What a day
I began the day Monday surrounded by hundreds of coaches and administrators in the large multipurpose room at the Birdville ISD Fine Arts and Athletic Complex. It was hot, packed room, and everyone was waiting for the UIL to realease its realignment plan for the next two seasons.
There were three different screens projected high on the wall -- one for Class 5A, another for Class 4A and another for Class 3A. It was sort of like being on the floor at Wall Street. And once the alignments were shown on the screens at 9 a.m., well, more like 9:05 a.m., the rush began for coaches to find nondistrict games. And that's going to be tough for some teams, since a few of the Metroplex district are nine-team districts.
I know Cooper fans are excited to be back in the Little Southwest Conference. It was a little strange when I first came to Abilene two seasons ago, Cooper's first in Class 4A. Just about every Cooper fan I talked to seem disappointed in the breakup of the Little Southwest Conference and the drop to 4A. I've never known anyone to be upset with dropping down. My high school, Dickinson, dropped down from 4A to 3A, and two years after going winless in a 4A district, the Gators won a state football title, beating Brownwood. Texas City dropped from 5A to 4A back in the 90s and won two state football titles. La Marque also dropped from 5A to 4A and became one of the best football traditions in the state of Texas. In time in 4A, Cooper would have had a good chance of winning a state title, though 4A is just as tough as 5A. And who knows? The Coogs might be able to win a title in 5A. The right talent has to come along, and it always takes a little luck. But it should be fun playing in a district with the Midlands, Midland Lees, Odessas and Odessa Permians.
Overheard at realignment on Monday: "I don't know where they are. Google them,"
Turns out, that coach was talking about a team in his new district. He didn't know where the school was. Amazing.
My day got even stranger. I was going to stop for lunch at the Spaghetti Warehouse in the Stockyards in Fort Worth, at the old Armour Building, and found out it's not there anymore. Oh, the building is still there, but it's an energy company or something. Anyway, driving through the Stockyards, I saw a cowdog pulling a large longhorn across the street on a leash. Just moments later, driving through downtown Fort Worth, I saw a dog with a cat on its back crossing the street in front of Cabo Grande. And the cat had a white rat on its back.
I figure that's all a sign, a portent if you will. I just don't know what it all means. A dog pulling a cow. A rat on a cat on a dog. The Little Southwest Conference is back, and some coach out there is trying to figure where one his district opponents is located. That's some weird stuff.
Hoopin' it up in District 4-4A
The Cooper boys basketball pulled out a big 55-51 win Friday night over Plainview. It dropped Plainview, the favorite in District 4-4A, to 0-2 in district gives Cooper a 2-1 record in district going into Tuesday's big game at San Angelo Lake View.
Lake View will be a big test, too. The Chiefs beat Frenship 50-47 on Friday, dropping the Tigers to 1-2 in district. Lake View is 1-1 in district, and the Chiefs' lone district loss was to Big Spring, which leads the district at 2-0.
Plainview, which is playing without its three best players, will still be tough to beat when Cooper goes there on Feb. 5 -- just three days after Cooper goes to Big Spring.
Big Spring appears to be the team to beat with its fantastic guard tandem of Jerrell Williams and Luke Adams. Adams moved in this season, after earning all-state honors at Lubbock Trinity, a private Class 4A team.
The Cooper girls basketball team seems headed to another third-place finish in District 4-A, unless they can find a way to finally beat Frenship and Plainview. The Lady Coogs have had no trouble with Big Spring and Lake View, going 6-0 combined against those two teams since joining the district last season. But Cooper hasn't been able to beat Plainview and Frenship.
Plainview stunned the Frenship Lady Tigers, ranked No. 14 in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches' Class 4A state poll at the time, 46-45 in Frenship on Jan. 19. Of course, those two teams have been battling it out for supremecy in the district for quite a while. The big question is where does Cooper end up? The Lady Coogs don't want any part of fourth place, which means a first-round date with No. 2 Canyon. But the second-place team from District 3 will be tough too. So they've got to get ready for that first round of the playoffs, and the best way to do that is putting up a bigger fight with the Frenship's and Plainview's. They'll get that chance in their last two district games -- Feb. 5 at Plainview and Feb. 9 at home against Frenship.
Figuring out the playoff race
Despite last week's loss to West Texas A&M, ACU football fans don't need to panic -- not just yet. The Wildcats can probably afford another loss in their last three games and still make the playoffs. But if they win out, it'll make it a lot easier for them and they'd likely be home for the first round of the playoffs.
Central Washington and Northwest Missouri State, currently Nos. 1 and 2 in the region respectively, will probably win the rest of their regular-season games. Central Washington plays Humbolt State this week at home before going on the road to Dixie State and Western Oregon. Northwest Missouri plays Washburn at home this week, before going to Fort Hays State, then returning home to play Central Missouri.
Washburn, ranked No. 16 in the nation and No. 5 in the region, poses the biggest risk to the Bearcats, and Central Missouri is No. 21 in the nation and No. 8 in the region. But if the Bearcats win out, then both Washburn and Central Missouri drop in the region rankings - a boon to the Lone Star Conference teams like Midwestern State (No. 6 in the region), A&M-Kingsville (No. 7), Angelo State (No. 9) and Tarleton State (No. 10). It also takes some pressure off ACU.
Missouri Westen State, No. 12 in the nation and No. 3 in the region, also could win out with games against Missouri Southern State at home this week, before going to Emporia State and returning home to play Nebraska-Omaha. All are unranked.
If Central Washington, Northwest Missouri and Missouri Western win out, then that leaves three playoff spots available. ACU and Washburn might be able to lose one more, especially if Washburn's other loss is to Northwest Missouri. That means either Kingsville, Midwestern State, Angelo State ord Tarleton State must run the table to get in.
Kingsville has home games against Eastern New Mexico and Angelo State with a trip to ACU in between.
Midwestern State has home games against Central Oklahoma and ACU with a road game against Eastern New Mexico in betwee.
Tarleton State has ACU this week, then a road game against Angelo State, before coming home to play West Texas A&M.
Angelo State is on the road against West Texas A&M this week, then home against Tarleton State, before going to Kingsville.
ACU has Tarleton State this week, then Kingsville at home, before finishing on the road against Midwestern State.
Of course, it could get ugly with the LSC South teams beating each other up -- or there could be a shake up at the top of the region while ACU wins out, maybe, just maybe, moving up to a coveted No. 1 or 2 spot in the region.
It should be fun to see how it all plays out.
QB roulette at ACU
We're halfway through the regular season, and the Abilene Christian football team is still trying to figure out who's going to be its full-time quarterback.
The Wildcats used three different quarterbacks last week against Eastern New Mexico. Starter Zach Stewart threw two interceptions, including one that was returned 61 yards for a touchdown. Then Mitchell Gale, who had overtaken Clark Harrell as the team's No. 2 quarterback, had a part in two fumbles near the Wildcat goal line in the first half that led to two Greyound touchdowns. Stewart returned at quarterback in the second half, but threw his second pick -- one returned for a TD.
Both Stewart and Gale made some nice throws in the game, including a 38-yard touchdown pass from Stewart to Edmund Gates. But the miscues really hurt the team, too. Harrell wasn't overwhelming either, but did lead the team to two field goals.
ACU coach Chris Thomsen said he and offensive coordinator/QB coach Ken Collums met with the three quarterbacks earlier in the week.
"We told them, 'We don't need anybody to be Peyton Manning. We need somebody to be consistent,'" Thomsen said. "'We're a good enough team defensively and in the run game and in the kicking game that if we get consistent quarterback play, we have a chance to win every game we're in. That's what we're striving for. We need those guys to be consistent. We don't need them to be spectacular."
Thomsen said some of the blame can be put on the receivers, who must run better routes, and the offensive line, which has had some breakdowns at time. In fact, one of Gale's fumbles came as he was being sacked.
"The protection hasn't been as good as it needs to be at times," Thomsen said. "That causes problems with the quarterback as well."
The Wildcats were lucky to overcome an 11-point deficit in the second half last week against Eastern New Mexico. The defense played a key role in the comeback, setting up for some short-yardage drives for touchdowns.
But Thomsen said the team can't keep putting so much pressure on the defense.
"I knew our offense would be a work in progress," he said. "We're very fortunate to be 5-0. But the offense has got to come on if we're going to continue to win."
The Wildcat offense should be able to work out its problems against winless East Central on Saturday in Ada, Okla., and it must get better with big games against Lone Star Conference South Division teams looming the rest of the way.
Like I need a hole in the head...
Come Saturday, it will be two years since I had brain surgery to remove a 4-centimeter tumor. It was an 18-hour surgery. When tthe ACU-Eastern New Mexico football game kicks at 6 p.m. Saturday, two years ago I would have been 10 hours into the surgery.
The surgery itself wasn't that bad for me. I was out the whole time, but it was pretty much a 24-hour day for my neurosurgeons. It was the rehab that was tough for me. It was pretty much like being born again. I had to learn to walk again, and everything seemed brand-new for me. It was really strange. Six weeks after the surgery, I had to spend another week in the hospital after coming down with bacterial menegitis. Talk about a pretty tough stretch.
Of course, to make matters worse, seven months after the surgery, I was laid off from my job of 14 years. Fortunately, I'm better now, and this job came along a year ago. I actually moved here two days after going through Hurricane Ike. Yeah, that was a pretty eventful 12-month stretch.
But I'm still going, and that's a blessing. When I was first diagnosed with the tumor, a rare but benign acoustic neuroma, I was given about six months to live without surgery. The only casualty was the hearing in my right ear. Hey, I can live with that.
Ford making at impact at Tech
It's rare for true freshmen to get much playing time at the college level, especially at a major college football program. But Cooper graduate Will Ford got extensive playing time in the Texas Tech Red Raiders' 38-13 win over North Dakota in the season opener last week in Lubbock.
Ford, a 6-foot-1, 186-pound safety, is starting in three different packages for the Red Raiders, including both their nickel and dime packages. Ford also plays on punt return.
"It was a very great experience," Ford said after Saturday's opener. "Now that I've got that first game out of the way, I think I'll be able to go through the next game playing without any hesitation and I'll be able to react faster. Nothing's really different. It's just going out and playing football."
Ford had one tackle and broke up a pass. He also almost blocked a punt.
Ford was the District 4-4A defensive player of the year for Cooper last year, and he did admit the game is a little different at the college level.
"Yeah, the game speed's a little bit fast," he said. "But I play at a very high speed. So I fit in really nicely, I think."
Ford was one of three former Abilene ISD athletes playing in the game. Abilene High graduate Taylor Potts is the Red Raiders' starting quarterback, and Lyle Leong, another Abilene High graduate, gets plenty of time as a receiver. Both are juniors.
"It's pretty cool getting to see them on the field," Ford said. "Playing with them on the field is a very great opportunity."
Potts completed 34 of 48 passes for 405 yards and two touchdowns in his debut as a starter. He also threw three interceptions. Leong had four catches for 55 yards.
Another Big Country player -- Stephenville's Cody Davis -- is starting at free safety for the Red Raiders, The redshirt freshman had three solo tackles.
Texas Tech plays Rice at 6 p.m. Saturday in Lubbock.
Henderson, Lee also get playing time
Ford wasn't the only Cooper graduate playing college football as a true freshman last week. Brandon Henderson, a 6-2, 231-pound defensive tackle, got some playing time in Southern Methodist University's 31-23 victory over Stephen F. Austin last week in Dallas. The Mustangs play Alabama-Birmingham at 3 p.m. Saturday in Birmingham.
Demetric Lee, another true freshman from Cooper, had two tackles in Abilene Christian's 58-10 victory over Fort Lewis on Saturday. Lee is a 5-11, 210-pound defensive back. ACU plays Texas A&M-Commerce at 5 p.m. Saturday at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.
What a night for the Wildcats
Wow, the Abilene Christian defense was impressive in the opener Thursday night against Northwest Missouri -- taking down the Bearcats 19-14.
The offense still looks like a work in progress, but I think all three running backs -- Justin Johnson, Reggie Brown and Daryl Richardson -- showed some promise. It might be a while before the Wildcats play a defense as good as the Bearcats.
It's hard to tell who'll emerge as the ACU's starting quarterback. Both Zach Stewart and Clark Harrell both played Thursday night, and neither one stood out. It'll take time for the quarterbacks to get some chemistry with the receivers.
Northwest inexperience on the offensive line really showed. The Bearcats had a lot of costly penalties on offense, and the defense also cost the team with some roughing the passer and unsportsmanlike conduct calls.
Of course, the turnovers ended up being the big story of the night. ACU did a good job in cashing its opportunities in.
It'll be interesting to see how the two teams progress. ACU found out last year that winning that first game doesn't mean that much, but it was a good start for a team with a lot of new faces.
What's in the box for ACU?
ACU football fans should be excited about today's opener against Northwest Missouri State. Not only is it a big game between two top-ranked teams, but it's sort of like Christmas for ACU fans - you really don't know what's in the box. And by that, I mean this team has a lot of new faces on offense. Running backs Justin Johnson, Reggie Brown and Daryl Richardson (Bernard Scott's younger brother) -- all transfers -- have done well at lower levels, but how are they going to perform on a bigger stage in Division II? Even Johnson, who played at Oklahoma last season as a freshman, didn't get that many carries with the Sooners.
The same is true for the receivers. Edmund Gates is the team's only returning starting receiver, and the Wildcats will rely on several tranfers to help him out, including Kendrick Johnson, Dennis Campbell and Chris Fowler. It's going to be interesting to see how the receiving corps mesh with starting quarterback Zach Stewart, who'll be making his third career start.
This team has a lot of individual talent, but it takes chemistry to win. Just look at the Dallas Cowboys the last few years. Getting that chemistry might take time.
But it should be fun watching this offensive unit grow together.
ACU coach remains mum about starter at QB
Abilene Christian football coach Chris Thomsen said on Wednesday that he won't announce a starter at quarterback until early next week. Cooper graduate Zach Stewart has been battling Clark Harrell for the starting job. Thomsen had indicated earlier this month that he might play both Stewart and Harrell in Thursday night's opener against Northwest Missouri State. But he said on Wednesday that he hasn't decided if he'll play both.
The starting quarterback spot has been up for grabs this year with the loss of four-year starter Billy Malone. The other skilled positions on offense also have a lot of openings. Bernard Scott, last season's Division II player of the year and ACU's all-time leading rusher in only two seasons, got most of the carries during his two seasons, and the Wildcats are pretty much starting from scratch at the position. So far, Thomsen said he's been pleased with transfers Justin Johnson (Oklahoma), Reggie Brown (Blinn) and Scott's younger brother, Daryl Richardson (Cisco J.C.).
"They all look good," he said. "I'm pleased with all of them.
The biggest concern might be at receiver. ACU loves to throw the ball, yet Edmund Gates is the only returning starter and the only returnee with any track record at the spot. ACU has brought in several college transfers to compete for spots with a number of freshmen.
"There's some guys who are coming on," Thomsen said. "Kendrick Johnson, the transfer from Kilgore, has looked really good. I think he'll do some nice things. Dennis Campbell, the Rutgers transfer, has done some good things. Some other guys are emerging. Some of the freshmen are doing some good things."
Some interesting names have shown up to compete for berths in the receiving corps. Raymond Radway, who won a national outdoor title in the 400 meters with the ACU track team in 2008, has been turning heads.
"Raymond's showing some things," Thomsen said. "He's got to get his legs back under him. He's a track guy. He's not used to all that pounding, all that stop and start stuff. Once he gets his legs under him, he'll do fine."
Radway played football at McKinney High School.
Also, Merkel graduate Riley Lambert, who'll be a senior on the Wildcat basketball this season, also is trying to make the football team as a receiver.
But the big key for the Wildcats will be getting all the skilled positions on the same page as quickly as possible.
"We said before the year started that the skill set is a work in progress," Thomsen said. "It's got to get better and better each practice, each game. We feel like the people are there. They just haven't played a lot. You can't snap your fingers and get it."
Coogs' Spradlin pleased with team thus far
Cooper coach Mike Spradlin has been pleased with the Coogs' development thus far. He said the offense, which returns quarterback Ryan Heslep and nearly all receivers, has been sharp. That's helped the defense, especially the secondary. T.C. Robinson is the only returning starter in the defensive backfield.
"It's going real well," Spradlin said. "We've got a lot of really good receivers, so our secondary has been challenged every day."
Josh Bowman, receiver Tommy Bowman's little brother, is playing safety. Two former receivers -- Damor Barnes and Clayton Longmire -- also are in the defensive backfield with Lawrence Brownfield and Robinson.
"Seven-on-7 was good for us, particularly in the secondary, because we were inexperienced," Spradlin said. "We wound up going to four tournaments. You look at those guys now. They've got experience against the DeSoto's, Leander's and Lake Travis'. Now they've been under the gun. It's made them better. I really like where we are defensively right now. We're flying around. We're a fast team. We're not just a fast offense or fast defense. We're a fast team. We thought we were fast a year ago. I don't think that's fallen off. We look in the secondary, I think we're faster."
Cooper scrimmages Odessa High at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Shotwell Stadium, before opening the season against Fort Worth Wyatt at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 28 at Shotwell.
