Camp Tour Day 12: The Oakton Cougars
The Oakton Cougars have been projected to be one of the better teams this fall with the return of 18 starters from last year's squad.
Photo By: Marc Gold / Gameday Magazine
Oakton's Trey Watts pulls in a nice touchdown catch against the Spartans on Thursday night. The Cougars won 55-27, sending a message to the rest of the region that they could in fact be the team to beat this fall.
Photo By: Marc Gold / Gameday Magazine
VIENNA, VA - The Oakton Cougars are no stranger to success, but the past couple of years have been somewhat of a disappointment after they won the 2005 state title. The Cougars have made the playoffs just once since then, and last year's 5-5 record and miss on the post-season didn't sit well with head coach Joe Thompson.
To give them the benefit of the doubt, after that magical 2005 season, the Cougars lost some outstanding talent. Oakton sent several players to major college football, and in 2006 and 2007, they were one of the most inexperienced teams in the Concorde District.
That will change this fall as the Cougars return 18 starters, and most consider Oakton to have the best overall talent in the area. Leading the charge for the Cougars will be quarterback Chris Coyer, who last season developed into a game changing player. Coyer is big and athletic, and his arm strength is good enough to beat teams down the field.
Last season was Coyer's first full season of experience, and he should be much better in 2008, especially if some of the talent around him reaches their potential. One of the guys that has impressed this summer has been Jonathan Meadows. Meadows, a senior tailback, has been electrifying in recent scrimmages, scoring in the kick return game and also in the backfield several times.
His speed will make Oakton dangerous on offense and on special teams every time he touches the ball. While Meadows has the game changing speed, his counterpart Trey Watts is the guy that brings the lunch pale to work each day. Watts will get the hard yards inside, and he should have success behind an improved offensive line from a year ago.
Offensively Oakton looks strong, but they will need to show they can make the big plays against the best defenses in the Concorde District if they are going to return to glory this season. Against the likes of Westfield and Chantilly, they have struggled to put it together enough to win, and that must change this fall.
Linebacker Jack Tyler returns to bolster the defense for Oakton, and he will be one of the most dominant players in the region without a doubt. The 6'3 220lb linebacker is a man playing with boys, and teams will have trouble running away from him with his speed.
For the first time in two years, Oakton has a team that should be the Concorde's best. The experience and talent combined returning should give them an edge, but in the Concorde, anything can happen.
Camp Notes:
Big Output Against West Springfield:
If the Cougars wanted a measuring stick, they got it against West Springfield on Thursday. Oakton scored 55 points and held the Spartans to just 27. While it was just a scrimmage, the Cougars showed some explosiveness on offense, something that was missing at times last season.
Tradition Doesn't Go Away:
The Cougars hate being mediocre, and while playoff seasons are nice, Oakton cares only about championships. After hearing Thompson's comments at Media Day, I expect this year's Oakton team to come out blazing. Thompson was embarrassed about how his team played at times last year, and you can bet it was a major emphasis in the off-season that his players fix the mistakes. You can bet he expects this team to turn the corner this fall and stake claim to the top spot.
It's All In The Start....Sort Of:
Oakton must get off to a good start, and that begins with Madison next Friday. The Cougars lost for the first time in years to their bitter rivals last season, and they struggled to get on track until late in the season after that. A win on the road against a decent Madison club will surely bolster the team's confidence, and the Cougars need that badly. While a quick start is needed, if Oakton can get to district play healthy, they should be right there when the final gun sounds in the Concorde.....
My Expert Opinion:
They call Missouri the show-me state, and in this thread, I'm from Missouri. Oakton has not won like Oakton since 2005. The players who are in the system now were either freshmen or 8th graders during that run, so they weren't there to experience it. Before I put too much stock into pre-season hype and the talk about 18 returning starters, I want to see the Cougars win a big game this fall. This group of seniors needs to prove they deserve the hype, and the only way to do that is to be better when it counts. That being said, the coaching staff has been there before, and Thompson knows how to win. He's been successful for a long time at the helm, and my belief is his team will finish better in 2008. I am not sold that this team is a lock to be the Concorde District champions, but they will make a splash in the post-season.
Next Up: The Chantilly Chargers
Andy Hayes is the owner and founder of Gameday Magazine, and he can be reached by e-mail at GamedayMagazine@aol.com.
