The MacArthur football program is one consisting of many peaks and few valleys.
However, 2017 served as one of those low points, for the Highlanders finished with its worst record since 2001 — 6-5 — and were sent home in the first round of the playoffs for only the third time under coach Brett Manning.
Those five losses were more than the previous three years combined (36-3) and only one fewer than the previous four seasons combined (46-6). For Mac, the drop-off must have seemed deeper than the Grand Canyon.
The Highlanders are back, though, and ready to right the wrongs of last season by rising back to prominence in Class 5A.
With the 2018 season only days away, here is an in-depth look at Mac’s depth chart:
SKILL PLAYERS
Quarterback Racer Felter (6-1, 170, Jr.) is back for his second season of varsity high school football, bringing his dynamic playmaking ability to an offense with some new faces.
Last season, Felter completed about 56.8 percent of his passes for 1,518 yards and 10 touchdowns with seven interceptions through 11 games. He was also second on the team with 734 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns.
What makes those stats stand out even more is the fact he was the backup until the fourth week of the season, replacing senior JR Winningham as the head signal caller.
With Winningham gone, Michelle Artzberger (5-11, 190, Sr.) has been promoted to the backup job.
Artzberger didn’t throw any passes in 2017, but Manning said the Venezuelan-American is a sharp thrower and could easily be “the guy” if not for Felter.
The running back position is probably the most interesting of the offense because of how the coaching staff plans to replace Nick Mahan.
Mahan was steady and spectacular, leading the Highlanders in rushing in 2017 with 1,762 yards — about 5.7 yards per carry and 160.2 yards per game. His 26 rushing touchdowns were among the most in the entire state.
He also ranked third on the team in receiving with 18 catches for 209 yards.
The backup running back, DaShaun Davis (5-10, 173, Jr.), saw limited action, carrying the ball 28 times for 120 yards and a touchdown.
Davis will be in the rotation again, but he will be joined by some backfield newcomers.
Jordan Rollison (5-9, 190, Sr.) and Nasir Kemper (6-0, 160, So.) are slated to get some carries as well, with Kemper leading the way as the speed back. Davis and Rollison will be used more for short-yardage situations, using their size to run between the tackles.
However, Kemper suffered a broken arm in a cycling accident during the summer and could miss up to 2-3 weeks of the season while recovering. He is set to return either Sept. 14 at Clinton or Sept. 21 at Ardmore.
Mac lost almost all their wideouts from last season.
Eight players recorded receptions for the Highlanders last season, but seven of them were seniors, including the top six receivers.
Jarious McKnight is the biggest loss, catching 47 passes for 881 yards and six touchdowns. Trey Longacre had a decent senior season as well, snagging 32 passes for 440 yards and three touchdowns.
Tre Currin, Ja’Sean Carter, Brad Hoskins and Ty Neugebauer combined for 443 yards and two touchdowns on 33 receptions.
The only returner is Weston Golson, who missed the first six weeks of the season with a back injury. He caught one pass for 12 yards.
Joining Golson out wide will be Artzberger, Javaughn Foster (Jr.), Aeron Woodson (5-10, 135, Jr.) and Ryan Andrews (6-0, 145, Jr.). Although this crop of receivers is inexperienced, Manning said the players are athletic and have the ability to make plays.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The offensive line was one of Mac’s strengths last season, but it appears to be more of a question mark in 2018.
The Highlanders lost four of five starters, with Landon Martin, Brandon Lawton, Eric Willoughby and McKain Hammond all graduating. The only full-time returning starter is Isaiah Passi (5-10, 280, Jr.) at guard.
Passi tore an ACL against Carl Albert in the first round of the playoffs last season, and though he was released to compete during the summer, the injured knee is giving him some problems. He is set to get another MRI done, and the results could impact whether Mac will be with a completely new o-line.
Matt Woods (Sr.) is another familiar name returning to the lineup. The senior took over the left tackle spot the last few weeks of the season after Hammond suffered a season-ending injury.
Christian Maldanado (Sr.) will be the left guard, and Dshaun Merriweather (5-10, 155, Sr.) and Dyllon Phillips (6-0, 225, Jr.) will share time at right guard.
Dyllon’s twin brother, Dalton Phillips (6-2, 245, Jr.) will clean up at center.
DEFENSIVE LINE
The Highlanders are keeping their 3-4 defense, which will keep things simple for the returning starters, especially on the line.
Merriweather and Jason Arrington (6-0, 240, Sr.) are back as defensive ends. The pair combined for 88.5 tackles and 3.5 sacks in 2017. Woods, who finished with 38 tackles and three sacks, will also see time at the position.
Matthew Santos (Jr.) will line up as nose guard, and though he is lighter than what is usual for such physical position, Manning said he expects Santos to use his strength and quickness learned from wrestling to disrupt opposing offenses.
LINEBACKERS/SECONDARY
Golson will be making the move from safety to outside linebacker, where he can better use his size. Cory Bizzaro (6-2, 155, Jr.) started the last half of last season and will patrol the other side alongside Golson.
Manning said Bizzaro is tall and skinny, but he knows how to use his body to get around blocks and rush the passer. The junior recorded 37 of his 40 tackles over the final seven games.
Ronnie Johnson (5-9, 200, Sr.) played nose guard last season, but he will move a few feet back to play middle linebacker in 2018. Expect Zac DeLong (Sr.) to get some snaps as well.
The secondary is the bright spot of the defense.
Artzberger returns as the starting free safety, having tallied 70 tackles, 23 of which were solo takedowns. Woodson will take up post as strong safety.
The Highlanders replace both starting cornerbacks, but Andrews and D.T. Ingram (6-0, Sr.) both saw time last season and plan to use that experience to assume the starting roles.
SPECIAL TEAMS
For the second-straight season, Felter figures to handle the punting duties after booting 20 punts for an average of 35.7 yards last season.
Evan Breedlove (Sr.) will serve as Mac's kicker this season. Breedlove began 2017 as the starter before being replaced by Rylan Webb halfway through the year.
QUOTABLE
“We’ve got a lot of guys without varsity experience, so we need to do a good job as coaches of bringing them along,” Manning said. “We’ve got them in the right positions and right places, we just have to keep coaching hard and get that experience that we need.”
NEW HEAD COACHES LEADING ALTUS, DUNCAN
MacArthur isn’t the only local program in 5A-1.
Fellow Southwest Oklahoma teams Altus and Duncan also compete in the tough district, and they will look to navigate through the competition to nap a playoff spot.
ALTUS
For the Bulldogs, the 2018 season will be the beginning of a new era.
Former head coach Todd Vargas departed for Madill, and his quarterbacking son, Jake, was lost to graduation. However, with former defensive coordinator Matt Terry taking over the reins, Altus will look to maintain its dominant form.
Terry has already taken care of one important duty on his to-do list — naming a quarterback.
Jake Vargas’ versatility behind center will be tough to duplicate, but Terry believes Kobi Gomez is the right man for the job. Terry said Gomez is a natural at running the Bulldogs’ triple-option offense and will allow Altus to expand its playbook.
Seniors Nehemiah McCaskill, Daniel Riley and Izaiah Hall will give the Bulldogs plenty of other weapons on the ground outside of Gomez’s contribution. Handling the chaos up front on the line will be four new offensive linemen who are ready to gain experience in starting roles.
Altus gave up about 17.7 points per game last season, and the defense appears to be just as stout this year with the return on star senior linebacker Garrett Pride.
Pride led the team in interceptions last season, one of which he returned for a touchdown to seal the Bulldogs’ come-from-behind 26-15 victory against MacArthur.
Three defensive linemen are back as well, along with the entire secondary. With that amount of experience returning, Altus’ opponents might have a hard time finding points, which will take pressure off Gomez and the offense.
“You read all the stuff in the paper about predictions and all that jazz, but I’m eager to see how it all unfolds,” Terry said. “… I’m just ready for cool weather and Friday Night Lights to get here.”
DUNCAN
Altus isn’t the only 5A-1 team in Southwest Oklahoma with a new head coach.
J.T. Cobble is the new coach at Duncan, and he is looking to revitalize a program that has fallen on tough times the past few years. Since recording consecutive eight-win seasons in 2010 and 2011, the Demons have experienced only one winning season.
Cobble plans to utilize the talent at his disposal, beginning with seniors JJ Harris and Jonathon Babineaux.
Harris and Babineaux are among the best players in Class 5A at their respective positions, and their leadership and enthusiasm could be the catalyst for the Demons’ first playoff berth since 2012.
Add in junior wide receivers Javion Dangerfield and Roderick Standokes to the mix, and Duncan could have a formidable high-powered offense. The Demons also return their entire offensive line, with center Sam McGough and Eli Clark leading the way.
Tate Wilkins and Jackson Gregston are battling it out for the quarterback position, which was vacated by Coby Kirkland, who now plays for Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Va.
Unsurprisingly, Harris and Babineaux will play major roles on the defense as well, both lining up as linebackers.
They are only two of nine returning starters to a defense that gave up only 23.4 points per game in 2017.
Wilkins will be back in the secondary, and Garrett Reynolds and Zane Mayes look to become household names in a district known for its defenses. Sophomore Stephen Culberson is a young player to keep track of on the defensive line, as well.
“We’re going to set realistic goals,” Cobble said. “We’re not out here saying we want to win a Gold Ball, but coming off a 3-7 season — which is a disappointment for Duncan — we’re talking about making the playoffs. A district title would be great, but right now we want to make the playoffs however we got to do it.”
5A-1 Prediction
1. Ardmore
2. MacArthur
3. Noble
4. Altus
5. Duncan
6. El Reno
7. Southeast
8. Western Heights