Here you will find a breakdown of the Eagles’ team roster. There are individual sections, each devoted to a different concept. All of the information has been provided by head coach Rick Hurst. Below you will find the projected starters on offense and defense. The impact players, as chosen by Hurst, which are players who are very good at their positions and are bound to have a good season, which will have a big impact on the team. The MIP is the most improved player. The breakout player is exactly that, a player who surprised coach in camp and could have a huge year. The x-factor is a player with potential and if he buys into the system and works hard, could have a good season.
Impact players
QB Austin Holloway
WR Josh Sims
RB/LB Carlos Huggins
C Jason Cloer
RG/DE Ty Hollingsworth
DE Arthur Holmes
RB Andrew Henderson
FS Taj Horton
LT Chandler Sweat
MIP
I am going to have to say the entire offensive line is the most improved. They are better right now than at any point in time last season. As they continue to jell this group could be very good by the end of the year. Success means something to them, and they work very well together. All of them are extremely intelligent players that have a lot of fight about them. I look forward to seeing them mature and improve even more as the season progresses. We will go as a team as this group goes.
Breakout Player
Carlos Huggins (Carlos is a two way player with ability to make plays on both sides of the ball. He will be counted on heavily.)
X-Factor
RB Eric Stokes
This kid can fly. He is only a tenth grader, but when he gets in the open field it could be over. He has to improve his pass catching skills and his blocking, but he works hard and takes a lot of pride in all he does. The sky is the limit for this guy once he learns what we expect from him on a daily basis. With Carlos Huggins playing a lot on the defensive side of the ball, Eric needs to mature early so that we can take some of the load off Carlos.
The Covington News: How’s the team doing as far as the new coaches go?
Rick Hurst: They’re doing great. The team’s responding to coach Jordan and coach Bailey well. I really enjoy having those guys out here. The guys like them and they get along with them really well. They know that they’ve played at a high level, coach Bailey being from here helps. All of them know and have heard about him and all that stuff before. so it make’s a big difference when they understand that he’s been here and knows how we expect them to play.
CN: How’s your guy Austin Holloway doing in practice?
Hurst: He’s doing well. Had a real good scrimmage the other night. He threw a couple of deep balls that were probably 45/50 yards on the money. If we give him time and even when we don’t he can breakout and make things happen. That’s what’s good about him, he can use his legs to create plays that might normally break down for somebody else. It’s good to have somebody back there that can run around and make something happen.
CN: Is there anything specifically you guys wanna work on going forward?
Hurst: I told them at the beginning, we wanna improve every week. I wanna see them improve. I expect a lot of good effort and that’s what we gotta have. As long as we got that, then everything else we can correct. I expect them to go out there and play physical and fly around the football and offensively be able to put some points on the board when we get an opportunity.
