Near miss last year motivating Magnolia
Spring practices see Bulldogs ready to get over playoff hill this fall
Sterling Doty couldn’t have asked for a better ending to his first regular season as Magnolia’s coach.
The Bulldogs didn’t make the playoffs, but they were in the hunt until the finale – a win-and-you’re-in showdown with Magnolia West.
That experience left Magnolia’s players hungry heading into the offseason.
“It helped us tremendously to be able to be in that environment, sitting there Nov. 7 playing against our rival with an opportunity to get in the playoffs,” Doty said. “That’s momentum, and the kids really got the taste in their mouth of what it takes to play on that stage, and understand that, ‘Hey, we’re not that far off.’”
That experience, and promising 3-4 record in District 19-5A play, also helped Doty establish his vision for the program.
“Everybody wants to play in that environment, so you start having your junior high kids, (and) your grade school kids, being a part of that moment, and hopefully we can continue the momentum and push and have a great season this year, where they culture’s just going to build,” he said.
Heading into spring football, the goal was to continue to grow and develop within the schemes and concepts laid out last year.
“We just want to get further along into our playbooks, with what we’re doing,” Doty said.
“It’s pretty hard Year 1 to install everything, and so now we’re getting deeper in the playbook and looking to continue getting stronger in the weight room.”
Sophomore Jacob Frazier continues to grow stronger as the team’s returning quarterback.
“(The ball’s) really coming off of his hand well, and you can tell he’s more comfortable with the offense now and the tools that he has around him,” Doty said.
Those tools include receivers Cole McGowan outside and Carson Nixon in the slot.
Doty also expects a much bigger contribution from freshman running back Anthony Johnson this fall.
Johnson played up on varsity last year but was slowed by a nagging hamstring injury.
“He’s got good size, (and) he’s great in the weight room,” Doty said. “He’s going to be a power back who possess a good burst as well.”
The Bulldogs expect to be better up front.
They’re returning four of their five offensive linemen, with four more starters back on offense, and two of three D-linemen, with three more defensive starters coming back, giving them far more experience.
Second-team all-district inside linebacker Haden Willis is having a great spring, Doty said, quarterbacking the defense, and safety Michael Garrett, who is coming up from JV, looks like a key player.
“When the ball’s in the air, (Garrett’s) good at going up there and competing for the football in the passing game,” Doty said. “We’ve got to get him a little bit better in the run game, but when the ball’s in the air he’s just got a knack for coming down with it.”
DLs Seth Miller and Jose Maravillo, two of the seven sophomores who started on the varsity team last year, continue to improve this spring, which helped nose guard Spencer Nigh concentrate on track.
Doty said they’re looking to create depth at Oline and receiver going forward.
The Bulldogs’ spring game is at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 30, at the high school, and Doty said they plan to go hard.
“Any time you get out there, there are going to be opportunities for guys to either make plays or turn down on some plays, so the evaluating is never over,” he said.
After spring football it’s right into 7-on-7.
The Bulldogs are in Oak Ridge’s tournament Saturday, and their first state qualifying tourney is June 6 in College Station.
“It’s an opportunity for us to go out there and compete and throw the football around,” Doty said. “So, to me, it’s a very valuable tool for being able to create some good habits.”