COLCORD, Okla -- Fourth-year Colcord head football coach Terrill Denny believes every team in Oklahoma's District 7-2A should be improved from last year.
So what about the Colcord? Can the Hornets improve on last year's 11-2 season in which they were conference runner-up and advanced to the Class 2A state semifinals?
"That's the big question," said Denny, who is 24-11 in three years as head coach of his alma mater. "It really is. Every one else will be expected to be better. Will we improve or stay the same or decline?"
Colcord, which has a streak of 18 consecutive winning seasons, has some big holes to account for off of last year's team, starting at the quarterback position.
Two-year starting quarterback Caleb Shawver passed for more than 4,000 yards and 45 touchdowns in his junior and senior seasons.
"That's not easy to replace," said Denny, a former Colcord quarterback himself.
Versatile senior Cash Hayes (5-foot-8, 160 pounds) will take over at quarterback for the Hornets after playing at wide receiver and running back the last three years.
Hayes, who has started somewhere on the field since he was a freshman, is a multi-sport star for Colcord.
"He's a great athlete, very dynamic, explosive," Denny said. "I think he'll add an extra dimension to our offense, just because his skill set is so vast. You've got to account for him on every play."
Hayes isn't very big physically, but he makes up for it in effort and intensity.
"He runs really well," Denny said. "He has a good intuition for the game. When he was a little kid, we called him Brett Favre because he would do something crazy out there but make it work."
Junior running back J.J. Potter (5-11, 180) is primed to take over the primary ball-carrier duties for the Hornets after rushing for more than 700 yards a year ago while splitting the workload with Brandon Harper.
"He's going to get the bulk of the load this year," Denny said of Potter. "We can hand it to him. We can throw it to him. He has great hands. He's a good blocker. ... He's a good-looking cat."
Senior Jesse Copeland (6-0, 160) will replace his cousin Cash Hayes as the multi-threat offensive player in the Hornets' scheme. He'll play some at wide receiver and see some carries.
Copeland was a part of Colcord's 4x100-meter state runner-up relay team.
"He's a very dynamic athlete," Denny said. "He's like Cash, he has a great feel for the game. He knows how to make plays somehow."
Senior Caleb Crites (6-2, 220) returns for the Hornets at tight end and is getting some looks to play at the next level. Central Oklahoma, Northeastern (Okla.) State, Pittsburg (Kan.) State and Division I University of Tulsa have all given Crites a look.
"He can catch the football," Denny said. "We're definitely looking for some good things out of him. We're going to get him the football."
At wide receiver, sophomore Matthew Farris (6-4, 175) was on the state championship 4x400 team and is a very strong athlete, Denny said. Farris will be the Hornets' backup quarterback as well.
Senior Lane Osburn (6-2, 205) lines up at tight end and split end in Colcord's offense, while junior Mandan Shawver (5-10, 195) can line up anywhere, including tight end, running back and H-back.
"If we had 11 of (Mandan Shawver) we would be pretty good," Denny said.
Sophomore Spencer Earp (5-9, 175) also could see some playing time.
Along the offensive line, Colcord has senior Chance Brown (6-0, 220) and junior James Parsons (6-1, 225) returning on the right side.
Brown started all year last year for the Hornets, while Parsons came on at the end of the season and played well.
"We're very excited about having Chance and James on that right side," Denny said.
Senior De Rios (5-9, 300) is going to get the first crack at the center position, while junior Corey Pendleton (5-9, 200) will play left guard.
"Pendleton hasn't missed a summer workout in three years, maybe four," Denny said. "He's a guy that can really help us out."
Sophomore Kody Long (6-0, 230) will line up at left tackle.
Long has "great size and is very athletic for that size," Denny said. "He's got great feet. He's just a little bit green."
Sophomore Wyatt Doty (5-8, 150), freshman Chad Kendrick (6-2, 200) are also going to get work on the offensive line. Sophomore Joseph Young (6-0, 225) can play multiple positions on the offensive line.
Defensively, Colcord will operate out of a three-man front on its defensive line.
For the first time in several years, the Hornets don't have an established nose guard, but Denny thinks junior River Craghead (5-9, 160) can handle the job.
"He's not very big, but he's strong," Denny said. "I think he can create havoc at nose guard."
Parsons, Brown and Long also will vie for playing time at all positions on the defensive line.
The Hornets have moved Crites from defensive end to inside linebacker, in what Denny called a natural fit.
Mandan Shawver will replace his brother Caleb at inside linebacker.
"He's very good," Denny said. "He's got good instincts just like his brother."
At outside linebacker, Copeland split time with Brandon Harper last year and returns at one spot. Osburn is penciled in to play the other outside linebacker spot.
"His size alone will sure up the edge for us," Denny said of Osburn. "We'll have good sized linebackers."
In the secondary, the Hornets are counting on sophomores Earp, Farris and Dason Janes (5-7, 145) to man the cornerback spots.
"They're all sophomores," Denny said. "That's a little bit scary, but they're all good athletes. There's a lot of natural athleticism in all three."
Potter and Hayeswill get the bulk of the playing time at safety for Colcord.
Junior Christian Bennett (5-5, 120) will see some playing time at cornerback and safety.
"He doesn't have a whole lot of size, but he's highly intelligent," Denny said. "He can come in and play any of the defensive positions.
"We feel good about our secondary thus far. We had real good 7-on-7s this summer."
The defending league champion is expected to be the favorite to win the 7-2A again, while Haskell and Salina will be better.
Denny said Chouteau-Mazie and Hulbert also should be improved, and Delaware County rival Kansas should also be better than its 1-9 season a year ago.
"I really expect every team in the district to be better than they were last year," Denny said.
Sports on 08/26/2015