STARKVILLE — Connor Reinike and Jakoby Jones didn’t know what to expect when they joined the Starkville High School football team last season.
Reinike had transferred from Starkville Academy and Jones was getting used to life away from East Oktibbeha County High School. Jones became a Yellow Jacket after the Oktibbeha County School District and Starkville School District consolidated in the fall of 2015.
The offensive lineman had lockers next to each other and immediately became friends.
“Nobody could really understand him at first, except for me. I just kind of helped introduce him to people,” Reinike said.
The two let fellow offensive lineman Joey Claybrook, who is committed to Tulane, into the fold and they became fast friends. Reinike and Claybrook played travel baseball together for several years, so they already were friends. Those friendships have helped the offensive line jell as a unit and have propelled the Yellow Jackets to a 4-1 start. Starkville will try to improve to 2-0 in Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 6A, Region 2 play at 7 p.m. Friday when it takes on Northwest Rankin (4-2, 0-1).
Jones said his friendship with Reinike blossomed last summer. Reinike was injured on the first play of the spring game and Jones didn’t get a chance to get a feel for Reinike’s game as an offensive lineman.
But Jones decided to take care of that before the 2015 season.
“Towards the summer when we started battling with each other, we started having some communication and we became friends,” Jones said.
Reinike said it’s not unusual for the three to play video games, shoot their bows, or golf or fish away from the football field. Jones said they go out to eat a lot and try to hang out as much as they can.
Reinike said they have taken the juniors Lamarcus Logan and Kameron Jones into their group and become friends with them, too.
“We jell really good,” Reinike said. “The three seniors, we hang out a lot outside of practice, so that helps a lot. The two juniors, we were really good friends last year, so I think just outside of practice and being friends in the locker room helps out a lot.”
Starkville football coach Ricky Woods, who led Starkville to the Class 6A State championship last season, called the dynamic between the offensive lineman a “special relationship.” He sees it every day in practice.
Woods gets along with his coaches and he expects his players to do the same. But when they are friends, have common interests, and can find a way to intersect their lives away from football, it helps with team chemistry and leads to wins.
“If your team likes each other, you’re always going to play better together,” Woods said. “That’s a positive factor and it just boils down to that unit. They are real close friends, all of them.”
Starkville was a pass-oriented offense last season with quarterback Montario Montgomery and wide receiver A.J. Brown, who is now at Ole Miss, leading the way. The Yellow Jackets ran the ball when they needed to.
This season, Woods is running the ball more. He has some good young running backs and his offensive line has done a good job paving the way.
“They’re the strength of our offense,” Woods said of the offensive line. “Those guys are grading anywhere from 70-100 every week and 70’s passing, so as unit they’ve been passing every week. We didn’t do that last year.”
Reinike and Jones said the offense has played well, but they could play better. Jones said they need to work on fixing mistakes like jumping offsides, not taking the right step, and not blocking the right man. Jones said those things can be corrected with more focus in practice.
Reinike called the start “rough,” but he said it was the same way last year started. The offensive line looked good in a 30-6 victory against Callaway on Friday night. The Yellow Jackets rushed for 290 yards.
“Me and Joey went crazy after we found out we rushed for 290 last game. Hopefully we can go for more next game,” Reinike said.
Woods said the offensive line has enjoyed this year’s offense because of the focus on the running game. The Yellow Jackets have rushed for 914 yards. Woods praised offensive line coach Lee Grisham and said he sets the standard for that group.
The friendships that have developed on the offensive line have helped the offense as a whole. Reinike likes what he has seen and hopes their good play continues.
“I think we’re jelling really well together,” Reinike said. “Hopefully it will get better throughout the year.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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