Redskins prep for Hoover
By BARRY LEWIS World Sports Writer
9/1/2006
Union aims to keep its home winning streak alive against nation's top team.
Union has only experienced a few scares during a 57-game winning streak on its home football field.
Since a 21-11 loss to Jenks on Oct. 16, 1997, the Redskins have only had five games decided by seven points or less at Union-Tuttle Stadium. Two of those were overtime wins in '99 and the other three were seven-point victories -- the latest coming in 2003.
The two-time defending Class 6A state champion Redskins' streak at Union-Tuttle will face its biggest challenge on Friday night when they host the consensus top-ranked team in the nation, Hoover (Ala.), at 7:30.
"They are a very complete team," said Kevin Wright, who will make his official debut as Union's head coach. "They have it all."
With someone other than Bill Blankenship leading the Redskins for the first time since 1991, the opener this year was going to be an event no matter who they played.
But the buzz surrounding the game has been magnified by Hoover, which is believed to be the first nationally ranked No. 1 high school football team to visit Tulsa. And the game will be televised nationally by Fox Sports Net (Cox cable 27).
The Buccaneers have won four
straight Class 6A state titles in Alabama. They are 84-5 with five state titles over the last six years under Rush Probst, who became Hoover's coach in 1999.
In addition, Hoover has become the nation's most recognizable high school football team due to the media coverage it has received in the last few weeks.
Sports Illustrated put Hoover quarterback Ross Wilson on the top left of its Aug. 28 cover and had a feature article on the Bucs as the nation's No. 1 team. USA Today gave Hoover the same ranking and similar coverage.
Last week, there was the debut of the MTV weekly series, "Two-a-Days," which chronicles Hoover's 2005 season on-and-off-the-field. More than two million viewers tuned in to the series premiere on Aug. 23.
"It's been neat to get to see that show," Wright said. "It's rare to get such an inside look at the team you're going to play.
"It's been fun to watch and helps promote the game."
The impact of Hoover's national exposure was evident on Thursday morning as there were long lines at the Union ticket office.
Wright does not think his players' focus will be affected by the hoopla surrounding the game.
"They have been bombarded with a lot of that when they've played Jenks," Wright said. "Even the kids who haven't played before have been around this."
Union players have been looking forward to this game since the end of last season.
"It's going to be packed here," Union junior safety Luke Olson said. "It's going to be a crazy game. But we're going to have to come out here, line up against them and do what we do every week. We'll be ready to play and try to shut them down.
"It'll be the biggest game of my high school career. Everyone will be watching us."
Union senior safety Houston Slemp added, "You know about being on national TV, but then you forget about it when you get on the field. You've got to stay focused on the play ahead."
Union, No. 24 nationally in StudentSports' Fab 50 rankings, prepared for Hoover with a half-game scrimmage against Springdale (Ark.) last Friday.
Springdale, which defeated Jenks 44-0 en route to a No. 4 national ranking by USA Today, and Hoover feature quick-strike, passing-dominated offenses. Hoover needed less than two minutes to score on four of its five first-half possessions in a 38-0 victory over UMS-Wright last Saturday.
Union, after being thumped by Westmoore in a scrimmage the previous week, won 21-3 over Springdale.
"It was good to come out and show we could hold our own against a really good team after everyone was down on us," Slemp said. "Springdale is good, but Hoover is No. 1 in the nation and we still have a lot of work to do."
The Redskins, installing a new spread-option offense, scored on their first three possessions against Springdale.
"Things were clicking on both sides of the ball," said Union junior QB Brandon Rogers, who will make his first official varsity start.
"We're excited about playing Hoover. It's a great opportunity for us."
The Hoover game opens a difficult nondistrict schedule for the Redskins, who will play 6A No. 1 Jenks and 6A No. 3 Muskogee next.
"Win or lose, our players need to keep the Hoover game in perspective," Wright said. "There is a long way to go this season. Our goal is to get better every week. After these first three weeks, our younger players shouldn't be fazed by anything when we start our district games."
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Barry Lewis 581-8393
[email protected]
UNION'S STREAK
Union has won 57 consecutive games at Union-Tuttle Stadium since a 21-11 loss to Jenks on Oct. 16, 1997. During that stretch, Union has two regular-season "home" losses that were played at Skelly Stadium. Below is a list of the games during the Union-Tuttle streak:
No. Date Opponent Score
1. 11/7/97 Broken Arrow 22-6
2. 9/3/98 Broken Arrow 35-14
3. 9/11/98 Muskogee 59-19
4. 10/2/98 Stillwater 42-0
5. 10/15/98 Owasso 48-12
6. 10/23/98 Sapulpa 48-14
7. 11/13/98 Muskogee 64-7
8. 11/21/98 Stillwater 49-14
9. 9/17/99 Jenks (OT) 27-24
10. 9/24/99 Edmond Memorial 44-12
11. 10/8/99 Enid 47-14
12. 10/29/99 Sand Springs 45-0
13. 11/5/99 Ponca City 42-0
14. 11/12/99 Muskogee 38-0
15. 11/19/99 Broken Arrow (OT) 34-33
16. 9/1/00 Clovis, Calif. 36-0
17. 9/29/00 Ponca City 49-0
18. 10/12/00 Stillwater 28-21
19. 10/19/00 Sand Springs 41-14
20. 11/3/00 Enid 37-13
21. 11/10/00 Muskogee 50-28
22. 11/18/00 Owasso 25-12
23. 9/6/01 Broken Arrow 38-28
24. 9/21/01 Sapulpa 35-28
25. 10/5/01 Choctaw 51-7
26. 10/26/01 Edmond Memorial 28-6
27. 11/1/01 Enid 42-7
28. 11/9/01 Tahlequah 49-6
29. 11/16/01 Broken Arrow 56-27
30. 10/3/02 Edmond North 48-0
31. 10/18/02 Sand Springs 47-0
32. 10/25/02 Enid 42-7
33. 11/7/02 Edmond Memorial 45-7
34. 11/15/02 Bartlesville 54-27
35. 11/22/02 Norman 63-20
36. 9/4/03 Broken Arrow 21-14
37. 9/12/03 Jenks 37-0
38. 9/19/03 Owasso 13-3
39. 9/26/03 Stillwater 29-0
40. 10/10/03 Ponca City 28-13
41. 10/31.03 Sapulpa 41-6
42. 11/14/03 Muskogee 35-7
43. 11/21/03 Lawton Eisenhower 42-21
44. 9/17/04 Houston Madison 49-6
45. 10/1/04 Edmond North 31-0
46. 10/14/04 Enid 50-10
47. 10/21/04 OKC Northwest 45-10
48. 11/4/04 Edmond Memorial 56-7
49. 11/12/04 Owasso 48-14
50. 11/20/04 Putnam City 54-7
51. 9/2/05 Broken Arrow 38-12
52. 9/23/05 Ponca City 47-7
53. 10/7/05 Stillwater 28-10
54. 10/20/05 OKC Northwest 66-14
55. 10/28/05 Sapulpa 48-7
56. 11/11/05 Owasso 45-6
57. 11/19/05 Westmoore 21-7
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All about Hoover:
Eighteen players have been offered college football scholarships. That doesn't include quarterback Ross Wilson, who has committed to Alabama to play baseball.
Twelve seniors are projected to play major college football next season.
Defensive lineman Kerry Murphy (6-5, 315 pounds) is widely regarded as a top-50 prospect nationally.
Defensive lineman Josh Chapman (6-1, 280) has committed to Auburn.
Offensive linemen Ryan Pugh (Auburn) and Patrick Crump (Alabama) have committed to SEC schools.
Hoover added four major college prospects as move-ins during the offseason.
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MTV approaches Union about reality series
Union coach and athletic director Kevin Wright said he was approached by MTV to have his football team be the subject for a second season of the reality series, "Two-a-Days."
"Two-a-Days," which made its debut last week, chronicles the 2005 season of Hoover, which is Union's season-opening opponent on Friday.
"We were selected to follow Hoover, but everything was put on hold," Wright said. "MTV wanted to see what the ratings were for the series before proceeding."
However, it's unlikely Union will be involved if MTV does a second season of "Two-a-Days."
"I doubt it now that I've seen the final product," Wright said. "It's fun to watch, but I thought it would be more football-focused instead of what goes on off the field. But it is MTV, which does aim its programming at teenagers with reality shows like 'Laguna Beach.' "
MTV reportedly is considering doing a second season of "Two-a-Days," with Hoover again or focusing on a high school team in another sport./