POTW: Fouke’s Joshua Scoggins

TEXARKANA, TX (KTAL/KMSS) – Joshua Scoggins has been a do-all player for the Fouke Panthers since he started playing varsity. In his senior year, he has put up over 20 touchdowns, including four in last week’s 60-12 win over Parker’s Chapel.

“He’s a kid that shows up every day. He’s gonna do exactly what you tell him. He’s played running back, he’s played receiver, he’s played defense,” head coach Jerry Littleton.

Scoggins has gained a reputation as one of the top threats in Southwest Arkansas.

“It’s been fun. We’ve had a lot of good games, but I couldn’t do without my o-line. They’re always busting their butt in practice like you see, and been doing pretty good and trying to get as much stats as I can get,” Scoggins.

While Scoggins has shined for the Panthers, it is a team sport. His production may not be the cause of every Fouke touchdown, but he still makes an impact when it isn’t.

“He’s been our go to guy for sure in big moments and it’s obviously opened up our receivers, Garyson McAdams, Bryce Graves, Camden Crabtree, they’ve had big years for us too because people are focusing on Josh a lot and our quarterback’s able to get them the ball as well,” Littleton said.

Scoggins has been working toward a big role since he was a kid.

“Coming up in the 10th grade, you’re always worried how them 10th graders are gonna handle that, and the first game right out here against Dierks, it was late in the 3rd quarter, it was like a six-point ballgame,” Littleton said. “He ran a wheel route out of the backfield, made about three guys miss, and put us up 14 with about eight minutes to go. At that moment, I was like, all right, Josh, he’s gonna be just fine in senior high.”

Those flashes of greatness and tenth grade built up excitement for his junior year, but that excitement was put on pause for the first half of the season after Scoggins broke his collarbone in the first game of his 11th grade season.

“A little bit of a process, not near as long as I expected, but had surgery and was out for like four or five games,” Scoggins said. “I came back as soon as I could come back and played and help my team out a little bit right when he came back from.”

“Our starting running back got hurt and he stepped up in some big games and we didn’t miss a beat and, we won a couple of games without our starting running back at the time last year. So he’s just been an awesome kid for us,” Littleton said.

That experience last year helped Scoggins become what he is to the Fouke offense today.

“It’s just different going in there and getting a couple of carriers and coming back out, but I mean this year he’s took probably 98% of the running back snaps when he’s healthy, there’s, no subbing him out for sure this year,” Littleton said.

Scoggins and Fouke have one regular season left on Thursday, hosting Smackover, with playoff hopes hanging in the balance.