2022 Team Preview: Cibola Cougars
Cibola 2022 Preview Head Coach: Chris Howe Mascot: Cougars Twitter: @cibolafootball; @coachhowe1856 Colors: Brown, Gold & Black 2021 Record: 6-6 (Class 6A Quarterfinals) Overview: Most of the buzz surrounding Cibola this summer has, of course, concerned…
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Continue ReadingCibola 2022 Preview
Head Coach: Chris Howe
Mascot: Cougars
Twitter: @cibolafootball; @coachhowe1856
Colors: Brown, Gold & Black
2021 Record: 6-6 (Class 6A Quarterfinals)
Overview: Most of the buzz surrounding Cibola this summer has, of course, concerned the unexpected departure of All-State and Elite 11 quarterback Aden Chavez. As a result, Howe, who was named head coach of the Cougars in early April, and his offensive coaches have worked diligently with senior Daniel Benham to prepare him to take over the job. Benham will add an additional dimension to Cibola’s offense because of his ability to run with the football as the 6-foot-5 Chavez was mainly a pocket passer and rarely ran. A strong ground game will take some of the pressure off Benham, and the Cougars will look to returner Anthony Romero and a pair of young sophomores to get the job done. Expectations are high for Romero after he saw limited action in 2021. He has the potential to rush for 1,000 yards, as Howe, who wants a run-pass ratio closer to 50-50, is committed to running the ball out of the spread.
Not only did Cibola lose Chavez at quarterback but graduated senior Nathan Lopez (signed with College of the Redwoods in California) at receiver as well. The speedy Lopez led the state in receptions last season with 88. However, Brandon Castillo is back after totaling 57 receptions for 868 yards and 6 TD and he’ll be promoted to the key role of No. 1 WR. He’ll be utilized in the run game as well. Behind him is 6-foot-4 Marcus Wilson, a gifted athlete who has multiple D1 offers in basketball. As you would expect, Wilson is extremely athletic, strong and mobile. Brayden Mummert is a talented 6-foot-3 tight end with good speed. He had 24 receptions in 2021. Eastern New Mexico has offered while New Mexico, New Mexico State and other schools have expressed interest. Castillo, Wilson and Mummert will be definitely one of the top receiving trios in the state.
Cibola loses four starters along the offensive line with some of them signing to play at the next level. So, if there’s one position on offense that’s in rebuilding mode, it’s the O-Line. Senior Joseph Sena is the lone returning starter from a season ago. Newcomers include senior Damian Aragon and promising sophomore Hipolito Gurule, who could be a 3-year starter for the Cougars.
Defensively, Howe brings a new 3-4 scheme to Cibola, one that relies on putting relentless pressure on the opposing quarterback. Howe likes to shift into a 4-2-5 alignment at times. Getting pressure on the QB is key to his scheme’s success. Senior nose tackle Malachi Strange anchors the D-Line. Junior Abram Smith and senior DE Solomon Spaulding joins him there. Peyton Harrison (28 tackles in 5 games) is one of the top linebackers in Albuquerque and should enjoy a solid senior campaign after his junior year was cut short by an injury. He’ll be one of the inside linebackers for the Cougars. Freshman Hayes Baum, who was impressive at UNM’s camp in June, could earn a starting job at LB. Junior Nico Ramirez should be a major contributor on the second level. In the secondary, senior Nomar Alfaro is one of the top cornerbacks in the state. Kahleb Rominger will be the other CB. Hayden Brownell will play safety along with junior Damian Lopez.
Schedule: Cibola plays its first three games against Albuquerque Metro area rivals before heading to Farmington in Week 4. After a bye week and a home game against 6A newcomer Los Lunas (back half of a home & home), district play begins. Cibola is situated in arguably the state’s toughest district and must face Cleveland and Rio Rancho on consecutive weekends.
Aug. 19 at Eldorado
Aug. 26 at Valley
Sept. 2 WEST MESA
Sept. 9 at Farmington
Sept. 16 Bye
Sept. 24 LOS LUNAS (Sat.)
Sept. 30 ATRISCO HERITAGE*
Oct. 7 at Volcano Vista*
Oct. 14 at Rio Rancho*
Oct. 21 CLEVELAND*
Oct. 29 SANDIA
* District Game
Top Storyline: How will Cibola fare in one of the toughest districts in the state without Aden Chavez playing quarterback?
Final Thoughts: Raise your hand if you counted out Cibola as soon as you heard the news Aden Chavez was moving to Florida. Many did. But the Cougars could have the last laugh. Sure, beating district rivals Cleveland and Rio Rancho should prove to be a tall order but Cibola is quite capable of beating everybody else on their schedule and earning a high seed for the 6A playoffs. There’s still plenty of talent on both sides of the ball. As a result, don’t be surprised if Cibola’s record this season is actually better than 2021 and the Cougars make a deep run in the playoffs when November arrives.
Coach’s Comments: “Daniel (Benham) has looked very good during the summer. He would start on any team I’ve been with the past four years. He’s a good quarterback. He can run the ball. We just have to get his reads down because he hasn’t played much. We’re very confident in Daniel. He’s fast, so we can open up our offense by having him pull the ball and run. It will make a difference in our run game. That should open up our offense a little bit and we’ll have a more diverse style. Daniel throws the ball well. He’s not the thrower Aden is but nobody in the state threw like him. Daniel has looked good in 7-on-7. Our numbers are going to look drastically different as far as running the football. We want to be as close to 50-50 as we can in terms of yardage and attempts. We are definitely going to run the football more than we have in the past.” – Cibola coach Chris Howe.