Confidence gained at spring practice
In full-on summer mode, Knights nevertheless prepped for fall campaign
The Episcopal football team held an abbreviated spring practice last month and head coach Steve Leisz was pleased with the Knights’ time on the field.
“We got in a week of spring practice and a week of 7-on-7,” Leisz said. “I thought we accomplished most of what we wanted to get done.”
The top priority was a switch from a 3-4 to a 4-25 defense to capitalize on Episcopal’s overall athleticism.
Specifically, Leisz, who will be calling most of the defensive plays this fall, wanted to take some of the pressure off senior Marvin Wilson, the Knights’ much-hyped 6-foot-5, 320-pound defensive tackle. Wilson is being recruited by a number of major colleges, including Alabama, Florida State, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State, Texas and Texas A&M, to name a few.
“Last year, Marvin was double- and triple-teamed sometimes,” Leisz said of Wilson, rated as the No. 1 player in the nation by Rivals.com. “Teams won’t be able to do that in a 4-2-5.”
Aside from Wilson, Leisz noted that Episcopal is tough in the interior, with senior Matthew Leggett and juniors Greg Hilyard and Christian Walmsley at defensive end.
Senior Camden Miller anchors the linebacking corps along with juniors Peter Geib and Will Edens.
Graduation ravaged Episcopal’s secondary, but junior speedster Jaylen Waddle, who has been primarily a slot receiver, got plenty of snaps at cornerback in the spring. The safeties are seniors Bayouth and Jacob Grams and junior John Saucer.
Offensively, spring football brought the debut of senior Gavin Geib as the starting quarterback. The older Geib, who led the Knights in tackles at inside linebacker last season, is taking over for Baylor University signee Preston Heard.
“Gavin is our No. 1 guy. It’s his team now,” Leisz said. “I thought he did some good things.”
At the skill positions, Episcopal returns standouts like Waddle and senior tailback Jake Levrier, who rushed for 31 touchdowns a year ago.
But the biggest attention-grabber on that side of the ball is senior Walker Little, a 6-7, 305-pound offensive tackle. Like Wilson, Little is another highly sought prospect.
“Some recruiting services have Walker as the top offensive lineman in the country,” Leisz said.
Senior Bo Mannon, thanks to a growth spurt, has moved from defensive end to the other offensive tackle spot, while senior Corey Walker and junior Alan Ayanequi are the guards. Junior Garrett Guthrie is the new center.
Leisz said his players are extra-motivated after being upset by Kinkaid 31-27 in the Southwest Preparatory Conference large-school championship game.
Episcopal, which began its offseason conditioning program this week, will compete in three 7-on-7 leagues over the summer. The junior varsity will be in action at St. John’s on Mondays, while the Knights will host a fourteam league with Reagan, Second Baptist and St. Pius X on Tuesdays and squad off against the Spring Branch ISD schools and Lamar on Thursdays.
Fall practice will get under way on Monday, Aug. 1, with the 2016 season opener against Class 5A public school Beaumont Ozen on Saturday, Aug. 27, in Beaumont as part of the Lone Star Classic.
According to Leisz, the Knights will be tested by non-conference games against Beaumont Ozen, private school powerhouse Plano Prestonwood Christian and Brenham, another 5A public school. But he believes it will prepare Episcopal in its quest to regain the SPC crown.