Phantom Stang
08-12-2009, 12:49 PM
New era begins at Sweetwater
Written by Ron Howell
Monday, 10 August 2009
Slaughter has high hopes for Mustangs When it comes to re-building high school foot-ball programs, few coaches can match Craig Slaughter’s record of success.
At his previous jobs in Hearne and Clyde, what he did bordered on magical. Hearne, which won a total of 24 games in the 11 years prior to Slaughter’s arrival, matched that total in just four seasons (2002-05) un-der Slaughter, including the school’s first playoff win in 44 years his last season.
At Clyde, Slaughter had a 23-12 record the past three years after the Bulldogs got just 27 wins the previous nine. Clyde was 3-for-3 in making the playoffs and reached the third round in 2008, when it was 11-2 and won its first outright district championship in 53 years.
Slaughter, who was hired to replace Kent Jackson as Sweetwater’s head coach in February, now faces a different challenge: keeping a tradition-rich football program at or near the top. In the past quarter-century, Sweetwater has missed the playoffs just three times in-cluding last year’s unit that surprised many outside ob-servers by going 10-3 and advancing to the Division II regional semifinals.
But at first glance, it ap-pears Slaughter just might have another rebuilding job on his hands.
The Mustangs lost most of their skill players and return just two offensive starters. The picture is a little brighter on the defensive side, with six players back.
For the second straight year, Sweetwater is picked by Texas Football magazine to finish fifth among the six teams in District 2-3A, ahead of only Breckenridge and behind Wylie, Graham, Brownwood and Snyder. But Slaughter has defied the oddsmakers his entire coaching career. He noted that six of his previous sev-en teams finished higher than Texas Football pre-dicted them to.
“It’s motivation for us,” he said. “When I say our goal is to win district, I know it’s a big challenge. But I think we’re pretty talented. I know what we can do. In the coaching world, we are definitely not under the radar.
“It just depends on how many good plays we make.”
Center Cole Rhoades and tackle Jarvis McCann are the two returning offensive starters and Rhoades (200) started at guard this past season. McCann (255) and Brady Holcomb (190) will likely be the team’s starting tackles with Max Zetzman (180), Rance Stone (165) and Jordan Houston (260) all competing for the two guard spots. Clint Jay (175) will be at tight end, along with Connor Stafford (185) and Larry Daniel (175). The wide receiver candidates — Sweetwater will be throwing more this year — include Ken Norman (185), Kris Mayes (160), Jake Lawrence (160), Jason Vause (160) and Bo Bugarin (170).
The team’s running backs will be B.J. Walker (210) and A.J. McCoy (160), with Sam Nemir (165) and Eric Medina (155) at fullback. McCoy earned second team all-district honors after rushing for 304 yards on just 47 carries and scoring four touchdowns in 2008, while Rhoades was named to the first team as a line-man. Walker, McCann and Norman (at running back) earned honorable mention.
Three players — Mayes, Lawrence and Vause — are competing to be the starting quarterback. “They all do things that make them special,” said Slaughter, who plans to air it out more while still favoring the run.
Norman, named the dis-trict’s preseason defensive MVP by Texas Football, is the starting free safety and Mayes, Lawrence, Vause, McCoy, Zach Wetsel (150) and Cameron Fox (150) will also play in the secondary. Bugarin, Walker and Zetzman will be at outside linebacker with Nemir in the middle of the 4-3 setup.
The two tackle spots will be manned by Rhoades, McCann and Houston with Holcomb, Daniel, Jay and Cody Hazard (170) at end. Rhoades, Walker and Jay started on the defensive line last year and Walker received first team all-district honors, while Jay earned honorable mention.
Bugarin was a first team all-district linebacker and Norman was a first-team all-district defensive back and McCoy made the sec-ond team, while Vause re-ceived honorable mention.Also, Wetsel made the second team as a utility player. Holcomb returns as the starting deep snapper on kicks, where he won first team all-district honors in ‘08. Rhoades is expected to handle placekicking duties this year, while Vause will be the team’s punter. Vause, McCoy and Norman will also return kicks this year.
“I love the makeup of the team,” Slaughter said. “The kids are all on the same page and are coming together. It was a little different at first when I came, but the great thing is that the adjustment (to his system) happened in February and March. It’s amazing how quickly that takes care of itself.”
“This is a high profile job, but believe me, a coach’s worst critic is himself. I had the same high expectations when I took the job at Clyde, and this feels very similar.
“I’d like to win the district and then win as many gold balls as you can.”
www.sweetwaterreporter.com/content/view/161373/122/
Written by Ron Howell
Monday, 10 August 2009
Slaughter has high hopes for Mustangs When it comes to re-building high school foot-ball programs, few coaches can match Craig Slaughter’s record of success.
At his previous jobs in Hearne and Clyde, what he did bordered on magical. Hearne, which won a total of 24 games in the 11 years prior to Slaughter’s arrival, matched that total in just four seasons (2002-05) un-der Slaughter, including the school’s first playoff win in 44 years his last season.
At Clyde, Slaughter had a 23-12 record the past three years after the Bulldogs got just 27 wins the previous nine. Clyde was 3-for-3 in making the playoffs and reached the third round in 2008, when it was 11-2 and won its first outright district championship in 53 years.
Slaughter, who was hired to replace Kent Jackson as Sweetwater’s head coach in February, now faces a different challenge: keeping a tradition-rich football program at or near the top. In the past quarter-century, Sweetwater has missed the playoffs just three times in-cluding last year’s unit that surprised many outside ob-servers by going 10-3 and advancing to the Division II regional semifinals.
But at first glance, it ap-pears Slaughter just might have another rebuilding job on his hands.
The Mustangs lost most of their skill players and return just two offensive starters. The picture is a little brighter on the defensive side, with six players back.
For the second straight year, Sweetwater is picked by Texas Football magazine to finish fifth among the six teams in District 2-3A, ahead of only Breckenridge and behind Wylie, Graham, Brownwood and Snyder. But Slaughter has defied the oddsmakers his entire coaching career. He noted that six of his previous sev-en teams finished higher than Texas Football pre-dicted them to.
“It’s motivation for us,” he said. “When I say our goal is to win district, I know it’s a big challenge. But I think we’re pretty talented. I know what we can do. In the coaching world, we are definitely not under the radar.
“It just depends on how many good plays we make.”
Center Cole Rhoades and tackle Jarvis McCann are the two returning offensive starters and Rhoades (200) started at guard this past season. McCann (255) and Brady Holcomb (190) will likely be the team’s starting tackles with Max Zetzman (180), Rance Stone (165) and Jordan Houston (260) all competing for the two guard spots. Clint Jay (175) will be at tight end, along with Connor Stafford (185) and Larry Daniel (175). The wide receiver candidates — Sweetwater will be throwing more this year — include Ken Norman (185), Kris Mayes (160), Jake Lawrence (160), Jason Vause (160) and Bo Bugarin (170).
The team’s running backs will be B.J. Walker (210) and A.J. McCoy (160), with Sam Nemir (165) and Eric Medina (155) at fullback. McCoy earned second team all-district honors after rushing for 304 yards on just 47 carries and scoring four touchdowns in 2008, while Rhoades was named to the first team as a line-man. Walker, McCann and Norman (at running back) earned honorable mention.
Three players — Mayes, Lawrence and Vause — are competing to be the starting quarterback. “They all do things that make them special,” said Slaughter, who plans to air it out more while still favoring the run.
Norman, named the dis-trict’s preseason defensive MVP by Texas Football, is the starting free safety and Mayes, Lawrence, Vause, McCoy, Zach Wetsel (150) and Cameron Fox (150) will also play in the secondary. Bugarin, Walker and Zetzman will be at outside linebacker with Nemir in the middle of the 4-3 setup.
The two tackle spots will be manned by Rhoades, McCann and Houston with Holcomb, Daniel, Jay and Cody Hazard (170) at end. Rhoades, Walker and Jay started on the defensive line last year and Walker received first team all-district honors, while Jay earned honorable mention.
Bugarin was a first team all-district linebacker and Norman was a first-team all-district defensive back and McCoy made the sec-ond team, while Vause re-ceived honorable mention.Also, Wetsel made the second team as a utility player. Holcomb returns as the starting deep snapper on kicks, where he won first team all-district honors in ‘08. Rhoades is expected to handle placekicking duties this year, while Vause will be the team’s punter. Vause, McCoy and Norman will also return kicks this year.
“I love the makeup of the team,” Slaughter said. “The kids are all on the same page and are coming together. It was a little different at first when I came, but the great thing is that the adjustment (to his system) happened in February and March. It’s amazing how quickly that takes care of itself.”
“This is a high profile job, but believe me, a coach’s worst critic is himself. I had the same high expectations when I took the job at Clyde, and this feels very similar.
“I’d like to win the district and then win as many gold balls as you can.”
www.sweetwaterreporter.com/content/view/161373/122/