Pigskin Preview
Muskogee Phoenix Thursday, Aug. 26, 2021
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Watkins era starts at Warner By Nick Hampton Phoenix Correspondent Where’s the beef? It’s one of the big questions that the Warner Eagles will be asking this football season. While the Eagles return a solid nucleus of skilled players from a team that went 8-5 last year, they lost a lot of size in the line
that helps protect those skill guys. After a seven-year run at Muskogee, veteran coach Rafe Watkins takes over the helm at Warner with a little added advantage that most new coaches don’t get. “I got an early start here in March after leaving Muskogee, so I went through spring drills with these guys.
Then we took a break during power lifting season, and I got a chance to see their work ethic. I’ve been really proud of how well and quickly the kids picked up some of the changes we’ve made,” said Watkins. Much of the attention on offense will again be focused on (Continued on next page)
JIM WEBER/Special to the Phoenix
Warner Eagles head coach Rafe Watkins looks over his squad during the first day of preseason practice in August.
