he Morrilton High School football team will wrap up its spring practice schedule next week. Coach Cody McNabb says he's been encouraged by what he's seen from his team in the early scrimmages. The Devil Dogs are replacing several starters on both sides of the ball, but a number of veteran players appear ready to take over larger roles this fall. Offensively, the coach expects receiver Tory Criswell to have a big senior year after missing most of last season with a broken collarbone. McNabb also likes what's he's seen from an offensive line that will be led by senior returning starters Joseph Canady and Garnett Russell. At the quarterback position, finding an adequate replacement for a two-year starter and Division II college signee usually isn't easy to do, but Coach McNabb feels like he has two players -junior Dylan White and sophomore Jacolby Criswell - who can jump right in and get the job done. Defensively, the coach expects Isaiah Williams and Jackson Joyner to expand their roles on the line with Blake Poteete to likely get more reps at one of the linebacker spots. The lone returning starter at linebacker, senior Brandon Russell, has been working in the secondary this spring, and McNabb says a number of players who saw limited action last year will be counted on for big contributions this fall if the Devil Dogs are to build on their success from a year ago when the team won nine consecutive games on the field in between a season-opening loss to eventual Class 6A state champion Russellville and a season-ending loss to 5A state finalist Wynne in the first round of the playoffs. The Devil Dogs will finish their spring practice schedule with the annual Maroon/Gray spring game on Thursday, May 25th, at 6:00 p.m. at Devil Dog Stadium.