MacArthur football coach Brett Manning met with The Constitution’s Kevin Green on Monday ahead of the Highlanders’ season opener against city rival Eisenhower at Cameron Stadium at 7 p.m. on Friday.
Manning discussed a variety of topics, including his thoughts on last week’s scrimmage, the first ‘Hammer’ recipient of the season, his team’s placement in the AP poll and player nutrition.
Defense impresses in Mustang
Mac concluded its preseason scrimmages with a trip up the turnpike to Mustang last Thursday, giving the coaches a chance to put the final touches on their team before the beginning of the regular season this week.
The two-part scrimmage included the likes of defending Class 5A champion Carl Albert and 6A-I teams Mustang and Edmond Santa Fe. The teams competed in a brief rapid-fire session before pairing up for simulated games equivalent to one half.
Manning said the rapid-fire portion of the scrimmage was cut down to ensure all four teams received the same amount of looks.
“We only did 10 minutes on each side of the ball — we didn’t get many reps,” Manning said. “We went against Carl Albert and Mustang during that, but with so few times, it was hard to tell (how we did).”
The Highlanders played Santa Fe in the half game, and though the Wolves escaped with a 7-0 victory, Manning said he was proud of his defense’s ability to limit their athletic playmakers.
“They are a lot bigger than we are,” Manning said. “They had a lot of really good athletes, but I was proud of our kids and the way they hung in there with them because just looking at the teams, you’d think we’d be really outmatched.
“When you get into this second scrimmage, especially going against these tough teams that we’ve gone against, you just really want to keep everybody healthy, and we did. I was pretty satisfied with it all.”
ESF finished with a 5-6 record last season, losing to eventual 6A-I runner-up Union in the first round of the playoffs, 28-3.
The Highlanders experienced some success on offense as well, even coming within 10-15 yards of scoring on the Wolves, but an untimely penalty derailed the drive and Mac came away scoreless.
“(The screen pass) was set up great,” Manning said. “We probably would’ve scored on that, but we had a receiver moving. We got the penalty and then couldn’t punch it in. But we moved the ball and got a few first downs on the first drive. After that, we got a few first downs here and there, but we were fighting for every yard.”
The Hammer
One of Mac’s most prestigious traditions — ‘The Hammer’ — is back again this season.
Each week, a selected player leads the team onto the field with a large green and yellow sledgehammer — an homage to the school’s color scheme. This will be the ninth season the award will take its place within Mac football lore.
Manning and the coaching staff thoroughly review each player’s feats from the week before, and whoever stood out with either a big hit or physical play is donned with the distinction for the next game.
Dshaun Merriweather, a senior, is the Week 1 recipient. He received the honor during Monday’s practice.
“It’s an award for playing physically, and he does that — he throws his body around,” Manning said. “He’s a 180-pound defensive end, who — because of injuries — had to fill in at offensive line. He’s never questioned that and has never not wanted to do that. He just goes and goes really hard.”
Voters give Mac benefit of doubt
When it comes to preseason polls in any sport, a team’s ranking is usually a reflection of how it performed the prior season.
The Highlanders finished 6-5 in 2017 — their lowest win total since 2001 — but that didn’t keep the voters from giving them the benefit of the doubt. In the initial AP poll that was released on Aug. 20, Mac came in at No. 4 in Class 5A with 37 points received.
Carl Albert, Bishop McGuinness and Ardmore were the only teams slotted ahead of Mac.
VYPE High School Sports Magazine also anticipates an impressive season from the Highlanders, ranking them No. 5 in the publication’s football preview. The Oklahoman, however, snubbed Mac, leaving the traditional 5A power out of the Top 10.
Manning said he wasn’t aware of his team’s high rating, but regardless of the spot, rankings don’t concern him.
“We’ve been everywhere,” Manning said. “We’ve been not in the Top 10, and we’ve been No. 1. But at this point especially, nobody knows, and it really doesn’t matter. Nobody knows if we’re good or if we’re bad. It’s not just coach speak when I say I have no feelings either way.”
Mac opens PB&J bar
Even the most seasoned coaches savor opportunities that help improve their team’s health.
So when Manning learned of the food bar phenomenon sweeping through athletic programs around the country, he didn’t hesitate to implement the idea into Mac’s program. Monday afternoon marked the opening of the Highlanders’ peanut butter and jelly sandwich bar.
To ensure the practice sticks, Manning bought enough peanut butter and jelly to last until late this fall.
The bar’s significance is to guarantee each player gets the necessary nutrients required by a football lifestyle.
“It’s basically because the school lunches these days are so low-calorie — they’ve cut down so much in an effort to be more healthy,” Manning said. “But kids need calories if they’re going to play football and athletics in general. To ask them to eat the low-cal breakfast and the low-cal lunch before coming out here and having a three-hour practice in 100 degrees, that’s not enough. It’s not enough calories to get them through that, so we went to Sam’s Club and bought a ton of peanut butter, jelly and bread.
“The peanut butter and jelly bar closes at 2:55, so they’re going to have to hustle around to get dressed and finish their sandwiches before their meetings. But when you throw food in there, it makes them move fast.”
Staff stability
When building a successful football program, having stability within the coaching staff is just as important as developing players.
Mac knows all about that, returning most of the coaching staff again this year. Coordinators Michael Pooschke (offense) and Mike Reffett (defense) are back, as well as special teams coordinator/offensive coach Phil Dennis and defensive coaches Odell Gunter, Leo Holmes and Max Plunk.
The only loss was Manning’s father, Ernie, who retired as the the offensive line coach after last season. Jack Baker now patrols that position group.
Jimmy Hoskins and Shawn Seeley are listed as volunteer coaches.