Line newcomers could provide big boost for McLoud
June 22, 2008
SHAWNEE, Okla. — After watching his youthful offensive line perform at a recent University of Central Oklahoma football team camp, McLoud head coach Eric Cardin discovered three new reasons to be excited.
“I thought we did pretty well at the camp,” Cardin said. “We have three new offensive line starters and they held their own. As a team, we held our own.”
Slated to receive their first fulltime starts along the offensive front are seniors Sampson Morgan and Eric Orr. Joining them as a newcomer starter will be junior James Johnson.
That threesome will hopefully add to the talent pool of returning offensive line starters Chaz Mattocks and Connor Akin.
Mattocks, a senior, has grown into an imposing 6-foot-4, 290-pounder and Cardin says college coaches have taken notice.
“UCO is already interested in him,” Cardin said. “Chaz is just one of those late bloomers who really started coming on last year.”
If the offensive line prospers and stays healthy, McLoud should be in good shape because it has some excellent skill-position players, notably tailback Cody Phipps.
Phipps, after rushing for more than 1,700 yards as a sophomore, was highly touted entering last year’s junior campaign. But a high ankle sprain relegated him to only about five games.
That injury really showed in the production department as he was limited to about 600 yards on the ground in 2007.
Cardin will also have the returning services of senior quarterback Wayland Moore. “He is really a young senior at just 16,” Cardin said.
McLoud will compete in a July 7-on-7 passing league at Jones. Star Spencer will also be involved in the competition.
The Redskins will launch their 2008 campaign Sept. 5 at Harrah. The Redskins’ other two non-district opponents will be Class 3A squads Perkins (Sept. 12) and Blanchard (Sept. 19). The Redskins picked up Blanchard after Seminole moved to Class 4A and was assigned to the same district as McLoud.
The above article was originally posted here.
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