4 minute read
New Era Begins for Sabercat Football
Southmoore hires Jake Monden as their new head football coach. Monden said the opportunity to lead the Sabercats’ program was too attractive to pass up.
“I couldn’t be more impressed with the alignment and the ability for (Southmoore football) to be really, really great,” Monden shared. “We’re going to make it great. It’s an exciting time for us and everybody involved.”
Monden mentioned how Southmoore reminds him of several Arkansas powerhouses he’s familiar with in Bryant High School and Bentonville High School.
“With the ability, with the facilities, the commitment of the community, you look at the leadership right now in place from the administrative standpoint to the area itself and just how well it’s thriving right now, there’s just so many things that check so many boxes. right now—we can make this thing go and turn this thing into something to be very proud of.”
Part of the fit for Monden was the opportunity to come home. Monden is a 1999 graduate of Noble High School. He returns to the Oklahoma City metro looking to restore the Southmoore program. Monden brings a decorated track record with him.
In 2010, Monden became the defensive coordinator at Mineral Springs High School in Arkansas. In his three seasons with the Hornets’ program, Mineral Springs amassed 30 wins and his defensive units led the state with 120 takeaways in that three-year span.
During the 2012 season, Monden and Mineral Springs advanced to the state semifinals. In 2013, Monden became the defensive coordinator at El Dorado High School in Arkansas. In his first season with that program, the Wildcats won the 2013 6A state championship after replacing nine defensive starters.
That 2013 defense forced 43 takeaways in 13 games. In the 2014 and 2015 seasons at El Dorado, Monden and the Wildcats advanced to two more state semifinal games.
In 2016, Monden was named the head football coach at Camden Fairview High School in Arkansas. In his six seasons leading the Cardinals, Camden Fairview won 44 games and made five consecutive Arkansas playoff appearances.
This past season, Camden Fairview won the 5A-South Conference outright with a 6-0 conference record and Monden was named 5A South Coach of the Year. He was also a semifinalist for Arkansas 5A Coach of the Year.
What kind of offenses and defenses does he want to employ at Southmoore? Monden said he is focused on being efficient and seizing opportunities.
“The biggest thing is just being efficient with the football and being intelligent with it, putting your kids in good situations,” Monden said of his offensive gameplan. “We’re going to put our kids at Southmoore in the best situation possible to compete every Friday night.”
Defensively, Monden expects more of what he’s built throughout his coaching career. “I’ve cut my teeth really on defense in the state of Arkansas and kind of made a name for myself,” he shared. “We’re going to be very sound, very intelligent. We’re going to be a team that makes you earn it and be tough to score on.”
“We’re going to be an opportunistic defense, but we’re going to be very sound and get after people,” he added.
Monden said one of his first orders of business is to bring enthusiasm back to the Southmoore program.
“I think the biggest thing coming in, I’ve kind of got to get a feel for how things work at Southmoore,” he said. “That way we can employ our program and what we’re trying to accomplish. Then, get people excited, getting the kids excited about competing in this game. That’s built in the offseason through summer pride and putting the weight room culture in.
“We’re going to compete at everything we do. I think it’s going to be a big deal for us to have our kids ready to play and have them explosive at the right time of year, to have those kids confident and prepared.” –19SM
