Sunday, July 27, 2008

PrepNation 101 Preseason FB Countdown: No. 52 Olive Branch

52. Olive Branch (Miss.)
Last season’s record: 11-3, lost in Class 5A semifinals
Coach: Scott Samsel
Key players: DB/RB Rod Woodson (6-0, 200, Sr.), DB Keshun Cowan (6-0, 180, Sr.), OG Demarcus Harris (6-3, 285, Sr.), OT Damien Robinson (6-7, 330, Jr.), OT Aubrey Phillips (6-6, 330, Sr.), QB Clint Wilson (6-0, 180, Sr.)
Biggest strength: Skill players, offensive line
Question mark: Can they get over the South Panola hurdle?
Outlook: The Conquistadors probably can’t help but thinking "What if?" As in, what if nationally ranked rival South Panola – owner of the nation’s current win streak (75) – wasn’t on their schedule so often. Olive Branch has lost only nine games the last four seasons and seven of those losses (three in the playoffs) were at the hands of the Tigers. Third-year head coach Samsel hopes this is the breakthrough year for his squad against South Panola and time for it to win its first state championship. Alabama recruit Woodson, a three-year starter, is a one-man wrecking crew in the secondary. As a junior, he led the team in tackles (140) and made two interceptions. In limited duty as a running back, he also averaged 9 yards a carry. The strength of the offense will be the in the trenches where three Division I-caliber players will line up. At one tackle is Phillips, a transfer from Memphis who will play next season at the University of Tennessee. The other tackle is Robinson, a junior who already has college coaches lining up for his services.
Toughest games: Aug. 30 vs. Pahokee (Fla.) (at Miami), Oct. 3 vs. South Panola, Oct. 24 vs. Starkville, Nov. 7 vs. Tupelo

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Pahokee will make them look like a JV team.

Anonymous said...

We will see about that on August 30. Florida will likely see 2 losses to Mississippi football this year. Let the lesson in Mississippi football begin!

Anonymous said...

Pahokee will be seein some big boys on that o line. Good luck with that.

Anonymous said...

OB's offensive line: (By the way the stats posted on this site are a bit off)

Harris: 6'3 310
Robinson 6'8 310
Easterwood 6'4 290
Coleman 6'5 295
Phillips 6'6 320

Phillips signed with UT, Easterwood has an offer from UT, Harris has offers and the others are juniors that are getting offers

3 cornerbacks are getting sec looks and the safety signed with bama. The junior Runnin backs will have d-1 offers.

Our passing game will be outstanding to.
I am just stating this because I want people to know that this will probably be the best class ever at OB.
I know Pahokee is very good. I just want you to know we are pretty good too.

Jamie DeMoney said...

I was not aware that Easterwood had transferred to Olive Branch. Can you provide a link?

Anonymous said...

Yes....Pahokee will see some big, slow boys. Wait till you get a taste of that Florida speed. You don't see teams this fast in Mississippi.

Anonymous said...

This is the only valid link I can give you. It is the roster we entered for Hoover Southeastern Select 7 on 7

http://select7on7.com/schools/display.php?school_id=17 week ago.

The CBHS RB, Eric Watson is on the team as well.

Anonymous said...

dont forget olive branch has a good depth on defensive line and a big on by the name of reginald williams

Anonymous said...

and a big one is wat i meant

Anonymous said...

To the guy that said, "You don't see teams this fast in Mississippi."

I am originally from Jackson, MS, but I've been living in Orlando for over a year. I went to a lot of hs football games last season (even the championships @ the citrus bowl) and let me say this, "Speed is everywhere." Did I see some fast guy last season? Yes I did, but I also noticed, "Mississippi Hs defenses are more disciplined and take better angles than Florida schools." I don't think speed will be an issue on Aug. 30

I see the same amount of speed when I watch a jps (jackson public schools) game. Not a Madison, Clinton, Pearl, or Brandon game, but a jps game (all of my mississippians know that Jackson has become king of the basketball court and the only consistent program in jps is Provine.) I honestly believe South Panola could've beaten Northwestern last year (and I liked everything I saw about them).

I'm not going say who's going to win in the two MS vs. FL games because games are won on the field. I don't think it will be like some people think. Remember this, "Per capita Mississippi is one of richest states when it comes to talent. Sports, Music, etc.

I might have to make the 3hr drive to Miama.

Anonymous said...

To the guy that said, "You don't see teams this fast in Mississippi."

I am originally from Jackson, MS, but I've been living in Orlando for over a year. I went to a lot of hs football games last season (even the championships @ the citrus bowl) and let me say this, "Speed is everywhere." Did I see some fast guy last season? Yes I did, but I also noticed, "Mississippi Hs defenses are more disciplined and take better angles than Florida schools." I don't think speed will be an issue on Aug. 30

I see the same amount of speed when I watch a jps (jackson public schools) game. Not a Madison, Clinton, Pearl, or Brandon game, but a jps game (all of my mississippians know that Jackson has become king of the basketball court and the only consistent program in jps is Provine.) I honestly believe South Panola could've beaten Northwestern last year (and I liked everything I saw about them).

I'm not going say who's going to win in the two MS vs. FL games because games are won on the field. I don't think it will be like some people think. Remember this, "Per capita Mississippi is one of richest states when it comes to talent. Sports, Music, etc.

I might have to make the 3hr drive to Miami

Anonymous said...

to the guy that said speed in mississippi is on par with speed in florida, that may be correct...but there's florida speed, and then above that there's "muck city speed"

these kids in pahokee grow up chasing rabbits through sugar cane fields. The 3 schools in "muck city" are perrenial powers year in and year out in their respective classes. It's a small area population wise, but if you took the fastest 5 kids from muck city they'd probably when a relay race against the fastest five kids from *insert any city in the country*

imagine catching a rabbit with your bare hands, running on soft ground...these kids are faster than normal because they've had to be fast just to survive...for many of these families if they don't catch rabbits then they dont eat

Anonymous said...

47-48 Olive Branch. sorry pahokee mississippi was too much

Anonymous said...

GO OB!!!!!!! PAHOKEE DIDNT WANT NONE OF US MISSISSPPI BOYS

Anonymous said...

Olive Branch defeating Pahokee 48-47 was no big deal.We expected nothing less than victory from our Quistors!PHS had speed but OB has both size and speed.Florida fans make too big a deal about speed,in MS speed is nice but sometimes you have to bull your way to victory.WAY TO GO QUIRTORS !!!!

Anonymous said...

WAY TO GO QUISTORS !!!!!!

Anonymous said...

lol...yeah, nice "win" against Pahokee's 2nd team O and D. 47-20 until Pahokee took there starters out and started to coast. You guys really wanna crow about this?

Anonymous said...

When it looked like the Quistors were coming back why didn't the so called starters come back in the game. Football is played to the very end. Nobody wants to hear your excuses about the starters not being in the game. Maybe the Pahokee kids are as good as you guys say, but it seems the coaches let them down.

kee22cowan said...

Lol interception by who yours truely Keshun Cowan

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