WATTS, Okla. -- Things began to turn around for the Watts (Okla.) Engineers toward the end of the 2013 football season.
Sitting at 0-7 in late October, the Engineers picked up their first win on the field in more than three seasons when they defeated Copan (Okla.) 48-0.
The next week the Engineers got another win via forfeit to Agra (Okla.) 2-0, a team the Engineers would have likely beat on the field.
And in the season finale, Watts beat longtime rival Welch (Okla.) for the first time in several years with a 62-56 victory.
Ending the season with a 3-7 record may not look good on the surface. But for Watts, the strong finish was huge.
Now heading into the 2014 season, there's a sense of optimism about the Engineers for the first time in several years.
"I think the atmosphere is one of high expectations," said second-year coach Shawn Dismuke. "I think there is a subtleness about it. Of course, nothing will be known for sure until that first game."
Numbers are up in the program, and that's a big deal in Watts as well. As of presstime, the Engineers had 25 players in the program. In eight-man football, that's a big deal, Dismuke said.
"My goal is to have two teams -- offense and defense -- and limit the guys going both ways," he said.
The Engineers are also significantly faster than they were a year ago, Dismuke said.
"As a team," Dismuke said, "we're quicker -- much quicker."
The Engineers will stay with their no-huddle spread offense out of the pistol formation.
"We'll pass it to run, and run it to pass," Dismuke said. "I feel like we'll be more of a threat passing. But when you throw it, that sets you up to hit them with the run."
The offense is the same, but the personnel and positions have changed.
Last year's starting quarterback, senior Bradley Carter (6-foot-2, 200 pounds), has moved to wide receiver, and junior Nilson Magana (6-0, 200) has taken over at the position.
Moving Carter -- the team's best player -- to wide receiver and Magana to quarterback is all in an effort to keep Carter involved in the offense more.
"We moved (Magana) to quarterback to get the ball to Bradley and other guys," Dismuke said. "I don't want defenses saying if we stop the quarterback we win the ballgame."
Magana started at fullback for the Engineers a year ago. Dismuke said he is serviceable at the quarterback position.
"He throws well enough," Dismuke said. "He's also a threat to run. The kids are behind him. Plus he'll be here next year."
Sophomores Cory Couch (5-7, 140) and Clayton Mitchell (5-9, 135) and freshman Kyle Woods are also getting looks at the quarterback position.
Moving Magana to quarterback was also made a little easier with the addition of senior Takota Dobbs (5-11, 220), who transferred in from Kansas, Okla. Dobbs will start for the Engineers at running back.
"He's going to run over you," Dismuke said of Dobbs, who Dismuke said has been clocked in the 40-yard dash at 4.6 seconds. "He's a power runner. When in doubt, give it to him."
Carter will be the Engineers' deep threat at wide receiver, but he'll also run a lot of short routes and gain a lot of yards after the catch.
"There will be a lot of YAC," Dismuke said.
Carter will also work out of the backfield some, as Dismuke said his running backs and wide receivers are interchangeable.
Transfer Joe Phifer (5-6, 140) gives the Engineers a speedy threat at wide receiver.
"We're going to throw it and ask him to run under it," Dismuke said. Couch and sophomore Kyle Ault (5-7, 140), junior Blake Hale (5-9, 130) and freshman Colt Weaver (5-8, 145) will also play wide receiver.
Senior Tre Andrews (5-7, 135) will be a utility player on offense for the Engineers, while sophomore Dillon Johnson (5-10, 185) will play tight end.
On the offensive line, the Engineers have a battle going at center.
Sophomore Brett Frazier (5-10, 160) and freshmen A.J. Tucker (5-7, 160) and Clifton Williams (5-5, 160) are all getting repetitions at the position.
Sophomore Daniel Martinez (6-1, 235) will likely start at left guard for Watts, while one of the candidates at center will play right guard.
Dismuke said senior Derek Willis (5-8, 250) can play on the offensive line, as can junior William Reyes (5-10, 275). However the coach wants to save Willis and Reyes for the defensive side of the football, he said.
"I want the best of both worlds," he said.
Defensively, the Engineers are going to operate out of a 3-3-2 defense.
"We're going to be aggressive, and we're going to be fast," Dismuke said. "We want to be fundamental and gap-sound."
Magana, Johnson and Frazier will all work at defensive end along with freshman Zack Quick (6-2, 220).
The defensive ends, Dismuke said, are sort of a hybrid position.
"Basically they're standup defensive ends," he said.
The Engineers will have a rotation at nose guard. Tucker will play there along with Willis and Reyes.
Frazier should be able to use his smaller size to his advantage at the position, Dismuke said.
"He's a small kid, but we should be able to use his speed," he said.
Dismuke also hopes junior transfer Devin Dodd (6-3, 230) will be able to help on the offensive and defensive lines at some point this season.
Andrews will start at middle linebacker, while Dobbs will play the strong side linebacker position and Carter the weakside linebacker spot.
Couch and Phifer will start at safety.
As of presstime, Watts only has nine varsity games scheduled because Agra will not field a football team this fall. The Engineers open the season with Cave Springs at home on Sept. 5. Watts will then open District B-3 play on Sept. 12 at Davenport.
The Engineers will play seven district games. Other district games are: against Woodland, Okla., on Sept. 19; at Depew, Okla., on Sept. 26; at home against Welch, Okla., on Oct. 3; at Oaks, Okla., on Oct. 10; at home against Garber, Okla., on Oct. 16; and on the road at South Coffeyville (Okla.) on Oct. 24.
The top four teams from the district will advance to the state playoffs.
The Engineers will play Regent Prep (Okla.) in a nonconference game on Oct. 31. Regent Prep took the place of the Agra game.
Watts is trying to find another team on Nov. 7 to replace Wesleyan Christian, which is no longer participating in the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association.
Sports on 08/27/2014