Watts back on field after ugly 2011 end

— Last year’s football season was very much a forgettable one in Watts, Okla. Not only did the Engineers fail to win a game, but when it was all said and done, the team was unable to make it through its entire schedule.

Watts forfeited the final four games of 2011 due to a shortage of players caused by injuries, ineligibilities and defections.

Third-year coach and Watts alum Doug Ward made sweeping changes in the offseason, demanding commitment from his players during the spring and summer and the results appear to be paying off for the Engineers.

Watts should open the 2012 football season with around 20 players on its roster and most should be eligible to open its 8-man football season Aug. 31 when Cave Springs vists Engineer Stadium for Watts’ first game of the season.

“Yeah I think these guys are in. They’re commited,” Ward said. “They’re vested. Hopefully, they’ll be more vested as we go along.”

Among the changes Ward has made for the 2012 season include some new schemes onthe offensive and defensive ends of the football.

“We’re putting a new system in,” Ward said. “We’re going to try a new defense this year.

We’ve had a lot of teaching to do and we’ve gotten quite a bit done. But, we’ve got a ways to go.”

Offensively, the new wrinkle is a hurry-up, no-huddle offense, which Ward said should help the Engineers. He said the offense will employ wrist bans, get up to the line of scrimmage and look over the defense before calling the offensive play.

As far as the plays go, Ward said the playbook has been simplified to about 12 plays with several variations off of each play.

“Simplicity will help,” Ward said. “We’re going to try and no huddle. I think it will help our kids too. They’ll see the defense lined up against them. They’ll have more think time to be sure and confident in what they’re doing instead of sprinting up to the line and hurry up and try and snap it.”

Defensively, the Engineers are shelving their 3-1 Blackjack defense and switching to a 3-2 look, which should help the defense bring some blitz packages.

“In the past we’ve just sat back defensively, and we’re going to try and get some pressure,” Ward said. “The 3-2 is a verysound defense. We should have every gap filled. We’re just going to have to teach it. Hopefully by Game 1 we’ll be starting to gel defensively but we’re got toget our kids a bunch of reps at it.”

Offensively, the Engineers are looking at a two-man rotation at quarterback between sophomoreBradley Carter (5-foot-9, 142 pounds) and freshman Nilson Magana (5-10, 160), who came to Watts from Moseley.

Whichever one isn’t playing quarterback is likely to play halfback or wingback, Ward said.

“They’ve got to know all three positions,” Ward said.

Sophomore Jake Fletcher (5-11, 121) is also getting looks at halfback and wingback.

“That’s our three in thebackfield,” Ward said. “If one gets hurt, we’re not very deep there.”

Juniors Jorge Espitia (5-6, 147) and Cayton Watt (5-9, 136) can also play halfback if needed.

The Engineers did receive a blow in mid-August when they learned senior tight end Levi Buffington (6-2, 185), a two-yearstarter, would not be available until Week 4. The plan, Ward said, is for Espitia to fill his spot, while junior Brendan Wolf (5-6, 145) also is getting alook at tight end.

On the Engineers’ offensive line, their biggest body, junior Derek Williamson (6-6, 298) will play center, while senior Lance Beavers (6-0, 209) and junior Gabe Israel (5-9, 185), a movein from Gentry, are playng the quick guards.

“There’s nobody going to go through (Williamson),” Ward said. “The kid weights 280 (actually 298). In our league mostguys aren’t going to bull rush him. Somebody that size, he takes up a big space there for people to get around him.”

Sophomore Derek Willis (5-6, 248) can play strong guard and weak guard as can freshman William Mercado (5-9, 252) and junior Zeke Martin (6-0, 216).

“We want to keep our guysfresh,” Ward said.

Defensively, the Engineers will employ a rotation at nose guard between a strong nose and a weak nose, depending on the situation and downand-distance.

Wolf is likely to play the quick nose, while a rotation of Willis, Williamson, Mercado, senior Marcus Scott (5-7, 210) and sophomore Matthew Scott (5-3, 200) can all play the strong nose.

Israel, Mercado and Martin will man the defensive end spots.

Beavers and Magana are likelyto be Watts’ starting linebackers with Beavers manning the strong side linebacker, or SAM, and Magana playing the weakside, or WILL. Espitia can also play the WILL linebacker.

Carter, Fletcher and Espitia will play in the secondary at corner and safety.

Buffington will also play safetywhen he returns to the lineup, Ward said.

The Engineers will also get help in the secondary from junior Shem Shilling (5-10, 147), sophomore Tre Andrews (5-3, 110) and freshmen Forrest Amos (5-7, 128) and Austin Perryman (5-6, 155). Freshman Tyler Frazier (6-2, 250) will help on the defensive line.

Ward singled out Williamson, Willis and Wolf for making 100 percent of their summer workouts. He added that the Engineers had several that missed only one or two workouts.

“I thought it was a great turnout for this summer,” he said.

“It could be better, but I was pleased.”

The Engineers will open District B4 play on Sept. 7 at Oaks.

They’ll host Riverfield Country Day for Homecoming on Sept.

14.

Watts will play other road games at South Coffeyville (Sept.

21), at Rejoice Christian (Oct.

5), at Copan (Oct. 18) and at Welch (Nov.2).

The final three home games are against Woodland (Sept. 28), Coyle (Oct. 12)and Agra (Oct. 26).

“There’s definitely some games we can compete, depending how hard we work and how hard we execute come game-time,” Ward said. “There’s some tough games, but every district has their top dog and everybody gets to play them.

That’s how it is. We can compete this year. I have confidence we can compete and get some wins.”

Sports, Pages 38 on 08/29/2012