Being a veteran football coach, Wildcats Head Football Coach and Athletic Director Greg Owens says he does not get riled up by preseason predictions by so called experts. However, he is likely to use any less than flattering picks for motivational purposes.
Dave Campbell’s Texas Football predicts the Wildcats will finished in 7th place in their 8 team district this fall. In response, Coach Owens remembers what he told then-Sulphur Springs News Telegram Sports Editor Don Wallace a few years back. He told Wallace that there was a guy sitting in his mamma’s basement playing video games and writing articles about football and what’s going to happen. Coach Owens calls the prediction bulletin board material.
He says after he learned of the magazine’s picks, he talked with his team and asked them what they were going to do about it. He says it gives the players something to prove. Coach Owens says who knows what will happen. He says you’ve got to line up and play.
He says district foe Ennis is the preseason #1 pick in Class 5A. Coach Owens says he doesn’t know if Ennis is #1 but, he says, they are a dang good football team. He says two years ago, Lions Coach Sam Harrell promoted a large number of sophomores to the varsity. Coach Owens says that young group took their lumps then but, he says, they were good last year and should be again as seniors this year.
He says he also knows that Corsicana and North Forney are both athletic and,, he says, Royse City has benefited from some Division I college caliber players that have moved in.
However, Coach Owens says he believes the Wildcats too can be pretty good. He says guys are putting in the time and the work and are getting after it. Coach Owens says the Wildcats are not as fast as he would like them to be. He says the Wildcats will have to execute. He adds he loves the attitude of his players. Coach Owens says the Wildcats must stay healthy. He says they have depth in some areas but are thin in others.
Again, Coach Owens says, despite predictions, teams have to line up and play, on the field.
