Cougars motivated by what might’ve been
Falling inches short of playoffs last year, Ramsey has Tomball playing with purpose
Tomball made the playoffs in coach Danny Ramsey’s first season, but came up a couple plays short the last three years – sometimes less.
Their playoff fate wasn’t sealed until the final game two of the last three seasons.
“We had 13 kids injured (in 2013) and still only missed the playoffs by about two feet,” Ramsey said.
The fifth-year coach blames himself for one call that hurt his team last season.
But the Cougars also lost two more key players before their final district contest –a 46-22 loss to rival Tomball Memorial.
“We just didn’t perform,” Ramsey said.
“We played like we had some sophomores, and we hadn’t done that in a couple weeks, in some areas, especially on defense, but those things happen. You want to put yourself in a better position than we did, and not have to go down to the last game, but it is what it is when you play with nine sophomores.”
Making the playoffs this season isn’t any easier.
But Ramsey said they’re preparing for the District 20-5A gauntlet the only way they know how – with hard work.
“We’ve been focused on having much better energy,” he said.
“We’re calling it maniacal energy, and if we can play with that, then lots of mistakes can be overcome, if we’re playing with a great amount of enthusiasm and energy to get to where we need to be.”
They’ll head there without graduated quarterback Mason Jones (Central Methodist) and defensive lineman Matthew McGill (East Texas Baptist), but they have 15 returning starters and 30 seniors on a roster that also boasts nine players who filled multiple roles as sophomores last season.
Ramsey said they started by going back to offensive fundamentals last week, including ball placement and handling.
“We focused on making sure we can control the football,” Ramsey said. “We did not do a great job of that the last three seasons. Our playoff year, our quarterback went into the playoffs with 19 touchdowns and two interceptions on the year, and we had less than 10 turnovers, offensively, that year.
“Every year since then, that hasn’t been the case.”
Multiple players will handle the ball this year, including junior QB Tybo Taylor, who split time with Jones last year.
“He’s matured quite a bit, throws the ball better than he has and he’s very tough to catch in a phone booth,” Ramsey said. “He’s got some quick moves and great vision on the field. He’s really improved his speed this year.
“Running track in the spring helped a ton.”
Taylor will hand off to juniors Cody Stirman, Kendall Gordon and Landry Sipe, and seniors Chris Saenz and Conrad Perry.
“That’s a big part of our allure this year,” Ramsey said. We have a number of running backs … and then we’ve got a couple of sophomore kids who, in practice the last couple days, have really run the ball well.”
The Cougars’ defense improved last season.
They held Brenham to one score in a 28-7 win and held opponents to fewer points and yards, on average, than the previous year.
Linebacker Kohl Kloppenstein and eight other starters return to lead that defense forward.
“Kohl is the kind of kid who’s going to influence his teammates to be at his house lifting weights on a Saturday at any given time,” Ramsey said.
“He’s just a football player.”
The unit also returns Gordon, who plays both ways, junior defensive end/tight end Zacharieh Terrell and safety Jacob Jenkins.
Tomball scrimmages Friday, Aug. 12, at Willowridge and Aug. 19 at home against Navasota, and opens the season Aug. 26 at home against Wisdom.
“We were aggressive,” Ramsey said about last year’s defense. “We were the aggressors, instead of sitting back, and that was something that was different about the way that we played last year.
“We hope to capitalize on that this year.”