Cowboys have luxury of multiple skills players
Sep. 1—The Abilene Cowboys football team returns every offensive skills position player from a year ago. Head Coach Brad Nicks has the luxury of having a receiving group that has the most talent and depth available to him within his entire roster. With depth, comes a variety of weapons at his disposal.
Coach Nicks commented. "We will bring back a lot of talent and experience from last years group, including reception, and yards leader Weston Rock who earned All-League honors. Weston stepped up big time after Brax Fisher went down after week 1 with an injury. Fisher returns this year fully ready to compete, and pick back up where he left off after a great opening game a year ago. We were helped out by three receivers catching 20 plus passes including Taygen Funston, Heath Hoekman and Keaton Hargraves.
Also expected to contribute on the season at receiver positions are Joseph Welsh, CJ Brooks, and Joe Nicks. This group of receivers have been exciting to watch, and I have been very impressed with how they are accepting their role on our team. Every one of these guys are important to our success this year. I am also very excited to see what this group can do as Stocton Timbrook enters his 3rd year as a starter at QB. Stocton has worked very hard in the off-season and has taken on a leadership role for our team. We are very fortunate to have this depth not only at receiver but in the backfield as well. I have been very impressed with with both running backs fall so. Zach Miller will be a three-year starter for us and has been very good along with Thomas Keener. I am excited to watch these two continue to develop over the course of the fall."
"It all starts up front with the lineman"
We've all heard the phrases such as "The success of a football team starts up front with the lineman," and " You can have the best athletes on the field but if you don't block for them it doesn't matter".
No two statements seem to more true in the game of football. For the Abilene Cowboys, they return six veteran linemen that all have both varsity and starting experience in Gavin Runyon, Devin Alvarez, Kaden Timm, Samuel Whitehair, Tyler Holloway, and Hunter Clark. All of them play both ways, meaning they are both offensive and defensive players.
With the luxury of having experienced players, the bonus for the Cowboys, is the size they bring to the field. All six players are well over two hundred pounds a piece, and athletic. Whitehair, Alvarez, Holloway and Runyon all saw significant playing time last year, while Timm joins the offensive side of the ball after contributing on defense last year Hunter Clark will see time at both guard and tackle this season to allow for rest for two way players.
The group along with other linemen have spent countless hours in the weight room, along with participating in summer lineman nights in preparation of the upcoming season.
"Dedication in the weight room has paid dividends, and they also look to be the strongest they have been in recent times as well " said Abilene offensive lineman coach Dan Rheingans.
Defensively Abilene is expected to once again have success on the line.
" This is my 5th season here, and this is the most physically impressive the varsity defensive line has been as a group in my time here," said Abilene defensive line coach Steve Casey. "What's been really fun to see is the growth that all of these guys have made physically. All of them are significantly bigger, faster and stronger than in 2022. It's a credit to their hard work and commitment to realize that improvement. I expect all to be impact players on Friday nights."
Also expected to be a key defensive lineman this season is sophomore Heath Hoekman. Others expected to see some time include Jaxson Cuba, Canyn Taylor, Zeke Spivey Dominic Holt , and Jalen Robinson that'll all have the opportunity to help on Friday nights as well.
Coach Rheingans commented "If you're at the game on Friday nights this fall, take a few plays to focus on the offensive line — they're a great group of hard working young men working to help the Cowboys see success on the field."
