Cougars looking strong for fall

The Colleyville Covenant football team is coming off of a season in which it finished in second place overall in district and advanced to the bi-district round, and head coach Rick Jackson said the goal for this year is to go even further.

The Cougars have a good mix of core returning players for next season along with eager newcomers moving up, and Jackson said so far, the off-season has looked pretty good.

“Actually, what we have done [is] kind of used June as our spring,” Jackson said. “There is no contact, no pads, so we can run through our drills and do what we need to do, along with strength and conditioning, which is open to all of the kids. Most of our players are participating in it, and it is going very well.”

Covenant will also continue to participate in 7-on-7 football throughout the month of June until making the full transition to to strength and conditioning and then eventually two-a-days later this summer.

Jackson said that he has been impressed with what he has seen from his players so far this summer, and said that he has also been pleased with the turnout.

“There is kind of a renewal or revival of kids getting excited about playing football,” Jackson said. “The staff that I was able to put around me and some of the seniors that have been here that can provide the leadership to the younger guys and encourage them to play hard. Based on the numbers we have had, I’ve had a lot of guys come out that wouldn’t have played that are going to play, so the numbers, I think, are going to be pretty good.”

Jackson said that he expects quarterback Zach Carnes, along with Alan Maldanado and Michael Hudson, to be among the team leaders this season, and said for Covenant to have a strong season and make a run further into the postseason, it will take a couple of things.

“We are going to have to stay injury-free,” Jackson said. “Our starting quarterback has gone down with injury each of the last two years, so we want to keep him healthy, because he is a phenomenal athlete. We want to keep him safe and from taking a lot of hits.

“We’re going to have a solid offensive line, and one of the biggest changes for us this next school year is going to be our strength and conditioning program.”

Jackson said that he currently has seven or eight players are within 10 pounds of bench pressing 300 pounds, and one that is already benching 345 pounds.

“I think this year will be a big difference,” Jackson said.

This story was originally published June 15, 2015 at 3:28 PM with the headline "Cougars looking strong for fall."