Urdquidi set to return for Decatur.
DECATUR -- Senior quarterback/linebacker Victor Urquidi is back in a football uniform and Bulldogs coach Shane Holland couldn't be happier.
Urquidi missed all of his junior season after having shoulder surgery last August.
As a sophomore, Urquidi was Decatur's go-to player on both sides of the ball as the Bulldogs went 6-5 while advancing to the playoffs for the first time since the 1997 season.
In 2012, Urquidi rushed 184 times for 1,222 yards and 18 touchdowns while completing 53 of 108 passes for 798 yards and eight touchdowns. From his linebacker spot, he had 140 tackles, including 79 solo stops, as the Bulldogs went 5-3 in the Class 2A-4 Conference.
"Victor makes us look better immediately," Holland said. "Victor looks good, and he is throwing the ball very well. He is throwing the ball better than he did before."
Victor Urquidi will not have one of his favorite targets this fall. His twin brother, Mario, is not playing football in order to concentrate on basketball.
"We hate to lose him, but I also understand that he wants to work on his basketball skills," Holland said.
Holland will be entering his fourth season at the school, and this is the first time the Bulldogs have had a full schedule of spring practices.
The Bulldogs had 23 players suited out as they concluded spring drills last month.
"It's going real good," Holland said. "That is a decent number for us, and that is up a little bit."
Pioneers adjust to replace Cousins at QB.
GENTRY -- Replacing quarterback Jarod Cousins will be a task for Gentry coach Brian Little, but he's pleased with a talented group of players returning at the skill positions.
Cousins accounted for more than 2,700 yards of total offense and 23 touchdowns in helping the Pioneers to a 6-5 finish and a return to the playoffs.
Rising junior Stone Faulkenberry, who served as Cousins' backup the past two seasons, took the majority of snaps at quarterback in spring practice, which was held last month.
Cousins' loss will be felt for sure, Little said.
He pointed out that moving Faulkenberry to quarterback also takes away the Pioneers' leading receiver. But he's excited about the prospects for returnees like Jon Brown, Dustin Stoufflet and Kevin Easter.
Bryan Harris didn't play last season, but should give the Pioneers added speed in the fall as a junior.
Brown and Harris were away to compete in the decathlon, but that's par for the course in the spring, Little said.
"That's something we just have to deal with because kids have lots of different things going on and even coaches," Little said.
The Pioneers finished up spring workouts but didn't have a scrimmage because of their lack of numbers, Little said.
Sports on 06/12/2014