coach jacob magee
New Wildcat coaching staff holds standard of perfection
BY JUWAN LEE
Commitment is perhaps the most impactful word coaches and players use to illustrate their desire and passion for their team to succeed . Before the magical allure of Friday night lights comes the less attractive grind of the offseason .
However , in that grind is where coaches distinguish who is truly committed to the team and the program . And it ’ s no different for first-year Cayuga head coach Jacob Magee .
The official start date for high school football practice in Texas began Aug . 2 . But deciding who was going to lead the Wildcats
“ IT DOESN ’ T MATTER WHAT YOU SAY WE CAN OR CAN ’ T DO .” - Head Coach Jacob Magee
CAYUGA WILDCATS
during the 2021 football season began months prior . This will be clear in the four captains they choose .
Those are the players who defined the summer workouts , who valued commitment .
“ I knew work ethic isn ’ t something lacking in this program .” Magee said . “ These kids are hungry to learn . Just watching them grow this summer has been awesome . They ’ re committed to what we ’ re trying to do . They ’ ve bought in and are actively showing that .”
Magee ’ s goal this year is not only to develop players , but young men . Fostering life skills is just as important as players flourishing on the field for Magee . He ’ s placed a high priority on establishing effective communication skills in his athletes – both on and off the field .
“ We want to create young men who are going to be successful in life ,” Magee said . “ We ’ re building relationships . Our motto is family . We want to have a true genuine love here .” Magee takes over a Cayuga program who is two years removed from the players and freshly removed from a winless district run . They had been 1-3 prior to their two week quarantine layoff , but it was still noticeable how much the break affected them .
Cayuga averaged closed to 20 points a game the first month of the season . Afterward , they went four consecutive weeks without a single score .
But any pressure to significantly change Cayuga ’ s fortunes in 2021 isn ’ t something that has crossed Magee ’ s mind .
In fact , there isn ’ t too much discussion in Cayuga ’ s locker room on previous seasons , preseason rankings or outside opinions on this season ’ s outlook . For Magee , it ’ s the reason why rearview mirrors in cars are smaller then the windows showing you the road . “ We ’ re focused on each day in front of us ,” Magee said . “ We only control where our feet are at . You create the pressure when you start talking wins and losses . We can ’ t worry about anyone else but us and the details of what we do .”
The Wildcats will lean heavily on their junior class as they look to post their first winning season since 2016 and get back into playoff contention .
Chase Hearrell is projected to captain Cayuga ’ s offense this year . Khristian Roberts returns at running back and will be the team ’ s senior leader .
The defense will also lean on Braxton Killion and linemen Jacob Ingram and Bo Barrett .
“ We ’ re telling them ‘ do your job ,’” Magee said . “ Doesn ’ t matter who ’ s our 11 or who we play . They ’ re a puzzle piece that needs to fit . Everyone is going to contribute to our success this year .”
“ We ’ re going to take each moment and seize every opportunity to get better ,” Magee said . “ It doesn ’ t matter what you say we can or can ’ t do . We ’ re going to show you . It ’ s what you want the kids to believe . If we want to be good we ’ ll be good . And we ’ re going to work to get what we want .”
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