Odis
08-25-2006, 09:02 AM
Found this on the WF newspaper site:
Wichita Falls High School Preview 2006
By Nick Gholson/Times Record News
August 17, 2006
As an assistant coach at Southlake Carroll, Travis Pride has been surrounded by a lot of talent the last three years -- 47-1 and two state championships worth of it.
But he likes the hand he has been dealt at Wichita Falls High.
"As far as quarterback, receivers and some of the defensive linemen, this is equal to or slightly better than what I was dealt down there," he said.
"The difference is those kids knew the system and didn’t make mistakes. They didn’t ever beat themselves. That’s what I am trying to instill in these kids here."
Pride saw a lot of unforced errors when he looked at game films of last year’s Coyotes.
He thinks that team should have been better than a 6-4 non-qualifier for the playoffs.
The Coyotes showed that in their final regular season game when they whipped up on Rider, 41-7.
"We had a team meeting and talked about how we need to start that way and not just finish that way like last year. I know Rider is a big game in this town, but we need to focus on one game at a time. We need to take the confidence, chemistry and unity that we took from that Rider game last year and put in the bus with us and take it to Sweetwater," Pride said.
The Coyotes return four offensive and seven defensive starters from last year.
The key offensive starter is senior quarterback Taylor Huskisson, who is having to make a big switch from the familiar option and power game to Pride’s wide-open spread offense.
"He’s a perfect fit for this offense," Pride said. "He has a great arm and the knowledge to read defenses. And obviously he’s a run threat. He’s a smart kid. This is an easy transition for him."
Huskisson ran for 711 yards and 11 touchdowns and threw for 693 yards and nine touchdowns last year to win offensive player of the year honors in District 5-4A.
Not familiar with most of the personnel when he took over, Pride ran his players through a wide receiver drill to find out what he had. His offense uses four, and sometimes five, wide receivers every play.
The guy who rose to the top of the charts was Isaiah Anderson, a junior who saw limited duty at running back last year.
"Isaiah had an exceptional ability to catch the ball, and he is built for speed," Pride said. "I didn’t feel he was durable enough to be the running back in our offense, but he can be our deep threat."
Senior Quinn Wilson, more of a possession receiver, will line up on the other side.
The two inside receivers will be seniors Michael Beach and Ed Spillman.
Eric Young will be the fifth receiver.
The running back will be senior Ontario Shaw, who had just two carries for 12 yards last season.
Guard Fernando Delagarza and center Trey Gonzalez look like key contributors in the offensive line.
A strength for the Coyotes is their "solid" defensive line, which features James Johnson at one end, Zach Cluley or James Pike at the other end and junior Andrew Johnson -- "a flat stud" -- at defensive tackle.
Pride said his linebackers are "young and coming," the best at this time being junior Daniel Cortez.
The secondary looks good with Dillon Tucker and Matt McCarthy at safety, Steven Williams and Ja’Qua Charleston at the corners and Jeremy Avera (also the backup quarterback) in the mix.
Wichita Falls High School Preview 2006
By Nick Gholson/Times Record News
August 17, 2006
As an assistant coach at Southlake Carroll, Travis Pride has been surrounded by a lot of talent the last three years -- 47-1 and two state championships worth of it.
But he likes the hand he has been dealt at Wichita Falls High.
"As far as quarterback, receivers and some of the defensive linemen, this is equal to or slightly better than what I was dealt down there," he said.
"The difference is those kids knew the system and didn’t make mistakes. They didn’t ever beat themselves. That’s what I am trying to instill in these kids here."
Pride saw a lot of unforced errors when he looked at game films of last year’s Coyotes.
He thinks that team should have been better than a 6-4 non-qualifier for the playoffs.
The Coyotes showed that in their final regular season game when they whipped up on Rider, 41-7.
"We had a team meeting and talked about how we need to start that way and not just finish that way like last year. I know Rider is a big game in this town, but we need to focus on one game at a time. We need to take the confidence, chemistry and unity that we took from that Rider game last year and put in the bus with us and take it to Sweetwater," Pride said.
The Coyotes return four offensive and seven defensive starters from last year.
The key offensive starter is senior quarterback Taylor Huskisson, who is having to make a big switch from the familiar option and power game to Pride’s wide-open spread offense.
"He’s a perfect fit for this offense," Pride said. "He has a great arm and the knowledge to read defenses. And obviously he’s a run threat. He’s a smart kid. This is an easy transition for him."
Huskisson ran for 711 yards and 11 touchdowns and threw for 693 yards and nine touchdowns last year to win offensive player of the year honors in District 5-4A.
Not familiar with most of the personnel when he took over, Pride ran his players through a wide receiver drill to find out what he had. His offense uses four, and sometimes five, wide receivers every play.
The guy who rose to the top of the charts was Isaiah Anderson, a junior who saw limited duty at running back last year.
"Isaiah had an exceptional ability to catch the ball, and he is built for speed," Pride said. "I didn’t feel he was durable enough to be the running back in our offense, but he can be our deep threat."
Senior Quinn Wilson, more of a possession receiver, will line up on the other side.
The two inside receivers will be seniors Michael Beach and Ed Spillman.
Eric Young will be the fifth receiver.
The running back will be senior Ontario Shaw, who had just two carries for 12 yards last season.
Guard Fernando Delagarza and center Trey Gonzalez look like key contributors in the offensive line.
A strength for the Coyotes is their "solid" defensive line, which features James Johnson at one end, Zach Cluley or James Pike at the other end and junior Andrew Johnson -- "a flat stud" -- at defensive tackle.
Pride said his linebackers are "young and coming," the best at this time being junior Daniel Cortez.
The secondary looks good with Dillon Tucker and Matt McCarthy at safety, Steven Williams and Ja’Qua Charleston at the corners and Jeremy Avera (also the backup quarterback) in the mix.