While a multitude of position battles dot Marion's 2024 football roster as the Patriots exit fall camp, two spots have captured more attention across town than the others. As luck would have it, they are two of the most important positions in football. Following the graduation of all-state quarterback Ashton Gray, and starting linebackers Dewayne Williams, Javen Griffin, and Victor Turner in May, the natural question has always been who's the next man up at each spot. “Look, I get it, those guys were all great players, and we will certainly miss them a lot,” said fourth-year Marion head football coach Lance Clark. “The good thing is that we feel we are at a point in our program where we can replace guys, even those who have special talents and traits.” Over the past few decades, the quarterback has emerged as the most important position in team sports, and that's no different in Marion, where junior signal-caller Zayden Walker has emerged as the heir apparent to all-state performer Gray, who signed in February with North Texas, and “has been super impressive all fall camp,” said Clark. “He's making good pre-snap reads, making good decisions. He's putting us in good positions. He's a good touch thrower of the football.” Walker shifted to quarterback in eighth grade when he played about half the snaps in junior high before he piloted the 4-4-1 freshman team in 2022. In 2023, he led the junior varsity team to a 4-1-1 mark, while also appearing in six varsity games, completing 10 of 18 passes for 80 yards and a touchdown. The junior elevated his play in the last two weeks of fall camp, completing almost 70 percent of his passes with nine touchdowns and zero interceptions. While Walker eases into the fall as one of the offense's few newcomers, Marion's 2024 linebacking corps offers more familiar faces and more than enough ability. Seniors Jaron Davis, Emmanuel Key, and Carter Moore join juniors Chris Byrd, Zimran Phelix, and Zaedon Wilson all delivered big plays and energy at linebacker through the summer and into fall camp, and their collective emergence gives Clark's defense options. “Those guys are all great kids, great families, love football, they're the type of kid you need in your program,” said Clark. “They can all lead this defense and make plays.” Key, Moore, and Davis appeared in most of the varsity games in 2023, making 16, 14, and 10 tackles respectively. Byrd and Phelix finished near the top of the junior varsity tackle chart a season ago while earning reps for the varsity, while Wilson moved into the district in the winter. In Marion's 3-3 alignment, the Pats will likely deploy three linebackers on most of their defensive reps, so “having six guys there is crucial,” said Clark. “We like all of them, so it could come down to the matchup, and who's playing well at the time.” Marion gets its first chance to see its new faces in action at 7 p.m., Friday night when the Patriots play their annual benefit scrimmage at Class 5A power Valley View at Blazer Stadium in Jonesboro. The scrimmage contest will feature each team's projected starters and guys likely to see many reps in the first half. Starters will also play one offensive and one defensive possession to start the second half, followed by platoons of players likely to see extended action, and the fourth quarter features younger players to cap the contest. Each team's kicking game will be dead, meaning no rush on punts or extra points, and players will not return kicks or punts. The Valley View contest will be broadcast on MarionPatriots.com and on the Marion Patriots Activities Network (MPAN) YouTube channel and on the MPAN mobile app. The Valley View Blazers have averaged more than eight wins per season over the past five years playing under former Arkansas State player Sean Cockrell, who's fashioned a 64-44 record at the school. The Blazers have captured three 5A East titles over the past five years, including the last two seasons in succession. “This will be a great test for us against a program that's won a bunch of games,” said Clark. “This is a high-executing team, doesn't make a bunch of mistakes, and remains talented.” Indeed, Valley View expects to return 10 starters according to the 2024 edition of Hooten's Arkansas Football, and the Blazers boast eight varsity players with 4.6 speed or better. The Blazers earned a No. 6 preseason ranking in this year's Hooten's Arkansas Football, and 5A East coaches picked Valley View to finish second in that league this fall. 2024 MARION FOOTBALL SCHEDULE Aug. 30 at Wynne Sept. 6 vs. Harding Academy Sept. 13 at Conway Sept. 27 Sylvan Hills (homecoming) Oct. 4 at El Dorado Oct. 11 vs. W. Memphis Oct. 18 at Jonesboro Oct. 25 vs. Sheridan Nov. 1 at LR Catholic Nov. 8 at Benton All kickoffs are scheduled for 7 p.m. Watch every Marion football game for free at MarionPatriots.com, the MPAN YouTube channel, or the MPAN mobile app. RANKINGS RUNDOWN Marion opens the 2024 season ranked No. 5 in Class 6A by Hooten's Arkansas Football. League coaches picked the Pats second in the eight-team 6A East this fall, just behind favored Benton. FRESH FACES This is the first time that Marion will meet Valley View on the football field, despite every other varsity sport at Marion sharing a conference with Valley View. SEASONED OFFENSE Marion returns seven starters on offense, with several other players back who have played a substantial amount of snaps. The Pats return more than 95 percent of the receptions from a season ago this fall as seniors Mitrell Lewis, Cam Garrett, Christian Young, and junior Jeremy Dent, and senior tailback Jalen Smith are back in the fold. Smith is Marion's leading returning rusher this fall after bolting a season ago for 1,582 yards and 17 touchdowns. Left tackle Carius Curne, who's a Louisiana State commit, and center Charlie Cantrell anchor the offensive line as three-year starters.