Euless Trinity’s chance to dethrone Austin Westlake runs through dynamic RB-turned-QB Ollie Gordon

By Editor On Sep 2, 2021

[ad_1]

EULESS – Euless Trinity phenomenon Ollie Gordon grew up with two NFL players – two-time Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry and 2015 MVP Cam Newton, a three-time Pro Bowl quarterback.

Gordon looked a lot like Henry last season, running for 2,035 yards and 29 touchdowns as a running back despite an injury that robbed him of 25% of his season. The 6-1,210-pound Gordon even has a sturdy stiff arm that knocks would-be attackers to the ground, just like the Tennessee Titans superstar.

But as a senior, the Oklahoma State’s four-star pledge has changed the image and dynamism of Trinity’s offensive. He’s now playing quarterback – so he has the ball in hand to start every game – and hopes to look like the Newton from back when the former Carolina Panthers star was more than 4,000 yards total offensive in his prime.

“It was really great. I feel like I have more control over the team now, ”said Gordon. “I really always trained with the quarterbacks. It wasn’t a big change, but I was ready for it. “

He will find out on Friday if he is ready to face the state’s # 1 team. Trinity will travel to Austin to play Westlake, a team that has won consecutive state titles.

“I have a feeling if we just play like us and nothing gets on our heads we’re going to be great,” said Gordon.

For the past decade, Trinity has traditionally challenged extra-state powerhouses like Oklahomas Jenks and Union – who have teamed up for 26 state titles – California’s De La Salle (owner of a national record winning streak of 151 games). and Bellevue High, Washington State (the team that ended De La Salle’s streak). On Friday, Trinity will stay in the state and face a Westlake team that has won 25 straight games and is led by the nation’s third-placed quarterback, Clemson promises Cade Klubnik.

“They’re the # 1 team in the state until someone proves otherwise. It will take a lot of strength, “said Trinity trainer Chris Jensen, who missed the training all week as a precaution during the quarantine because he was not doing well. He expects to be able to train in the game on Friday.

“It’s a win-win situation for us, no matter what happens down there. To get on a charter bus and travel all day, if you want to keep up in the playoffs, you have to do that. You have to go to Odessa or Abilene or Waco or anywhere. We go down there and get tested. We have been doing that for a long time. “

Gordon thought he might have to miss much of his junior season after suffering the first serious injury of his career. After running 219 yards and three touchdowns in the season opener, Gordon broke his collarbone.

“At first I didn’t want to be examined. I just wanted to play, ”said Gordon. “Then my mother had me examined. At first I thought I was going to be out most of the season, but then I started doing my rehab and got better and I said, ‘I’m fine.’ “

He only missed three games. In his first game back, he ran for 282 yards and three touchdowns to 31 carries in a 42–13 win over North Crowley.

“It was kind of scary, but I had to get through it,” said Gordon.

In eight games after the injury, he averaged 233 yards per game. This was underscored by a 455-yard, six touchdown game in a 49-45 playoff win in the third round against five-time national champions Allen.

Playing quarterback is something Gordon hasn’t done since he was in seventh, eighth, and ninth grades. He was noticed even then.

“It was an early bloomer,” said Jensen. “He was bigger than the others and faster than the others. Sometimes such a child stops growing and is caught or even overtaken. But he could always grow and develop. It was only electric. He caught your attention. “

Trinity had players like Marcus Ervin and Valentino Foni as quarterback, so Gordon didn’t need it there and has used him as a running back for the past two years. Jensen had always targeted this season as the time Gordon would return to quarterback.

And that’s despite the fact that Gordon will be playing running back in college. In the 247Sports Composite rankings, he is ranked the nation’s 25th best running back in the 2022 class.

“Ollie is a competitor, he’s a trainable boy, and he’s a very intelligent boy so we can take him to different places,” said Rodney Barthelemess, Trinity Offensive coordinator, who helped Jensen this week with the team conduct. “He really took on this role as quarterback, not just on the field but also off the field, in meetings and training sessions. He’s the leader who has to be the quarterback. “

In last week’s season opener, Gordon threw only six passes, but two of his three completions were for touchdowns and he averaged 25.3 yards per completion. Oh, and he also ran for 136 yards and three touchdowns on eight carries in a 45-27 win over Arlington Lamar.

With Gordon now as quarterback, some have said he could have a season like William Cole in 2006 as he rushed 2,966 yards and 41 touchdowns to lead Cedar Hill to a 16-0 season and his first state championship. If you look at the NFL, the most obvious comparison is the Ravens ‘Lamar Jackson or the Cardinals’ Kyler Murray – a quarterback who can run like a running back.

However, Jensen believes that Gordon shouldn’t be compared to anyone.

“He’s pretty unique,” said Jensen. “It has the longer, larger frame, which means it doesn’t look quite as fast. But he’s pretty quick. “

Gordon is a multi-athlete who competes in the 4×100-, 4×200-meter relay and in the triple jump on the track. He’ll see if he can use that speed to bring Westlake his first loss in nearly 23 months.

+++

Check out more high school sports coverage from The Dallas Morning News.

[ad_2]