Poteau Team Preview

<em><strong>Get 25% off your subscription by entering Knight25 in the coupon code area. Enjoy!</strong></em> Stay tuned to Prep Redzone Oklahoma every day as we release more individual team previews as we get closer to the start of the 2021 football season. In case you missed it, you can check out our Preseason Rankings <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2021/06/2021-preseason-rankings/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>RIGHT HERE</strong></a>. <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Overview (Class 4A Preseason Ranking: #5)</strong></span> It should come as no surprise that the <strong>Poteau Pirates</strong> are one of the top teams in Class 4A coming into the 2021 season. We'll dive into it more later but the Pirates have been one of the best teams in Class 4A over the last decade. They came into last season as defending champions and we'll be honest, we thought they would take somewhat of a step back. After a tough non-district schedule, which featured the Pirates losing their first two games against Bishop Kelley and Arkansas powerhouse Shiloh Christian, the Pirates would rally to win their next eight games to finish the regular season at 8-2 and go into the playoffs as district champions. They would make it to the quarterfinals before losing a close one to the eventual runner up in Clinton. Now they come into 2021 with six starters returning on offense and another six starters back on defense. We really like some of the players they have returning on the defensive side of the ball as they have a good mix of veterans and younger talented players at all three levels. On offense, they'll break in a new quarterback but the Pirates aren't a pass-heavy team anyway so the running game will get even more work, especially early on in the season. The Pirates will once again face a tough non-district schedule and it'll start in week zero against 5A ranked Bishop Kelley. However, unlike last season, Class 4A is completely wide open and there isn't one team that is clearly above the rest, like Wagoner was last year. The Pirates have as good of a shot as any to make a run and potentially make it back to Wantland Stadium in December. <hr /> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>2020 Results (9-3 Record - Lost In Class 4A Quarterfinals)</strong></span> <strong>Aug. 28 -</strong> Lost To Bishop Kelley 28-7 <strong>Sept. 4 -</strong> Lost To Shiloh Christian, AR. 34-28 <strong>Sept. 11 -</strong> Beat Alma, AR. 47-10 <strong>Sept. 25 -</strong> Beat Hilldale 38-24 <strong>Oct. 2 -</strong> Beat McLain 28-18 <strong>Oct. 9 -</strong> Beat Sallisaw 34-16 <strong>Oct. 15 -</strong> Beat Stilwell 47-0 <strong>Oct. 23 -</strong> Beat Muldrow 50-6 <strong>Oct. 30 -</strong> Beat Fort Gibson 28-6 <strong>Nov. 6 -</strong> Beat Broken Bow 21-7 <strong>1st Round -</strong> Bye Week <strong>2nd Round -</strong> Beat Skiatook 52-27 <strong>Quarterfinals -</strong> Lost To Clinton 17-10 <hr /> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Players To Watch</strong></span> <strong>Dax Collins - 2024 Defensive Back</strong> Here's another 2024 prospect that should be on the radar of the state. We didn't know much about Dax Collins coming into this offseason but after getting info from the Poteau coaches, we are very excited to take a closer look at Collins. He's an outstanding defensive back prospect that was one of Poteau's top tacklers in 2020 as a freshman. He also came up with interceptions as well. He has good size already at 6'1. Poteau certainly leans on their defense to be one of the better units in the state and they'll be in good hands with Collins over the next few years. <strong>Dean Odom - 2022 Linebacker</strong> A few years ago, Poteau had a nice run of dominating players in their front seven with Gunnar Thompson and Vaka Tuifua. The next one up could be our next prospect to watch in senior Dean Odom. The senior is also a tight end but we like Odom's size and athleticism on the defensive side of the ball at linebacker. If Odom gets closer to the line of scrimmage, physically, he reminds us a lot of Thompson and he was an absolute nightmare off the edge. We mentioned how Poteau loves to play defense and hit hard, Odom could be the catalyst of that unit. <strong>Jacob Smith - 2022 Offensive Lineman</strong> We've mentioned plenty about Poteau's desire to play defense but another part of that is also the running game on offense. Poteau, as a physical football team wants to run the ball on offense. That's been the identity for many years now. Anchoring the offensive line and leading that powerful running attack will be senior Jacob Smith. At 6'4 and over 300 pounds, Smith towers over opponents on the offensive line and can open the hole in a hurry. Poteau will utilize several different players in the running game but it will be Smith that is leading the way and opening the holes. <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>More Names</strong></span> <strong>Jaxton Rutledge - 2022 Quarterback</strong> <strong>Jeffrey Martin - 2022 Athlete</strong> <strong>Todd Mattox - 2022 Running Back</strong> <strong>Will Restine - 2023 Offensive Lineman</strong> <hr /> <strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Notable</span></strong> Poteau is in the middle of one of their best runs in recent memory. They are 34-5 in the last three seasons and that's good for the second most wins in Class 4A during that stretch. They only trail Tuttle, who has 35 wins during that that same time. Just like Tuttle, the Pirates believe they have what it takes to make another run to the state championship game. They captured their first state title just a couple years ago and have the make up to do it once again. Head coach Greg Werner returned to Poteau for his second stint as the Pirate head coach back in 2019. Werner left Poteau back in 2015 and also left Oklahoma when he took over at Van Buren in Arkansas. A few years later, he returned to coach at Hilldale and after Forrest Mazey took the McAlester job in the spring of 2019, Werner returned and led the Pirates to the state championship that fall. Werner, in our opinion, is one of the more underrated coaches in Oklahoma today. He's one of a handful of active coaches who have over 200 career victories and he'll be bumping up that number this season. <hr /> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>2021 Schedule/Games To Watch</strong></span> <strong>Aug. 27 - Bishop Kelley</strong> - Despite Poteau being one of the winningest teams in 4A over the last three seasons, they've played some tough non-district opponents. And because of that, they've dropped their season openers in the last two years, including that championship season in 2019. Last year, they came to Tulsa and were beat up by Bishop Kelley 28-7. They'll play host to the Comets this fall and will want to get out to a good start because the September schedule is the toughest part. The non-district schedule is once again tough and arguably their toughest district match-up takes place in week four. Sept. 3 - Shiloh Christian, AR. Sept. 10 - AT Alma <strong>Sept. 24 - AT Hilldale</strong> - This will arguably the biggest game on Poteau's schedule this fall. After a tough non-district schedule, the Pirates will enjoy a bye week in week three before opening up district play in week four. They'll travel to face a Hilldale team that comes in at #3 in our preseason rankings. This battle of top five teams in Class 4A will more than likely decide the district championship. Other teams might have something to say about that but this district is, in our opinion, very top heavy and Poteau and Hilldale are those two teams at the top. Both teams are state championship contenders. Oct. 1 - McLain Oct. 8 - AT Sallisaw Oct. 14 - AT Stilwell Oct. 22 - Muldrow Oct. 29 - AT Fort Gibson Nov. 5 - Broken Bow <hr /> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Championship History</strong></span> <em><strong>1 State Championship</strong></em> 2019 - Beat Weatherford 9-7