MULDROW FOOTBALL
After going 8-3 and making the Class 3A playoffs, the Muldrow Bulldogs can’t wait to see what will happen in 2023.
“I think our kids are excited for what this year has to offer,” said new Muldrow coach Logan Coatney, who was promoted from being an assistant to the head man after last year’s head coach Brandon Ellis went to the opposite of the county to become the new Gore coach. “Obviously making the playoffs (in 2022), the kids want to get back to that. We want to taste that piece of dessert, if you will. So, we have a lot to look forward to. Our kids are excited. We had a good summer. Right now, it’s taking it one opponent at a time. We’re not as experienced as we were last year. We graduated 13 kids and a lot of production. I’m more than pleased with the growth I’ve seen in spring ball and summer camp. I really feel like our kids are ready for what’s to come. They know the expectations of our program and what the community wants to see. I know our kids will work their tails off and give everything they have week in, week out. We talk about expectations and where we see ourselves going. Our expectations are to win six ball games. It’s doable and an accomplishable goal for us. We were 8-3 a year ago. There are more than four games that will be tough, but when you come off a year like 8-3 and you see our program moving in an upward direction over the last few years, our kids expect that (winning) as well. They understand what we have to do and how we have to work to get there.”
While there are three quarterbacks listed on the 2023 roster, one individual has stood out this off-season.
“We’ve had one kid who’s kind of stood out,” Coatney said. “Our guy is going to be Reid Sutton. He’s a senior this year. He’s played quar-terback in the past. Last year, he played receiver for us due to some other things that happened. We’ve got a senior back-up who can come in and help us, if needed — Tristan Walter. We have a really good young sophomore — Gabe Miller —that’s going to be the quarterback of the future. He’s very athletic. He’s not as tall, but he gives us a different look and different threat other than what Reid and Tristan do. I”m very pleased with how (Miller) has progressed over the spring and summer.”
Muldrow is going to have what Coatney calls a “three-headed monster” at running back.
“Right now, we’re going to be a three-headed monster in Cody Gibbs, Zack Parker and Ashton Foste,” he said. “They give us a very weird dynamic. We’ve never had three backs that compliment each other so well. We’re not going to try to line it up in the ‘I’ (formation) and try to run it with a fullback lead, but we’ve got three kids who tote the rock, which will take a lot of the pressure off our quarterback (having to) throw it — and take the pressure off our offensive line.”
Muldrow’s wide receiver corps may have some of the best talent the team has to offer this fall campaign.
“We’re a little bit younger at receiver, but we still have a ton of talent out there,” Coatney said. “The kids have just continued to progress. One of those kids is Teaguen Collins. He’s a phenomenal athlete. He has good hands and is a very good route runner. Kade Scott is going to be very good. Gabe Miller will see time at receiver. Nick Rhodes will play in the slot for us. He’s athletic, so we can do a few things with him there. Jermauree Palmer has very great hands, is shifty and an athletic type of kids. We’ve got some kids in positions where we can do some different things than we did last year.”
Among tight ends on the roster are Ben Cowan, Michael House and Dakota Rushing.
Three of Muldrow’s starting offensive linemen return for 2023.
“We return three guys who saw a lot of playing time last year,” Coatney said. “Two of those three were actually starters, and I felt like the third one was in every game anyway. Our center Mark Gleason is coming into his third year as a starter. He’s a great kid and a better leader. He’s 6-3, 300 (pounds). He’s got great athleticism for a big guy. He anchors our offensive line. Devon Holland has come since last year. He’s come on, and he has started taking the weight room very serious. He’ll be a starter for us, probably at left tackle. Dustin Pertain is another senior that played some fullback for us and guard for us, and we look for him to anchor one side of the line. As far as finishing out the O-line, I’ve got three kids who are in that rotation. The first one is Tasker Colbert. Anytime you’re starting a freshman, the kid better have some stuff. He works his butt off. He’s 6-2, 250 (pounds) right now. We’ve got a couple of older guys who are juniors. The first one will be Bill Thibideaux. He’s come a long ways. We moved him to the offensive line, so he can help us there. He really has an opportunity to win out one of those positions. The other one is Jonah Claborn. He’s one of those kids who when he starts something, he’ll do everything he can to try to finish it. He wants to be master of the craft. He’s a kid who just works his rear off. We’ve kind of got a position battle going on right now — I’ve got three kids for two spots. There’s some other kids who will give them a run for their money.”
Switching to the defensive side of the ball, the ’Dogs will have a 3-4 look.
“Our defensive linemen will be a little bit different,” Coatney said. “We’re going to base it out of a 3-4. We’ll have a couple of kids who will play defensive end for us. Dakota Rushing is junior with great length. He’s 6-4 to 6-5 and 190 (pounds). He’s prototypical size for that spot. Tristan Walter, who is one of our back-up quarterbacks, is a physical kid who you can’t keep off the field. Will Stratmann is 6-2, 215 (pounds). The kid is a great athlete. He knows how to play the position. A freshman who is going to see some playing time there is Braxton Thrailkill. He works his butt off. Devon Holland will be in that mix. Josh Broadus will just focus on D-line play, but he’s a kid who can help us. We’ve got some depth there. We’ll rotate guys in and out.”
Coatney is high on his linebacking corps.
“I return my starting inside linebacker — Cody Gibbs, who will play running back for us as well,” he said. “He’s got such natural instinct on defense. Zack Parker is another kid who is a phenomenal athlete who will come down and strike you. Ashton Foster will play some outside linebacker for us. Deshawn Wilson will see a lot of playing time at that position as well. Braxton Miller saw playing time last year for me at linebacker. I’m looking forward to see how he can help us.”
Muldrow’s defensive backfield also has depth.
“We’re going to look a little bit different,” Coatney said. “Teaguen Collins will play some cornerback for us. He’s got the perfect size for it (cornerback position). He’s 6-2, 170 pounds. He’s prototypical there for us. We have two kids fighting (the other cornerback position) out — Jermauree Palmer and Devan Gibbs. We’re looking at Gabe Miller as one of our safeties. Kade Scott will be one of our safeties. Nick Rhodes will play safety for us. We’ve got some depth there.”
