2021 Season Preview: Rouse

The Rouse Raiders will return with a lot of outstanding veteran talent after a successful season last year. Led by junior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id="121947" first="Mason" last="Shorb"], who is amongst the best quarterbacks in Central Texas and threw over 3,000 yards last season, the Raiders have a lot of potential to turn even more heads this upcoming season, and to make a deep playoff push. The Raiders have excellent talent both on offense and defense returning including senior running back <strong>EJ Moore</strong> as well as senior wide receivers <strong>Troy Oliver Jr.</strong> and <strong>Jalen Becerra</strong>. On defense, the key returners are junior linebacker <strong>Jace Mann</strong> and senior defensive back <strong>Jacob De Leon</strong>. &nbsp; <strong>KEY RETURNERS</strong> Troy Oliver Jr. (SR-WR) Starting off with Oliver, he finished last season with the most receiving yards on the team with 1,002 yards and 12 touchdowns. Both he and Becerra were neck in neck in total receiving touchdowns, with Becerra only winning by just one. Together, they accounted for 25 receiving touchdowns. Not only does Oliver excel on offense but his speed and agility also make him a special teams threat. On top of his stats as a receiver, Oliver is also a capable blocker downfield on running plays. He is also exceptionally dangerous on short passes and can turn a quick screen into a 43-yard touchdown reception if the opposing defense is not careful. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/14534212/5f90831219a5001180c0f6f3" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Jalen Becerra (SR-WR) Becerra finished second on the team in receiving yards with 921 yards. His longest reception of the season was a 75-yard pass. He averaged 21.9 yards per reception. Becerra makes an excellent route runner and is also good at making tough catches, especially in the red zone. Much like Oliver, he has such speed and agility that it is very tough to tackle him, but he also has great size and power which makes it easy for him to bulldoze any defensive backs in his way. The duo of Oliver and Becerra is lethal and it will be fun to watch these two this season combined with Shorb’s playmaking ability. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/11440404/5f90a4222aa6ea0a785f294e" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> [player_tooltip player_id="121947" first="Mason" last="Shorb"] (JR-QB) Shorb finished last season with 3,100 passing yards, 39 passing touchdowns and just eight interceptions, all as a sophomore. Shorb is excellent at making deep passes and has great decision-making and is able to make throws while on the run. He has excellent accuracy all around and given all of his tape is just as a sophomore, as he has gained more experience and practice from the offseason, it will be fun to watch Shorb continue to rise. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/12965769/5ff7462790ef8e0bf4306e57" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Jacob De Leon (SR-DB) De Leon is one of the biggest returners on defense as last season, he had two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, one blocked punt and two blocked field goals. Kicking around this player is a mistake. He has great play recognition and knows how to make a smooth tackle. He also has field awareness and keeps his eyes focused on the ball. In terms of his coverage, he is like a snake in the grass waiting to strike in zone, and if the quarterback does not see him, it could result in major consequences. De Leon is definitely a defensive back to watch for. EJ Moore (SR-RB) Moore was the main driving machine behind the Rouse running game. He rushed for 1,190 yards and 12 touchdowns, and rushed for more than 100 yards in five different games in the season. He averaged 99.2 yards per game. He has speed, power and size and all three factors pretty much make the perfect back. If he can get past the second line of linebackers, he is essentially gone. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/11440475/5fb702dcf31c8509442ac134" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Jace Mann (JR-LB) Mann was also a turnover machine last season, also having two interceptions but registering three fumble recoveries. Mann is a determined player, as in despite being pushed back on a block he still makes sure to make the play. He also has excellent field awareness and play recognition and does not get tricked easily. He is also excellent on pass coverage which a great trait to have as a linebacker. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/11832659/5fc57771bd74ad09b0119d17" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong>SCHEDULE</strong> 8/26 vs Burnet 9/3 @ Anderson 9/10 @ Weiss <strong>9/24 @ Bastrop - Beginning of District Play</strong> 10/1 vs Pflugerville Connally 10/8 @ Elgin 10/14 vs Cedar Creek 10/22 @ East View 10/29 vs Glenn 11/5 vs Brenham