Panthers, Mustangs to feature strong offenses

The Colleyville Heritage football team is dropping down in classification this season to 5A, but the Panthers may possess one of the most explosive offenses in state.

Head coach Joe Willis has a pretty good handle on who his starters will be. He’s just looking for some depth. If the likes of wide receivers Ke’Von Ahmad, Germon and Gervon Thothian, running back Mario Ortiz and quarterback Cam Roane can stay healthy, there’s really no telling how far this unit can go.

Roane, who dealt with some shoulder issues toward the end of the 2015 season, is stronger and continues to draw Division I attention. Last week, he picked up an offer from San Diego State to add to the ones he has from Arkansas St., Richmond, Grambling, North Texas and UT-San Antonio.

The Thothians, though, have really made important strides in the spring. That should help the passing game, in which Ahmad accounted for 54 percent of the receiving yards. In 2015, Heritage’s passing game had 2,591 yards. Ahmad had 1,390. Speaking of Ahmad, he has grown. He’s now at 6-1, 185.

Gervon’s four to five touches per game could be important in terms of drawing double teams away from Ahmad. But Willis said Gervon will also see time at safety. With Germon, Willis calls him the most improved player in the program.

“Really, both of them are very instinctive and very polished,” Willis said. “Germon has probably added 15-20 pounds and just become a better route runner. I think we’re going to be much better with our receivers this year.”

Ortiz had 75 rushing attempts in 2015. That should increase. But the running game will feature a little more of Ahmad. While he had 25 attempts last year, expect that number to rise.

“Everybody has physically improved,” Willis said. “But we have some other younger guys we’re looking at.”

Grapevine update

The more head coach Randy Jackson has stood behind junior quarterback Alan Bowman, the more he says one word: Wow.

“He’s really taken the next step, as I figured he would,” Jackson said. “He’s bigger. His arm is stronger. He has all the measurable numbers that would expect now that he’s six months older. Really, he knows the offense better than some of our newer coaches.”

Bowman (6-2, 195) has developed the arm strength to make throws Jackson wouldn’t allow last year.

“I’ve said to myself more than once, what a great play,” Jackson said. “I’m really impressed because he has done some things that are really hard to do.”

One of those throws is the long out route that Bowman will make from the opposite hash mark. It’s about a 40-yard attempt. But the velocity and confidence are there for the coaches to believe there should be no hesitation. In last Friday’s scrimmage, Bowman was 22-29.

“We knew he was the future and there was the potential for him to be a Division I QB,” Jackson said. “Really, it’s not unexpected. But it’s also still satisfying.”

With two weeks remaining in the spring, there is the possibility that Bowman could earn a couple of Division I offers. Of course, those matters take their own course.

This story was originally published May 17, 2016 at 6:54 PM with the headline "Panthers, Mustangs to feature strong offenses."