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Muskogee Phoenix Thursday, Aug. 26, 2021
Pigskin Preview
New Roughers coach carefully sets foundation By Mike Kays mkays@muskogeephoenix.com First things first. When taking over as head football coach in January, Travis Hill embarked on a mission to lay the foundation of what was to come. Which, as he points out, is not based on play outcome. “Doing small things, doing the details, is big to him,” said Isaiah Givens, a senior leader. And it starts before any snap, any practice. “We have high expectations,” Hill said recently. “Better in the classroom, better citizens, better at home. Parents like that too, good decision-making processes as well. And when I went about filling out my staff, I went about finding guys who were all about that. Down the road, and while I want to be remembered MPS/Steve Braun as a nice guy, when I see Travis Hill, following two separate stints as defensive coordinator at Muskogee High School, became head coach these kids, I want to see in January. It’s his first head-coaching stint since winning a state championship at East Central in the mid 2000s. men being good dads and good husbands. It’s very important to use football for that. Selfishly from a coaching perspective, I believe it also helps us Record in 2020: 0-7
MUSKOGEE ROUGHERS
Head coach: Travis Hill, 1st season. Staff: Chris Risenhoover, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks; Steve Craver, defensive coordinator/ safeties; Brad Higeons, assistant head coach/linebackers; Ryan Dvorak, offensive line; Nigel Carter, receivers; Keaton Scott, tight ends, Don Mayes, running backs; Prentice Joseph, defensive ends; Anthony McNac, nose guards/centers. Returning starters (6 offense, 7 defense, 1 specialist): Jayden Bell, WR, 5-7, 160, Jr.; James Moore, OL, 6-1, 295, Sr.; Vernon Pepiakitah, OL, 6-0, 285, So.; Kenan Adams, OL, 5-10, 245, Sr.; Anthony Watson, TE, 6-0, 220, So.; Walker Newton, QB, 5-7, 158, Jr.; Isaiah Givens, S, 6-1, 190, Sr.; Ayden Kemp, S, 5-10, 168, Jr.; Teyon Brewer, DE, 6-2, 245, So.; Devin Whitfield, DE, 6-2, 210, Sr.; Ronald Warren, LB, 6-1, 190, Jr.; Deshawn Smith, LB, 5-9, 170, Jr.; Hunter Hess, LB, 5-11, 200, Sr. Others to watch: Brandon Tolbert, TB, 5-9, 195, Jr.; Keondre Johns, CB, 6-1, 175, Sr.; Kennedy McGee, WR, 5-9, 172, Sr.; Kayden McGee, WR, 5-9, 150, So.; Blade Todd, TE, 6-2, 200, Sr.; KD Freeman, LB, 5-9, 190, Jr.; Jacob Jones, QB, 6-2, 170, So.; Jemarian Ficklin, QB, 6-0, 170, Fr.; Jase Garrett, OL, 5-10, 255, Jr.; Brayden Henry, OL, 5-11, 220, So.; Brendan Wilson, RB, 5-6, 138, Sr.; Ian Williams, TE, 6-0, 200, Sr.; Skyler Onebear, K, 5-9, 150, Sr.; Carter Stewart, K, 5-7, 140, Jr.; Jaren Riggs-Brown, DB, 6-3, 150, Sr.
SCHOOL OF MUSIC
win games too. The schematics come in time, but setting a direction is first and foremost.” Hill relied on guys with backgrounds steeped in that, including two former head coaches. He brought in Stigler head coach Chris Risenhoover as his offensive coordinator, former Tulsa Hurricane player and Owasso and Broken Arrow assistant Steve Craver as defensive coordinator, former Broken Arrow assistant Brad Higeons as assistant head coach and linebackers coach, and Prentice Joseph as defensive line coach after serving three seasons as Porter’s head coach. Ryan Dvorak moves to an offensive line slot after coaching special teams and receivers. Anthony McNac switches to tight ends and Don Mayes to running backs coach. All of this follows a year in which the top three players on the roster were lost to injury either during an off-season that due to COVID-19, (Continued on next page)
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