(Photo by Tim Smith)
By Malcolm Butler
Although Cedar Creek lost Jed Worthey to graduation and then Bryce Rushing and AJ Thomas transferred away during a tumultuous off-season, head coach Matt Middleton feels his Cougars still have plenty of offensive play-makers entering 2022.
Gone are Worthey’s 750 yards and six TDs on the ground. Gone are Rushing’s 280 yards receiving and 7 TDs. Gone are Thomas’s contributions.
However, the Cougars Cupboard is far from bare.
“I think our skill players are some of the strength of the offensive side of the ball,” said Middleton. “But then again you have to be able to protect it to throw it.”
Caden Middleton returns at quarterback for the Cougars with Ladd Thompson and Blake Wade serving as the depth at the position for the Cougars. Middleton passes for almost 1,400 yards and a school single season record 23 TDs last year and has the ability to hurt opponents on the ground as well.
And speaking of the ground, the four-headed rushing attack features Lane Thomas, Austin Webb, Gray Worthey and Lawson Lillo. Thomas rushed for almost 200 yards and three scores while Webb added 140 yards and two scores.
“If we can run the football 50 times, we will,” said Middleton. “If we can throw it, we will. Bottom line is what are they giving us in the box and how many safeties are they playing with. We are going to take what they give us. I am not going to be hard headed and try to stick a square peg in a round hole because it doesn’t fit.”
Middleton speaks highly of the Cougars receiving corps.
We have a pretty talented bunch at receiver,” he said.
Carter Hill, Connor Norris, Brian Osborne, Thompson, Lillo, Wade and Jed Stephens are projected as the top six at a very deep position.
Thompson led the group in 2021 recording 26 receptions for 512 yards and five scores.
“I think where we are at it’s getting the football in the play-makers hands in space,” said Middleton. “Letting Lane Thomas and guys like that do what they do. It’s cliche but basketball on grass is who we are right now. Where are the voids in the space and those are the places we are going to try to attack.
“For us it is get the ball in as many of our play-makers hands as possible, spread the ball out, because I do feel like we have some guys that can do that and have really productive touches. That’s going to be a big deal for us. It’s find the hot hand.”
The Cougars will face Evangel Saturday at 5 p.m. at Joe Aillet Stadium in the Bayou Jamb.
“To be honest with you, Saturday is going to be a massive task,” said Middleton. “I do think Evangel is back. They have 28 juniors. Heck, we have 38 (players) on our entire team. I do think it is a mismatch on paper, but I know our kids will scrap and they will get after it and they will fight to the very end.”
