leaders are senior right tackle Graham Williams and senior left guard Tyboris Loftin.  Junior Karlton Jackson is expected to start at left tackle. At center, junior Caden Johnson is expected to start and will be backed up by sophomore Patrick Smith.  De’Reon Simmons, a senior, is expected to get the start at right guard.  At tight end, senior Jeron Benson returns, and Arrow basketball player senior Zion Chambers is in the mix and has looked good.

“We are bigger across the line,” said Shelton.” And our team speed is better.”

“This can be a very special year for us, if we can eliminate the turnovers and score touchdowns when we do get in the Red Zone,” said Shelton.

“We just feel a lot more confident on offense, with most of us starting our second year in the system,” said senior wide receiver John Jackson. “Our quarterback, Jayden Johnson, has improved a lot this summer and seems to be playing with a lot more confidence right now. A lot of us seniors have played together since the eighth grade and feel this can be our year.”

Taboris Lofton agreed.

“We are a whole lot better this year.  We would like to come out and establish the run game early in the game and set the tone early this year.  We are not on anybody’s radar this year, and that is the way we like it.  We had early success last year and did not handle it well. We have a whole lot more confidence going into this season.”