When head coach Jeff Jordan made the switch to move his Garland Owls from their antiquated run-heavy offense to a spread offense a few years back, he was perhaps envisioning the team he has coming into the 2009 season.
The Owls are loaded with speed all around, and it begins and ends with "athlete" Adrian Phillips, who committed to play at the University of Texas back in February. He did it all for the Owls last year, and if they are to get back to the regional finals again and win 11 games again, it will have to be largely because of Phillips.
Last season, Phillips did the following: 875 yards rushing, 422 yards receiving and 862 yards passing, for a grand total of 19 touchdowns.
Jared Barnett, who's committed to Iowa State, will be back under center for the Owls after throwing for 1,216 yards and 14 touchdowns a year ago, but Phillips will definitely find his way behind center on occasion.
The Owls also return six players to their solid defensive unit that allowed just 17 points per game last season.
Chasing Garland will be Rowlett and crosstown rival Garland Naaman Forest, which came out of the doldroms a few years ago and actually handed the Owls a whuppin' last season to share the district championship, but the Rangers only return eight starters from last year's squad and lost big-time players in Johnathon Miller, Terrence Bullitt and Derrick Osborne.
Offensive MVP: Jared Barnett, QB, Garland
Defensive MVP: Deion Imade, S, Rowlett
Game of the Year: Sachse at Naaman Forest, Week 5
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Adam Boedeker is a sports writer/award-winning blogger for the Denton Record-Chronicle. He could get a single off of Neftali Feliz.
