Goals clear for Cy Creek in early spring practices
After four years on the playoff outs, McCaig laying plans for Cougars to return to elite
Injuries derailed Cypress Creek again last year.
After appearing to turn their program around quickly in 2012, when they finished 6-4, the Cougars stumbled to 4-6 for the second consecutive season, extending their playoff drought to four years.
So the goal going into spring football was making sure they’re physically ready to compete again this fall.
“With this group going forward it was, ‘Can we provide good competition, (and) can we get physically stronger?’” coach Greg McCaig said. “And that was the emphasis throughout spring ball, and even starting in January, where we’ve really been dedicated to our weight-room workouts.”
The Cougars wrapped spring practice with last Friday’s spring game.
They experimented with schemes, found things they liked and didn’t like, then had a little fun to cap a productive 16 practices.
“By the time we get to the spring game we’re pret-
ty much convinced of what we have and what we don’t have,” McCaig said. “So it’s really more about putting on a show for everybody else.”
The goal this spring was to solidify the lines, provide Luke Allen with competition at quarterback and shore up a receiving corps hit hard by graduation, and McCaig said they made strides with all three.
McCaig also put an emphasis on the vertical game, hoping to open up room underneath.
“We have a tendency sometimes, with all the crossing and short routes and everything we throw, to have a lot of people come creeping down on us in the secondary, so we threw the ball vertically better,” McCaig said. “And part of that is because we’ve got a little bit of experience at quarterback, and part of that is because we’ve got a little bit of size at receiver.”
Allen is a 6-1, 200-pound QB who will be a senior this fall.
He began last year behind Brett Baumgartner because of injuries, then split time with Ross Hargrove one game after Baumgartner went down before piloting the offense most of the rest of the way.
Allen is the leading candidate to start this season, but Drew Gorman (6-1, 190) pushed him hard this spring, McCaig said.
“It’s always about making decisions,” McCaig said.
“So much of our offense is predicated on, if the defense does that, we do this. We build so many options within each play. We’ve got a run-pass option in darn near everything we call, and so whoever pulls that trigger has to see a lot of things, and he has to be able to recognize it quickly.”
The QB’s weapons this fall will include freshman wide receiver Miles Battle (6-4, 180) and junior Gerald Barnett (6-2, 190).
“We have the potential to be able to put some points on the board,” McCaig said.
To score big threw the air, the Cougars need good protection at the line, and McCaig believes they have it.
Offensive tackle Grayson Reed (6-5, 290) is healthy after missing all last season. He’s one of two big O-linemen returning from injuries. He was hurt warming up for the Westside scrimmage last year.
“(Reed’s) already been offered by several people, and he’s a nice, big, goodlooking kid,” McCaig said.
“We’ve had more than a few folks out watching his practice.”
With Reed in the mix, the Cougars were able to move Miles Williams from guard to nose guard, strengthening the D-line, and Brian Forte (6-4, 330) from guard to tackle, improving their size.
Williams (6-3, 270) is backed up by middle linebacker Jonathan Cook (63, 225).
“(Williams) is a big, wide kid,” McCaig said. “We’ve been playing undersized there for the last couple years and we feel like that bigger body is going to help us a little bit. He’s certainly got some growth to do, but he proved to be a pretty good fit.”
Cy Creek hosts a 7-on-7 state qualifying tournament Saturday. The 16team field includes Cy-Fair, Cy Falls, Langham Creek, Tomball and Tomball Memorial.
Cy Creek’s at The Woodlands’ SQT next week.
“It helps because it’s an area of comfort,” McCaig said about opening the 7-on-7 season at home. “The kids are used to being there, they’ve played on the field and there isn’t any travel or anything like that.”