RUSSELLVILLE – The season has gone about the way Mikie Benton expected it to, which is saying something for the usual expectations at Russellville.

It’s been a year of transition for the Panthers: a new coach and new offense contradictory to Russellville tradition and not a lot of upperclassmen to pull it off.

Yet through all of that, Russellville is sitting in its usual spot in the postseason. But the task ahead is its most challenging of any Class A school on the schedule so far with Campbellsville (9-1) awaiting in the second round Friday.

Russellville (5-6) mustered four wins in the regular season, its fewest since John Myers won four games in his first year coaching in 2004. But everything turned out fine for Myers after 14 years and 118 wins.

Benton was a part of that run and now has his own challenges as the first-year coach of his alma mater. But Benton knew that going into the year. He knew this season would be unlike any other in recent years for Russellville.

“I’ve told people this is probably a Russellville team they aren’t used to seeing,” Benton said. “On top of me going to a spread offense, but usually Russellville is known for having those guys with blazing speed and this is the first time we don’t have that one kid who you know when he gets in an open field that he’s gone. I told people that it’s a situation that goes with youth.”

Jacob Naylor has led Russellville all year as the quarterback and one of nine seniors. The Panthers have just four juniors and the roster beyond that is filled with underclassmen adjusting to life promoted to Friday nights instead of junior varsity and midweek middle school games.

Two of those sophomores, defensive backs Xavier Coleman and Chevis Elliott, earned second-team All-Sky Conference honors.

“Really just trying to lead the young guys for the future,” Naylor said. “We can obviously make a run in the playoffs and that’s still in our mind, but leading these guys the next few years – I know it hasn’t been the greatest season, but I’ve had fun out here.”

Benton’s flipping of the offense from a wing-t to the spread has taken weeks to settle in, but he likes where it stands now. Russellville started 2-5 with its pair of wins against a one-win Fort Campbell team and winless Butler County.

Two wins against Fulton County and Fulton City were enough to give the Panthers one playoff game at Rhea Stadium, where the offense turned its best performance into a 35-14 win over Fort Knox.

Naylor completed seven passes for three touchdowns on just 84 yards, but also added 130 yards on the ground.

Naylor has attempted 199 passes this year after throwing 122 passes the year before in 12 games. For even more perspective of change, Jaylyn McMurry in 2016 threw just 63 passes in 14 games.

“We’re finally to a point where it’s working,” Benton said. “Granted, I knew it was going to be rough. You go from these guys and seniors who have been wing-t since freshmen and even some of these guys in middle school to now get them talking about zone blocking and how to read zones, it takes a while.”

Part of getting the offense to work as planned was reminding Naylor to use his legs instead of focusing so much on the pass. It took until Week 6 against Murray for Naylor to rush for more than 100 yards as the quarterback – which he’s only done two more times since.

He now leads the team with 608 rushing yards on top of the 1,214 passing yards, but Benton wants his QB to use every advantage for the spread to truly work.

“Finally starting to get a little more comfortable back there,” Naylor said. “First games were just miscommunication with the line or receivers. Finally starting to get on the same page and putting some points on the board. Finally starting to catch some passes and getting that going, so running the ball opens that up. They’re so worried about receivers and it opens up lanes for me to get 10-20 yards off every run.

“Even last year running wing-t, it helps with fakes and stuff with the footwork we used for that. It’s gotten easier throughout the year.”

Nothing will come easy against a Campbellsville team that’s won eight straight and averages 40.3 points per game. The Eagles earned a first-round bye and will host Russellville again after ending the Panthers’ season in the second round last year.

Malachi Corley leads Campbellsville with 871 rushing yards and Arren Hash has 28 passing touchdowns.

“I have guys that have stepped up,” Benton said. “Rough start, no doubt about it, but the growth that’s been coming along this season, they’ve definitely stepped up. A lot of youth but at the same time a lot of seniors to bring these guys along, so it clicks for us.”{&end}