The Ardmore Tigers are ready for a
fresh start with two talented freshmen in Noah Barnett (quarterback)
and Saul Rodriguez (kicker). Both are expected to see action
immediately.
The pressure is on these two to carry the load in Class 5A, Region 8 play.
Offense and special teams goals
are to protect these youngsters so they can make plays. This is
essential for protecting the new 5-9, 160 pound quarterback.
Offense
Roster:
Although the Tigers will feature
youth on the field for the season opener, Legg trusts his veteran
protection for the Tigers’ pro-style offense. Returning to the lineup are three
senior offensive linemen and a senior fullback. Leading the team’s
offensive line is senior left tackle Garrett Hogan (6-1, 290).
“Our goal is to protect him so he
feels comfortable on the field,” Hogan said. “Off the field, I know the
pressure of being a freshman and starting, so I know what they are
going through.”
Defense
Can the Tigers improve on defense? Last year, Ardmore averaged scoring
nearly 28 points a game but allowed an average of 40 points a game. Ardmore’s 4-3 defense has had trouble in the past, but this year Legg’s plan is to hide.
“Hiding the coverage of the
defense is very important,” he said. “That’s one of the aspects of the
game we lacked, but we plan on doing better.” The defense is returning
five starters, and weight room work should help the defense, too, Legg
said.
Extra points
The biggest impact newcomer to the Tigers’ roster could be Rodriguez.
“It’s the first time since I’ve
been here we’ve had a consistent kicker,” Legg said. “He relieves some
of the pressure from the offense, because we can now kick field goals in
tight possessions.”
Quick hits
- Senior left tackle Hogan benches 415 pounds and carries a 4.0 grade-point average. In his final year, he is excited to face rival Elkmont in the season opener Aug 28.
- The Tigers lead the Red Devils 42-27 in the overall series.
Roster:
No comments:
Post a Comment