Varsity Football Preview
Are you ready for some football?
“The team last year had not experienced varsity football for an entire season. That inexperience showed. It was a tough year but in the end it may have helped us more than we think. The boys now know what to expect and what it takes to compete at that level. The summer strength and conditioning and 7-on-7 games were well attended. I expect this team to make great strides this year compared to last. The senior leadership this year has been excellent and the underclassmen have bought in. The future is bright for Cooper football.” –Coach Brent Landrum
Football Program: The John Cooper School begins its fifth year of football and fourth year of high school football this season. This year marks the third year Cooper will have a varsity football team and the second year that they will play all 12 contests (two scrimmages and 10 games) against varsity teams. Cooper will field a V, JV, 8th grade, 7th grade, and 6th grade team for the second year in a row. The ability to field five teams depends on solid numbers. This year Cooper will suit up 110 football players over seven grade levels.
Varsity Schedule: The varsity team will compete again in the SPC Independent Division for football only with Austin St. Andrew’s, Austin St. Stephen’s, and San Antonio St. Mary’s Hall. The four teams will play a round robin schedule. Cooper will be playing SPC Division I opponents Dallas Greenhill and Houston St. Johns. In all, Cooper will play five SPC teams this season.
The varsity team is prepared for a challenging schedule. Prior to season play, they hosted scrimmages with Bay Area Christian and Second Baptist. Away games will be against St. John’s, Ft. Bend Christian, Austin St. Andrew’s, and San Antonio St. Mary’s Hall. Home games will be against Woodlands Christian, Dallas Greenhill, Rosehill Christian, Cypress Christian, Austin St. Stephen’s, and Village School.
Team: With 19 of 32 lettermen returning from last year’s 3-7 team and graduating 10 seniors, Cooper’s numbers did not suffer. Cooper has 13 senior football players this season. The team has a total of 50 players in grades 9-12.
Defense: The defensive line has improved this year. Junior inside linebacker Emerson Raybon (6’2” 220, 4.9 40) and senior inside linebacker Nick Ruffcorn (6’2 200, 4.8 40) lead the team on defense. Senior defensive end Cameron Ziegler (5’10 180) returns as well as junior defensive end, Stijn Albers (6’2 205, 5.0 40). Junior defensive tackle A.J. Krehbiel (5’10” 220) and sophomore Preston Burnett (5’10” 190) man the middle. The defensive front has solid depth that will be relied on all season.
The defensive secondary has no returning starters but it looks to be much improved from last year. Junior Matthew Musssalli (5’9”, 170) will play the Dragon position (outside LB and safety hybrid), sophomore Andrew Saibara (5’10”, 175) will play strong safety, and seniors Jake Willingham (5’11”, 180) and Cade Austin (5’11”, 170) will compete for the weak safety position. Cornerback has great options between sophomore Eric Grosser (5’11”, 165), senior Kevin Henry (5’11”, 180), junior Jack Wade (5’6”, 155), and junior Grant Huettel (6’2”, 170).
Offense: The Dragons spread offense will be led by three-year starter senior quarterback Michael Gerber (6’3½” 180, 2,531 yards, 18 TDs passing, 3 TDs rushing) and senior receiver Henry (25 receptions, 461 yards, 4 TD’s, 18.4 YPC avg.). The Dragons are most experienced on the offensive line with all five starters returning. Tackles John Finnerty (6’2”, 190) and Ruffcorn, guards Davis Nitcher (6’0”, 220) and Salvador Recio (5’7” 180) and center Krehbiel will provide protection for Gerber as well as open holes for the running backs. Cooper will rotate four running backs this year as all of them play defense as well. Raybon, Albers, junior Mikey Elkhoury (5’8”, 160) and sophomore Grosser will provide a stable of backs with varying abilities. Two backs provide size while two provide speed.
The offense will display a fullback more prominently than years past with senior Chase Warren (5’11”, 165) and senior Henry McNeill (5’10”, 200) will get the bulk of work.
The receiving corps will have a slew of new varsity receivers. The only returning senior receiver is Henry. Junior Trent Burgess (6’2”, 170) looks to replace receiving yardage leader Ray Walker (’15) at X receiver. Huettel replaces receptions leader Sam Hodges (’15) at H receiver, and Austin and Willingham are competing for Z receiver. Wade is a very capable back up at H receiver.
2014 Stats
First 10-game varsity football season in school history
Season Record: 3-7
-8/24/15
The defensive secondary has no returning starters but it looks to be much improved from last year. Junior Matthew Musssalli (5’9”, 170) will play the Dragon position (outside LB and safety hybrid), sophomore Andrew Saibara (5’10”, 175) will play strong safety, and seniors Jake Willingham (5’11”, 180) and Cade Austin (5’11”, 170) will compete for the weak safety position. Cornerback has great options between sophomore Eric Grosser (5’11”, 165), senior Kevin Henry (5’11”, 180), junior Jack Wade (5’6”, 155), and junior Grant Huettel (6’2”, 170).
Offense: The Dragons spread offense will be led by three-year starter senior quarterback Michael Gerber (6’3½” 180, 2,531 yards, 18 TDs passing, 3 TDs rushing) and senior receiver Henry (25 receptions, 461 yards, 4 TD’s, 18.4 YPC avg.). The Dragons are most experienced on the offensive line with all five starters returning. Tackles John Finnerty (6’2”, 190) and Ruffcorn, guards Davis Nitcher (6’0”, 220) and Salvador Recio (5’7” 180) and center Krehbiel will provide protection for Gerber as well as open holes for the running backs. Cooper will rotate four running backs this year as all of them play defense as well. Raybon, Albers, junior Mikey Elkhoury (5’8”, 160) and sophomore Grosser will provide a stable of backs with varying abilities. Two backs provide size while two provide speed.
The offense will display a fullback more prominently than years past with senior Chase Warren (5’11”, 165) and senior Henry McNeill (5’10”, 200) will get the bulk of work.
The receiving corps will have a slew of new varsity receivers. The only returning senior receiver is Henry. Junior Trent Burgess (6’2”, 170) looks to replace receiving yardage leader Ray Walker (’15) at X receiver. Huettel replaces receptions leader Sam Hodges (’15) at H receiver, and Austin and Willingham are competing for Z receiver. Wade is a very capable back up at H receiver.
2014 Stats
First 10-game varsity football season in school history
Season Record: 3-7
-8/24/15
The John Cooper School
From Curiosity to Wisdom
The John Cooper School is an independent, non-sectarian, co-educational, college preparatory day school. Our mission is to provide a challenging education in a caring environment to a diverse group of select students, enabling them to become critical and creative thinkers, effective communicators, responsible citizens and leaders, and lifelong learners.
The John Cooper School seeks to attract qualified individuals of diverse backgrounds to its faculty, staff, and student body. The School does not discriminate against any individual in admissions, educational programs, personnel policies, general practices, or employment, on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, physical disability, or age.
The John Cooper School seeks to attract qualified individuals of diverse backgrounds to its faculty, staff, and student body. The School does not discriminate against any individual in admissions, educational programs, personnel policies, general practices, or employment, on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, physical disability, or age.
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