Cardiac Cove Dawgs Prevail in a Dandy Dawgs take down Cy Ridge with seconds remaining 55-48 So what’s your pleasure? If it’s hard nosed up the gut running, pancake blocking, open field running, shoe string tackles, long bombs, goal line stands or 50+ yard races to the end zone you saw it all in Waco Friday night. When the smoke cleared (and there was lot’s of it) Cove defeated Cypress Ridge by a touchdown and PAT 52-48 courtesy of a forty yard strike from Nic Greene to Josh Boyce with a hot nine ticks left on the game clock to break a 48-48 dead lock. From the normally professionally reserved press box came shouts of wow, can you believe it?, holy moly and that’s amazing. Fans, professional scouts and hardened press alike were thrilled and awed by the game. Let there be no doubt that Mr. Russell Shepard of Cy Ridge is without question everything he has been cracked up to be and more. Holy smoke, what a ball player? The LSU recruit was indeed a one man band for the Ram’s offense accounting for 538 (311 rushing and 227 passing) of the Rams 590 total yards. That would be personal all purpose yards of close to a football field beyond a quarter mile, gang. Is that legal? Cy Ridge served notice early that they were not intimidated by Jack Welch’s Dawgs. The Rams pushed around one of the best defenses in the state for a quick 13-0 lead. The game had all the ear marks of a Cy Ridge blow out. The Dawgs trailed by double digits on the Rams first two possessions via a 17 yard strike from Shepard to Chris Lecompte and a Mike Powel two yard plunge capping a sustained Cy Ridge drive. After being held three and out on their first two shots and the scoreboard reading Cy Ridge 13 Cove 0 to start the second quarter Dawg signal caller Nic Greene would rally the guys in the blue hats and as they say it was on. Greene called his own number for Cove’s first tally from 15 yards out. With the score 13-7 still favoring the Rams Will Wright set sail from the Cove 29 and didn’t stop until he reached pay dirt 71 yards down the field. Mike Roel would give the Dawgs their first lead of the night as he put the extra point kick between the up rights. With two minutes and change left in the half Shepard hit Kevin Johnston for a 55 yard strike. Shepard ran for the two point conversion to make up for an earlier errant PAT from the Rams to give the Cy Ridge squad a 21-14 advantage late in the first half. Cove would answer the Ram strike with a late drive of their own that was a thing of beauty. When the drive was in danger of stalling Greene went to his big tight end in the middle of the field. Lorna Kasten’s baby boy Josh has no problem catching the ball in traffic and crunching out a few yards after the catch. Kasten’s key catch and run set his Dawgs up on the Ram 30. On the next play Greene would do his impression of a baseball pitcher and toss a slow but accurate change up to Breland Chancellor. Chancellor would snag the pumpkin at the shoe laces without breaking stride and wind up in the end zone for six to tie the contest at 21 all after. With 57 ticks left on the clock and the game tied at 21, one would assume that the halftime would see the teams head to the locker rooms even stephen in the first half. Well somebody forgot to tell Sheppard. The future LSU Tiger wasn’t finished. A great 65 yard kickoff return courtesy of Kevin Johnon set the Rams up on the Cove 25 with under a minute to play before intermission. Shepard then exploded up the gut on a designed QB draw for 24 to the Cove one where Deneldric Hudgens made a touchdown saving tackle. With the high powered Rams a yard away from a halftime lead the Dawgs dug in. Cy Ridge attempted to pound the ball home behind their 275lb guard John Edmonson. Coach Reb Brock’s D-Dawgs were having none of it. Shepard spiked the ball with a couple of seconds left on the clock and headed to the side lines to confer with the Ram brain trust for the final play of the half. Understandably the gurus from Cy Ridge decided the best route would be for Mr. Shepard to take the ball across the goal line. It was a great idea. It didn’t work but it was a great idea. Everyone knew that Shepard can get a single yard anytime he wants to. Everyone of course but Cove Senior D-Dawg Reggie Chapman. In an effort that was one for the books Big Chappy stood his ground. The blow he delivered undoubtedly had Shepard ready for a halftime break. The Dawgs clearly showed the heart of a Champion in one of the finest goal line stands it has ever been this correspondent’s privilege to see. The second half would see the battle continue with no let up. Will Wright would have is second touchdown run of over 70 yards with a 73 yard gallop to the promised land. Wright would finish the night with 259 yards on 19 carries for an average of 13.6 yards per rushing attempt. Mike Roel would fire shots through the up rights from 36 and 42 yards away for a couple of long range boots and 6 Cove points. Shepard would fight back for his Rams with another touchdown run of 12 yards in the third. Cove built a 17 point lead in the final period only to see Mr. Shepard put three more touchdowns in the record book with two runs of 2 and 76 yards and a scoring strike to Lecompte for 21. With the score tied at 48 and the crowd getting ready for overtime Nic Greene decided he didn’t have time for such nonsense. When you’ve got a super star receiver the caliber of Josh Boyce and the game is on the line toss it up and make your bet that Mr. B is going to whip the defender and come down with the pumpkin. Thirty eight yards past the line of scrimmage the TCU future star did exactly that. Boyce went airborne and took the ball from the Ram defender and made a big play move as he hit the deck with the ball to juke the Cy Ridge defensive back and spin into the end zone for the game’s final score. With 9 seconds left in the contest Shepard had finally ran out of magic. The pride of Cy Ridge however would fight to the last second. Hit in the backfield Shepard tossed the ball behind him to an offensive lineman who didn’t quite have the necessary speed to out run the Dawg pack. Among the defensive stars for Cove was Sophomore Cooper Brock who has shown increasing improvement form the very beginning of the season. It was Cooper who gave his Dawgs the ball inside their own 30 by snagging a Shepard fumble in the air and maintaining possession of the ball. It was this play that gave Nic Greene and company the opportunity to score the game winner on their final drive. I don’t know that I am in complete agreement with his big brother Tanner that Coop is All-State material quite yet, but make no mistake he if not all state this guy is definitely all man. The Dawgs head to Corsicana to face the Klien Oak Friday at 7:30. STATS Score by Quarters 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final Copperas Cove (12-1) 0 21 17 17 55 Houston Cypress Ridge (11-2) 13 8 7 20 48 FIRST QUARTER CR: Chris Lecompte 17 pass from Russell Shepard (Fernando Ramirez kick). CR: Mike Powell 2 run (kick failed). SECOND QUARTER CC: Nic Greene 15 run (Michael Roell kick). CC: William Wright 71 run (Roell kick). CR: Kevin Johnson 55 pass from Shepard (Shepard run). CC: Brelan Chancellor 30 pass from Greene (Roell kick). THIRD QUARTER CC: Wright 10 run (Roell kick). CC: Roell 41 FG. CR: Shepard 12 run (Ramirez kick). CC: Greene 2 run (Roell kick). FOURTH QUARTER CC: Wright 73 run (Roell kick). CR: Shepard 2 run (run failed). CR: Lecompte 21 pass from Shepard (run failed). CC: Roell 36 FG. CR: Shepard 76 run (Shepard run). CC: Josh Boyce 40 pass from Greene (Roell kick). Dawgs Rams First Downs 23 29 Passing Comp-Att-Yards 10-16-143 12-20-227 Rushing Att-Yards 41-378 49-363 Total Yards 521 590 COVE BESTS RANGERS 16-9 Best Dawg football team ever? Don’t know but it’s the best I’ve ever seen. Pride of Cove spells out Dawg on Waco field. Are the 2008 Dawgs the best football team in Copperas Cove history? I don’t know. I haven’t seen all the teams in Copperas Cove history. Does this mean I am saying these guys will win more games or score more points than any team in Cove history? Does it mean that this is the most effective offense or defense in the schools notable history? Am I saying that these guys have more talent than any team I have seen on a football field for Cove? None of the above. What it means is I have not seen a finer TEAM on the football field in the six years I have covered Cove. Mr. Webster’s best seller defines the word team as: “a number of people organized to function cooperatively as a group.” All the old adages that sports people have been touting for years apply to the youngsters in the blue hats this year. “There is no ‘I’ in team.” Indeed Jack Welch’s young men work win and indeed lose as a single unit this year. Although with the likes of four outstanding running backs lead by Brandin Byrd, all-world Brock brothers Tanner and Cooper, future college star Tony Mackey, Josh (Catch me it you can) Boyce, Hang it High Kasten and Chris (I got ya covered) Miller this team does not lack for individual talent. However, this team is about 11 men on the field operating as one. There is no such thing as a super star on this team. Friday night against an outstanding Naaman Forest team the real meaning of the word team was seen on what is normally a routine play. When after the Rangers scored on a fluke 82 yard fumble return for their only touchdown of the game the point after was blocked by Fernando Smith. With the Dawgs this year there is no such thing as a routine play or concession by any man on the field. The touchdown by the Rangers could have been a momentum changer. The block on the extra point kept the Naaman Forest squad 7 points away from the Dawgs and flipped the mo back to the Blue and Gold. There were of course several plays during the game when the efforts of individual players made a huge difference in the contest, not the least of which was a touchdown saving effort by Rashad Hardy as he did the impossible and closed on a runaway Jonathon Miller (Oklahoma committee) from across the field and behind. Were I the Sooners I might consider a long with Mr. Miller signing the guy that caught him. The first half of the contest saw a defensive battle as Cove’s offense sputtered a bit going 3 and out on their first two tries. It should be remembered at this point that the Dawg offense was facing a Ranger defense that was one of the states very best. The Ranger D had pitched two shutouts in their 10 game season and allowed but a single digit six times. The Cove D-Dawgs of Coach Reb Brock bent but refuse to break in the first period. The Ranger offense moved the ball well from deep in their own territory to the Dawg’s end of the field, but was always stymied by Tanner Brock, Ken Huges and company when they really got close. The first quarter was a defensive standoff. The half would end with the scoreboard reading 7-3 Dawgs following a Ranger field goal and a dandy 74 yard scoring drive by the Dawgs. The second quarter touchdown drive was sparked by a great touch pass from Nick Greene to Sherome Miller on 3rd and 8 to keep the drive alive. At that point it became vintage Cove football. Brandin Byrd and Will Wright took over the field behind the Dawg’s offensive line as theBig Blue wall started cracking the highly touted Ranger front four. The drive was capped by Tanner Brock’s three yard effort and Mike Roel’s PAT was perfect. It was great for Dawg fans to see the Blue Pony Express back in harness. As is normally the case the second half would be all Dawg. After the intermission the Dawgs moved the ball at will against the Rangers and did it the old fashion way. They ground out their yards moving the ball between the tackles on the ground. Will Wright broke for a 30 yard scamper to tally the Dawg’s second touchdown of the contest and put the Cove team up 14-3. While a game, never say die Naaman Forest squad fought to the end and was fortunate enough to pick up a fumble and return it for 82 yards and the only Ranger touchdown of the night, the D-Dawgs would pitch a shut out and score themselves on a Ken Huges safety. The opportunity for the Dawg two pointer was the result of Mike (Pin’em deep) Roell’s monster punt that died on the Ranger one. The Ranger quarterback was forced to take the snap from his own end zone and Mr. Hughes was intent on keeping him there. The key to the game, and in my opinion the season thus far, has been that every play and every player counts. The effort by many youngsters who seldom if ever have their names in print, such as Dezmon Gibson and others, is just as important as the classy runs of Brandin Byrd and the bone jarring tackles of Tanner Brock. Win, loose or draw these guys are what the word team is about. The Dawgs will move to the next round of the state playoffs by facing he Cy Ridge Rams who defeated the Lufkin Panthers Saturday 42-32. The game will be at Waco ISD Stadium at 7:30 Friday. STATS Score by Quarter 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final Copperas Cove: 0 7 0 9 16 Garland Naaman Forest: 0 3 0 6 9 Scoring SECOND QUARTER NF: Michael Bychkowski 23 FG. CC: Tanner Brock 3 run (Roell kick). FOURTH QUARTER CC: Wright 30 run (Roell kick). CC: Hughes Safety. NF: DJ Hendrix 82 fumble return. Copperas Cove Naaman Forest First Downs 12 18 Passing - com-attempts-yds 3-6-12 14-19-132 Rushing- attempts-yds 42-255 39-167 Punts-number-yd ave. 4-43 2-35 Fumbles-number-lost 2-1 0-0 Penalties-number-yds 5-35 2-20 Its a basic Dawg Pile Tiana Byrd prettiest football player in Cove TRASH TALK NOT SPOKEN HERE Dawg’s Bite Worse Than Their Bark Head Coach Jack Welch It's All about Character It is common knowledge in Cove that I am a fanatic regarding trash talk in athletics, especially in school athletics. No, it’s not part of the game and no, it should not be tolerated. There are people who have actually said to me, “there is nothing that can be done about it”. I do not believe that, but if that’s so then for the love of pity we should simply quit playing the game. Open unsportsman like conduct that involves players using profanity, even derogatory remarks or taunting their opponents can and must be stopped. Not controlled, not cut down on, but out and out stopped. I have said it before, and I’ll say it again, “Trash talk is done by trash people.” I support a UIL rule that says that a player is automatically rejected and the team gets a 15 yarder for the first trash talk offense. The second time the ref calls an unsportsman like conduct penalty for this offense the Head Coach is rejected along with another 15 yard penalty. The third time in a game and it’s a forfeit. There are a lot of people who say that this would be too harsh. Frankly, I suggest that if this were an enforced rule it would virtually eliminate the problem and the game would be played only by young men and not by trash-mouth punks. I guarantee the first time Jack Welch was tossed from a game for the conduct of one of his Dawgs it would be the last time the kid would see a football field in a Cove jersey. The first time a Temple team forfeited a contest they were leading in because of the misconduct of a player I can assure you that the pressure from the Superintendent and the media, as well as the school board, would be hotter than a 57 Chevy with duel quads. For those who say, that trash talk is just part of the game, I submit that they need to reexamine why we really play the game in high school. It’s for the kids, not for us. The object of the game is to teach character, not win titles. Winning is great and we should enjoy winning. Part of the character lesson for a young man is to strive and sacrifice of the win. However if the game gives kids a license to show their ignorance, lack of class and embarrass their school, team and coaches while winning a contest, such a contest should not exist. I am a former football player and paratrooper. I find nothing manly about profanity or any unsportsman like remarks. For years one of the hallmarks of Cove football has been the class and dignity of the young men that come from the ranks of Jack Welch’s program. No program is perfect and the Dawgs have not been without some guys that should have had their mouths washed out with soap occasionally. However, the garbage mouths have been the exception rather than the rule for the Blue and Gold players. There are teams in the high school arena who can not say that. My grand daughters in Oklahoma have until this year not attended a school with a football program. They have only been to one live football game in their lives. They attended a UMHB game that Pawpaw was covering in Belton. The Crusaders were playing another church school. The language of the visitors on the field was so bad and so loud that my son-in-law correctly left the game before half time with his children. When my 9 year old grand daughter related her experience to a friend back home in Oklahoma she said, “Football is when a bunch of big guys in white shirts come on a big field and kneel down to pray before the game starts and then start yelling dirty words at the other big guys in purple shirts when the game starts.” Sometimes we need to listen to the pure and untainted view of a child. If our athletes can’t control their mouths they don’t need to be the example in front of thousands of other kids of all ages. And I don’t care how fast the trash-mouth runs a 40. Unsung Heroes Heart of Cove TEAM Tight End Josh Kasten is arguably College material next year. Not only a great head on his shoulders for the game of football but has the strength to block exceptionally well and proven hands. However, on a team that has an offense that is easily one of the best in the state with a ton of weapons Josh and other exceptional talents are often overlooked for the headliners. Kasten's attitude is classic Cove Dawg. An old cliché but a true one, "There ain't no 'I' in team." You may not see Mr. Kasten's name in the sport's section often this year but my bet is you'll see it on a college roster next year. photo by Bill Thomas Gather round Dawgs and Ye shall Hear Head Dawg Boss Jack Welch has a word with his troops. Hey, did one of your guys see that play. I was getting a text message. Photo By Weston Mumme Dawgs take the field supported by cheerleaders and the Pride of Cove Band. Harry Byrd WHAT’S THE 2008 DAWG TEAM IDENTITY? Mr. Harry Byrd (Tianna Byrd’s Father) commented to me recently that those who claim that this team doesn’t have an “Identity” are wrong. “The identity of this team is exactly that. They are all about team and the team concept is their identity.” As is usually the case Brother Harry is dead on. I have learned through the years to pay very close attention to my across the street neighbor when he speaks on any subject. Harry is a soon to be retired Chief Warrant Officer and has that old school military concept that says, you don’t talk unless you know what you’re talking about. It is unfortunate that this concept seems to be a dying practice even with regards to a lot of military folks. I made the comment pre-season that this year’s Dawg team was going to be a better team than last year’s, but had less individual talent. The loss to any team regarding talent was obvious when Super Star Robert Griffin left town and became a Baylor Bear. How about Griffin the Bear? Griffin was among several stars that fell from Jack Welch’s crown via last year’s graduation class. However, a wiser man than me once said you don’t ever judge a football team by what they lost. You judge them by what they kept. Although last year’s defense was hurt by the loss of some exceptional players, it was the Dawg offense that one would think was devastated by the loss of talent. The Cove offensive lost not only the most talented high school athlete in the state at quarterback, but a Division One running back and four senior linemen who went to Texas Lutheran College as a unit. Again one at this point must look not at what was lost but at what was kept. The offensive line kept all world guard Tony Mackey and dipped into a very deep bucket for the other four guys currently starting for the Dawg O-Line. When you lose the varsity guys at Cove you do what all high schools do. You go to your JV and bring people up. Unlike most programs the Cove JV is not that far behind in the Cove Varsity. In my opinion it is more accurate to call Jack Welch a football program manager than to call him a football coach. Let there be no question that on the practice field, on the sidelines and in the locker room Jack Welch is a fine football coach. However, the true secret to the big guy’s success is not found in these important roles. Jack Welch and his Bull Dawgs owe their success to the program that has been built from the organizational mind of Melba Welch’s kid. Coach Welch’s true success is that of an organizer who builds his program for years starting at the elementary level with the children of our community. A local track club has resulted in Cove’s now famous Swift Dawg speed. Although the Swift Dawg speed is famous at the high school level, it started with six year olds. The local Pop Warner football program has given those swift youngsters huge doses football knowledge and character for years prior to attending even the junior high level of organized football. When most coaches go to last year’s JV to build this year’s varsity team they worry about what their youngsters can do at the higher level. Welch’s concern is a little different. Jack is curious as to whether his JV kids promoted to varsity are going to be good players or great players. The bottom line here is that an overwhelming majority of varsity Texas 5A teams want no part of the Cove JV’s. I may very well have been wrong when I stated that Cove had less individual talent than last year. Griffin not withstanding the Cove team this year is loaded. The afore mentioned offensive line from tackle to tackle doesn’t have a weak spot. The old adage that a chain is as strong as its weakest link is absolutely valid when talking about an offensive line. The anchor of this year’s Big Blue Wall is Mr. Anthony Mackey. Trust me Mister is an appropriate title. Big Mac reminds me of something my good friend Jerry Sisemore said once, “Men play football on the offensive line. I have no idea what those boys behind me are doing.” While a driving force by anyone’s definition, Mr. Mackey is not the lone hoss on the wall this year. Isaiah Buckram and Kiefer Price are showing early development that may spell all district nods for the two big guys. As the world knows I am an absolute nut when it comes to offensive lines. Great offensive lines carry a team on their backs. These guys are the base of any football team. However, this year given the incredible talent of Coves running backs and extraordinary receivers, may be a year that the Dawgs only need a line that’s OK. Well Dawg fans tackle to tackle this offensive line is a ton better than OK. These guys are for real very good. Cove is two deep in quality signal callers. I’m very glad it’s the Welch’s call when it comes to which one of these guys to start. I’d have faith in either one to get the job done. Leading a very quality receiving corps for the Blue and Gold is none other than Josh Boyce. Boyce is capable of taking the ball to the house from any given part of the field. Like all Cove receivers Boyce is no lighting fast pretty boy. Indeed Josh is blessed with great speed and hands that make the high light tapes in a game. However, far beyond the spectacular catches that wow the press box, Josh Boyce is a football player. His willingness and ability to mix it up with secondary guys down field and even linebackers on running plays will not make the head lines in the local media or bring him any personal glory. No sir all that stuff does is help the team. And helping his team is what Mr. Lighting is all about. In the running back department Cove is so strong they should be illegal. I don’t know that amount of talent on one team is fair. Cove has a senior named Tommy McLeain. Tommy has excellent speed. He has very good moves and more than his share of power. In addition to his running ability he has proven great hands and few high school running backs run patterns as well as T-Mac from the backfield. Tommy would start for 80% of the teams in 5A ball in Texas and be a star on most of them. He sees little action for the Dawgs. Why, you may ask. Because this remarkably talented young man (who should play next year at the college level) is the number three back behind the now famous Cove Pony Express. Junior William Wright is the biggest little man I have ever seen. There are a lot of linebackers in 5A ball who will swear the guy is well over 6 foot and much better than 200 pounds. He is a north south runner who blocks like a guard on wheels. Cove’s Mr. Touchdown is not only a great blocker (not a good blocker, a great blocker) he is a very gifted running back. Either finding an unfortunate defensive player to knock around or carrying the mail Wright is a force to be reckoned with. The other half of the Pony Express is Brandin Byrd. Byrd is as good as it gets on a football field, folks. Brandin’s running ability is a matter of record, but he’s more valuable to the team as a player than a running back. In the McKinney Boyd game Byrd tallied 277 yards on 26 carries for an average of over 10 yards per pop. He would have gained more but that pesky goal line stopped him twice. However, the single play that defined who this young man really is was a play that he did not carry the ball. Cody Vaughn stood in the pocket to pass. A big McKinney Boyd linebacker penetrated quickly and drew a bead on the Cove quarterback. Brandin Byrd attacked the charging Bronco. The result of Byrd’s devastating block was a flattened would-be sacker. A local reporter turned to me an asked, “Is there anything that Byrd kid can’t do?” I replied, “I don’t know, but if there is we haven’t found it yet.” Twanda Byrd’s little boy is the real deal yall. On the defensive side of the ball Reb Brock’s Cove Destruction Company is a joy to watch. If you don’t love these guys you simply don’t like football. Led by future TCU star Tanner Brock, the Cove D-Dawgs are as good as it gets. These hard hitting Blue and Gold defenders may be the best in the state. In a dozen quarter against very good offenses these unruly young men have pitched a shut out in 8 of the 12 quarters. Tanner is without question a very special talent that comes along once in a blue moon. Well, unless Reb and the Mrs. are manufacturing them as home grown products. Cove opponents will be dismayed to realize there’s another one of these guys coming up and Cooper may prove to be the best of an incredible crew of Brock-Dawgs. Up front for the D-Dawgs are a pair of prize bulls that cause all kinds of problems for anyone on the field not wearing a blue shirt. Ken Huges is a man mountain that moves and is prone to fall on you at any given point of a play. His partner in crime is another guy who simply does not play well with others. Josh Schmidt is one very hostile and mobile young man. Josh had a great game in McKinney. He was as focused and relentless as anyone could ask for. Big J fired out with intensity at the snap and never stopped until the whistle blew. Another defensive standout is Cove’s guided muscle Matthew Garrett. This guy is simply awesome. He is on one speed and that’s all out at all times. Two ball hawks in the Cove secondary are Rashad Hardy and Chris Miller. These guys think every thing in the air belongs to them. The list of stars in this year’s team goes on. I may eat my words that this team doesn’t have the talent that last year’s team had. However, one thing you can bet on is that this team’s legitimate stars will not act like stars. They may have the talent but they don’t have the ego. Brandin Byrd, Tanner Brock, William Wright and the rest of the super talented Dawgs will tell you that every guy in a blue helmet is as important to this team as they are. These guys don’t just say that because it’s the proper and mannerly thing to say. They say it because they mean it. Indeed this team’s identity is just that. They are the Dawg TEAM. During an impromptu mid-field meeting of better than half the Waco Defense at the Dawg Pound a visiting Lion player was heard to comment to a team mate, "That little number 12 guy is in here somewhere. I swear I saw him run in here and he ain't run out yet." 4A or 5A, LAST YEAR or THIS YEAR, : IT DON'T MATTER THEY'RE STILL THE DAWGS It is common knowledge that Dawg Boss Jack Welch and Bill Thomas occasionally differ. We will never disagree on the subject of football expertise. Jack Welch’s knowledge of the game is several hundred miles ahead of me or any other sports writer in the world, maybe even any other sports writer in Texas. However, we are often at odds regarding Jack’s habitual conservative outlook toward an upcoming game or season. Understand we journalists have the luxury of being wrong. Coaches don’t. It is Coach Welch’s job to paint a picture that requires his troops to understand that the job ahead is filled with pitfalls and only by exceptional effort will the goal be obtained. Meanwhile those of us who will eat fried chicken and sit in the padded swivel chairs of the Cove press box can be very brave about our predictions of Dawg dominance in 2008. It is not our job to make it happen and if it doesn’t we can always do what all sports writers do, blame the coach. We can predict the Dawgs to go all the way and take the title. If they do we were geniuses and become self professed football gurus who obviously knew more than the coach. If it doesn’ t happen we had it right, but the coach messed it up. Should we as journalists predict on the negative side of the fence and the Dawgs do not perform well, we are again brilliant prophets worthy of all the self praise we will undoubtedly heap on ourselves. Should we go negative with predictions and the Dawgs do well, we will become heroes who praise both the local kids and the coaches for accomplishing goals that took great effort beyond their real talents, even if they were really that good all along. Aww the life of a sports writer. We have it down to a science. Regardless of what happens we will win. Unfortunately, the job for the coaching staff and athletes of high school ball in Texas is a tad more demanding than that of the journalist. Jack’s prediction of the job ahead for the 2008 season is both classic Jack Welch and professionally founded. “We have been decimated by graduation on both sides of the ball”, said the man who has become one of the living legends of Texas football. “I never like to use the term ‘rebuilding’, but that’s what we are facing this year.” For once Coach and I totally concur regarding a serious burden for the Dawgs to overcome this year. Basically the 2007 Copperas Cove senior heavy team graduated and left the JV to be honed into a contender by the Welch brain trust. Big job? You bet your season tickets it is, but these are big men. It should be noted at this point that unlike typical coaches Jack Welch doesn’t rely on a team to win every season. He relies on a program to win. Any coach can luck into a great deal of talent during a particularly good cycle in the high school ranks. High school ball is just that, it is as Jack describes it, a matter of cycles. However, while the raw talent portion of high school football is undoubtedly dictated by the ability of the young men you have in school in a given year, the success of a football program is dictated by the man who built it. Great seasons are short lived. Great programs build tradition that lasts of decades. Great coaches are never made by a season. They can only be judged by the program they have built. There is no question that the Dawgs were hurt on the defensive side of the ball by graduation. However, regarding defense, I will never worry about the Cove swift Dawgs. How often through the years have we heard, “Well the Dawgs aren’t big this year, but they’ve got great speed.” I was once asked by a Waco colleague, “How does Cove come up with speed every year?” I replied, “We build it.” The size of your crop of high school athletes is to a large extent a matter of pure luck. However, the speed Cove is known for is not luck. You can’t grow’em any bigger, but you can start running them in track clubs when they’re babies. They will develop Cove speed by the time you see them in high school. Give me speed and quality coaching and I’ll give you quality D-Dawgs knocking folks down every year. I always look to the offensive line rather than the “skill” positions when evaluating a football team. I have always believed the hosses up front make the foundation for a team. Anthony Mackie is the single returning starter for the Big Blue Wall. A story that may never be told, will be the role Big Mac plays in the success of the 2008 Dawg season. As a rule the offensive line seldom gets any credit for a win or a season and frankly if they do it is almost never enough credit. It is a little known fact that the O-line is a team within a team. While there is no group that personifies team effort like the big guys in the trenches, they do have a degree of separation from the rest of the squad. A really quality O-line will never be made up of individuals who seek personal glory, but will always have a phenomenal amount of personal pride in the job they did as an individual unit. Granted, only the team and the coaches will ever know about their accomplishments, but they take personal pride in them nonetheless. This line will be young and untested. I believe there are some strong young men from the JV ranks prepared to do battle in the trenches for their beloved Dawgs. There is no question that they will receive excellent coaching. However, to be a great offensive line and lead their team to a title will require a leadership beyond the guys who tote whistles. That field leadership will fall squarely on the strong shoulders on the vet-Dawg Tony Mackie. I suspect Cove will do very well this year for several reasons. Not the least of which is my faith in the Big Mac. As for the skill positions as they are called, Cove is not without a serous degree of talent. People have a habit of judging a team by what they lost. I prefer to judge a team by what they kept. The loss of a Robert Griffin or any guy in this town named Brock is a serious loss to any football team. However, the quarterback position is just that. It’s a position. I have often felt that the quarterback gets to much credit for victories and to much blame for losses. That said I believe Cove fans will be very impressed with the guy behind center this year. Perhaps the brightest spot on the roster this year is potential all state junior Brandon Byrd. Byrd averaged over 6 yards per carry last year and frankly has been a super star at every level since his Pop Warner days. Along with a great deal of pure Cove speed Mr. Byrd brings power to the table as well. Coach Jack Welch gives Byrd credit for seeing a field better than any player Cove has had since Duff. Perhaps the greatest assist Cove will have this coming season is the basic attitude of the team. While last years squad was loaded with an abundance of talent there were some personality issues and attitude questions regarding some of the guys who wore blue. I do not believe that I have ever seen a young man with a better attitude regarding the game of football or life in general than Brandon Byrd. I have literally watched this young man grow up across the street from me. I consider the Byrds family rather than friends. It is my belief that Brandon’s attitude will be a reflection of the attitude of the team this year. If that is the case, they are due to accomplish great things. OK, so I’m doing it again and picking the Dawgs for a great season. Sue me. The only thing different this year is that I do in fact agree with Jack Welch regarding the obvious problems created by the huge damage done by graduation this last year. There is no question that the job to three-peat in a state championship this year is a task of monumental proportions, but we in Cove have monumental coaches capable of such a task. I believe we will not only see the Dawgs return to the state championship game (at the 5A level) in 2008 they will bring home the trophy. I believe the fact that the deck is stacked against them this trip will make the accomplishment all the sweeter. Jack told me that this year’s team was an unknown and a mystery. There is no question he has every logical reason to say that, and frankly its true. However, what is not an unknown is the fact that Copperas Cove in now justly considered one of the finest football programs in the illustrious history of Texas football. We are a program here in Cove and not just a year by year team. Anyone in the state who takes the Dawgs lightly on any given year does so at their own peril. Look out world here come da Dawgs. Sic’em Dawgs THE TEXAS BOWL EXPERIENCE It was not the Super Bowl. It was not a bowl that would determine the national Division I College Champions. It was not even a bowl that would have any real ramifications on the ratings. However, if an individual is a true fan of the game of football the 2007 Texas Bowl in Reliant Stadium was as good as it gets. While, neither the TCU Horn Frogs nor the University of Houston Cougars had seriously vied for the national title both were fine teams. Putting two quality teams together that are proud to be in a post season game is a great start for an entertaining evening of the national sport of the Republic of Texas. Add the fact that both teams are of the Lone Star variety, put them in the finest football facility in the world (maybe even the best in Texas) and you have a sure fire recipe for an extraordinary event. The behind the scenes folks in this one were as classy the two programs represented on the field by two outstanding groups of young men. Zac Emmons was the Media Relations Director for the affair. My little paper is an on line publication and we are basically a family affair. My side kick and stats keeper is also my publisher. Georgia and I have been married 43 years. Our side line photo guys consisted of our grand son Weston Mumme and his buddy Rhett Hartsfield. Weston and Rhett are both young athletes from McNeil High School in Round Rock. Since or local paper is based in an Army town our local paper has a great many readers currently serving in Iraq. We have for years covered the local Division III UMHB Crusaders including games in Oregon, Penn, Ohio, Mississippi, Virginia and even Alpine Texas. We had not covered a Division I school before. However, at the request of several emails from overseas we decided to give it a shot. Mr. Emmons and his staff made our job easy. The data provided was well organized and orchestrated on a very professional level. In short we were treated like professionals by professionals. The coverage of the game has been a big hit with many of our favorite readers serving us overseas and we plan to lean on the Texas Bowl folks again next year and perhaps start a tradition with a new bowl and a new newspaper. Thanks Folks Bill Thomas The Future of Cove Football is Alive and Well Byrd Will Be The Cove Hoss to Ride in 2008 Brandin (the Bull) Byrd Almost unnoticed by the local media has been a clear and very exciting picture of the future of Cove football. Let there be no question that Troy Vital is one of the states finest backs and is a credit to any team he is on. Troy is a very talented hard working young man that we all take a great deal of pride in. Like all great athletes on the high school level Troy’s time with us is limited. He is graduating now and will undoubtedly do Cove proud on the next level as he takes to the field on Saturdays. I have often said that one judges a football team not on who they lost but rather on who they kept. Quietly, a young man has come to the front from the Cove backfield and impressed Division I folks as well as opposing coaches in the Press boxes of Floyd Casey Stadium and the Palace of Round Rock. Out part of the year due to a minor injury sophomore Brandin Byrd has averaged over 6 yards a carry from the season’s opening game. Brandin exceeded the 6.5 yards per carry mark in the semi-final match with Aledo as he was the spark that put Cove in a position for the winning touchdown and sent his Dawgs to the state championship for the second year in a row. During the playoff game young Brandin repeated his efforts against Lamar averaging 6.4 yards per touch and cracking the Mustang defense for the Dawgs second touchdown of the contest. There is no question that Brandin’s running ability is exceptional. However, when the 2008 Dawgs hand the ball to other notably talented backs the likes of William Wright and Tommy Mcleain Byrd is prone to do his impersonation of a guard on wheels. Tianna Byrd’s big brother is one of the finer blocking backs I have seen in many a year at the high school level. COVE DAWG RECIPE FOR A SUCCESSFUL FOOTBALL PROGRAM (Stolen from Jack Welch's Holiday Cook Book) Ingredients 1. Hundreds of young willing boys 2. One heaping cup of character 3. One level cup of technical knowledge 4. ½ Cup of sympathy 5. 2 level cups of nails 6. One bucket full of faith Instructions 1. Place young boys at the very early stages of their ambition on various teams depending on their current skill level. It is important not to cull any of the young men at this or later stages due to perceived lack of playing skill. If a youngster wants to play put him on a team. If you have no team for him, make one. 2. Put dozens of quality coaches to work teaching skills and technical knowledge. 3. Stir in character slowly as this ingredient takes time to mature. Occasionally add dashes of the sympathy as needed. 4. Steadily add nails for toughness as character builds. 5. Add large doses of faith on a daily basis. It should be remembered that this ingredient is worthless unless given by example. Simple words will not be near as effective as the actions of the mentors. 6. Allow to cook for a few years at hundreds of hours a year, until boys turn to men. Place on 100 yard field of natural grass or artificial turf and allow to play. |
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by Bill Thomas