JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
Randolph High School football coach Pete Wesp is hoping the
team’s younger players will be quick learners when the Ro-Hawks kick-off the
2015 season against the Poth Pirates Aug. 28 at Ro-Hawk Stadium.
With 11 seniors graduating from last year’s team that went
4-6 and made it to the playoffs for the first time since 2008, the Ro-Hawks
will have several new players in their offensive and defensive lineups this
season.
Wesp begins his 21st year as head coach of the Ro-Hawks with
a team that has a mix of both youth and experience.
Randolph returns six starters on offense and three on
defense, led by senior Cody Kuhl, a four-year starter on the offensive and
defensive lines. The Ro-Hawks are experienced on both the offensive and
defensive lines, but start the season with entirely new offensive and defensive
backfields.
Wesp said the Ro-Hawks’ younger players will learn and get
better through game experience.
“They have to step it up,” Wesp said. “A younger kid has to
grow up fast. There are challenges that they are going to have to overcome and
I think they are going to be able to do that.”
Randolph is retooling its Wing-T hybrid offense, as four of
the offensive backfield positions will have new starters, including sophomore
quarterback Devin Brown, senior fullback Jordan Thomason and junior wingback
Tae Lur Thomas. Senior tailback Eddie Lopez is the lone returner in the
backfield and will share time at the position with sophomore Deonte Lyons.
Brown is moving up from the junior varsity team, where he
started at quarterback last year. He is taking the reins of a Ro-Hawk offense
that in 2014 was led by quarterback Christian Hosley, the District 13-3A
Division I Offensive MVP, and running back Bryan London, a first team
all-district selection. Hosley and London combined for 1,471 rushing yards and
18 touchdowns last season.
Wesp said Brown is both a skilled runner and passer, and a
smart player who makes good decisions.
Thomas played at several positions last year, while Thomason
is a transfer who is playing in his first season at Randolph.
The wide receivers are Ryan Clark, a returning starter, and
Thomas Larrea, both seniors.
Four starters return on the offensive line, including Kuhl,
senior left guard; Quinten Maturey, senior left tackle; Matt Swanson, senior
center; and senior tight end Myan Holmes. The newcomer on the line is junior
right tackle Jack Brust.
Kuhl earned First
Team All-District 13-3A Division I honors on both the offensive and defensive
lines last year. Holmes is returning to the tight end position he played at as
a sophomore before being moved to guard last year.
Having an experienced offensive line will benefit an
inexperienced backfield, Wesp said.
“It helps a younger backfield be able to grow up,” the coach
said. “It gives them a little bit more time.”
Kuhl also anchors the defensive line, where he returns at
end. Wesp said Kuhl is a strong lineman with the size and skills to be a force
on the line. Joining Kuhl in the line are first year starting tackles Brust and
junior Dylan Scott.
The linebackers are Thomas, a returning starter, and
Thomason on the outside, and sophomore Evan O’berg and Holmes on the inside.
The defensive secondary is undergoing a makeover with only
Lopez returning at cornerback. Sophomores will start two secondary positions,
including Lyons at the other cornerback position and Brown at free safety.
Depending on the Ro-Hawks’ defensive scheme, Thomason will
also lineup at strong safety when needed.
Wesp assessed the state of the defense during preseason
workouts.
“The strength is now in the defensive line and the outside
linebackers,” he said. “The inside linebackers are all brand new so they have a
lot learning to do. The secondary is pretty much new so they have some learning
to do.”
On special teams, Brown will handle the punting and kicking
chores. Returning punts and kickoffs will be Lopez and Thomason.
Wesp said he expects another competitive finish in District
13-3A this season. The district includes Randolph, Marion, Cole, Luling,
Comfort and Ingram Moore.
Since four of the six teams in the district advance to the
playoffs, the playoffs spots weren’t settled until the last game of the regular
season last year, with Randolph securing its playoff spot after beating Marion
7-0.
Randolph finished third in District 13-3A last season, one
game behind district co-champions Ingram Moore and Comfort.
“I still think our district could end up being like last
year, pretty even,” Wesp said.
Randolph will dedicate this season in honor of teammate
Jakobus Beamer, who died in a drowning accident at Canyon Lake Aug. 7. The
15-year-old sophomore started on the defensive line his freshman year and would
have started on both the offensive and defensive lines this season.