COLCORD, Okla. -- Curtis Waltman knew exactly what he was getting into when he accepted the head football coaching job at Colcord.
Waltman, 33, was hired in April after four-year coach Terrill Denny was reassigned to become the district's athletics director.
Waltman comes to Colcord after being the offensive coordinator at Big Spring High School in Newville, Penn., but prior to that he spent several years coaching in Oklahoma.
Waltman coached basketball at Cookson Hills in Kansas, Okla., from 2011 to 2013 before taking an assistant's job at Muskogee, Okla., and then settling in as offensive coordinator at Hulbert, Okla., in 2014.
Hulbert played Colcord in 2014 and the Riders were handed a 53-7 loss courtesy of the Hornets, who wound up going 11-2 that season.
When the Colcord job came open last spring, Waltman didn't hesitate about applying for it.
"Anytime you have an opportunity to take over a program with the success of a Colcord you go for it," Waltman said.
Waltman arrived in northeast Oklahoma on June 9, just two days after the school year ended at Big Spring.
The first thing he wanted to do was audit the program. What he discovered was the Hornets had all the makings of what has made them successful in past years.
"The biggest thing is they're a physical team, which is not something all teams are," Waltman said. "They've got great organization and the kids have been taught well how to play football. They have a good knowledge of football. That makes it easier during the transition."
Waltman also credited his coaching predecessors in Denny, who was 32-15 in four seasons with four playoff appearances, and longtime Colcord coach and current district superintendent Bud Simmons, who was 78-36 in 10 seasons at Colcord prior to that.
Overall, Colcord (8-4 in 2015) will be looking for its 20th straight winning season this fall.
Offensively, the Hornets will not have any dramatic changes as to what fans have seen in past years, said Waltman, who will handle the play-calling duties.
"We feel like we have an athletic quarterback and a 1,000-yard rusher at running back," he said. "We want to spread the ball around and utilize all our talents. That makes it harder for the defense to prepare for."
Senior Matthew Farris (6-foot-4, 215 pounds) and junior Spencer Earp (5-10, 190) have been competing at quarterback during fall camp, but Farris appears to be in the lead for the job.
"We want them competing every day," Waltman said. "We determine who plays by how they practice."
Farris took over at quarterback at the end of last season when Cash Hayes went down with an injury. Farris helped the Hornets to a first-round playoff victory at Nowata, Okla.
The Hornets will operate mainly out of the shotgun with either one-back or two-back sets.
Senior Jamall Potter (5-9, 185) returns in the backfield after rushing for more than 1,000 yards last season.
"He has very good vision and he's explosive," Waltman said. "He makes good cuts and seems to have good speed."
Junior Brandon Hedges (5-10, 175) and sophomore Kolby Smith (5-9, 155) also could get some work at the running back position.
Junior Isiah Ramos (5-6, 140) also is listed as a running back.
The Hornets will use a fullback from time to time, especially when they want to get into a power offense.
Senior Zach Gonzalez (5-8, 215) and junior Wyatt Doty (5-9, 175) will get the first crack at fullback, while senior River Craighead (5-9, 180), sophomores Dustin Foreman (5-9, 165), Benton Denny (5-7, 175) and freshman Caleb Smith (5-8, 165) are all listed as fullbacks.
At wide receiver, juniors Legend Doyle (5-11, 170), Ryan Castleman (6-3, 185), Dason Martin (5-8, 165) and Earp -- if he's not playing quarterback -- will see the bulk of the reps at the position.
"We have some speed and size and decent ball skills," Waltman said of the Hornets' receivers.
Senior Mandan Shawver (5-9, 200) also could help at receiver as could, junior Dylan Harper (5-10, 175), sophomores Malcolm Potter (5-7, 135), Chad Kendrick (6-3, 215) and freshman Blake Gonzalez (5-6, 145).
On the offensive line, the Hornets are working junior Morgan Shawver (5-10, 185) at a left tackle position.
Junior Joseph "Choogie" Young (6-3, 230) plays a left guard spot, while junior Cade Brown (6-0, 200) can play guard or center.
Colten Dale (5-10, 205), a sophomore, has been getting reps at center, while senior James Parsons (5-10, 190) has been working at right guard and senior Corey Pendleton (5-8, 185) at right tackle. Both Parsons and Pendleton are returning starters on the offensive line.
"(The offensive line is) critical to the success of every team," Waltman said. "That's something we hope they understand."
Waltman said senior Cha Vang (5-7, 195) and junior Kody Long (5-11, 265) will rotate through on the offensive line.
Juniors Dakota Renfro (5-6, 170), Bobby Easter (5-10, 175) and Will Evans (5-7, 165), along with sophomores Pablo Alvarez (5-10, 290) and Wyatt Preist (5-8, 180) and freshman Tyler Duncan (5-8, 185) also help on the offensive line.
Defensively, the Hornets will operate out of a 3-4 front with the defense being called by Kevin Shawver.
Vang will man the starting nose guard position with Kendrick and Long manning defensive end spots.
Parsons and Brown would be the next up in the defensive line rotation.
Young, Easter and Priest could all see time at defensive end.
Renfro, Dale, Alvarez and Duncan all work at nose guard as well.
Zach Gonzalez will start at middle linebacker for the Hornets, while Mandan Shawver will man the strong side linebacker spot.
Craighead and Doty are expected to fill the outside linebacker spots.
Pendleton can play outside or inside linebacker, while Morgan Shawver, Mandan's cousin, can help out at either linebacker spot.
Ramos, Malcolm Potter, Denny, Foreman, Smith, Harper and Evans are also working at linebacker in practices.
"We don't have a great deal of depth at linebacker," Waltman said.
Blake Gonzalez and Hedges will start at cornerback for the Hornets, while Martin and Doyle can also play corner.
Jamall Potter, Castleman, Earp and Farris will all rotate through at the safety positions. Smith is also getting work at safety.
"I would feel comfortable with any of them going in at safety," Waltman said.
The Hornets open their season Thursday, Aug. 25, at Fairland, Okla.
Sports on 08/24/2016