Moore Team Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Get 25% off your subscription by entering Knight25 in the coupon code area. Enjoy!</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's the month of July and that means it's preview time! Throughout the month of July, we are publishing 100 team previews to get you ready for the 2022 season. This is something that began last year and has become even bigger and better this year. We're looking forward to diving deep into the top teams across the state. From defending champs, to top contenders and dark horses, we'll have complete coverage every single day with new teams from Class 6A down to A. In this post, we take a look at the Moore Lions. Under first year head coach Greg Bryant, the Lions are determined to make it back to the playoffs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size"><strong>Moore Lions</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Moore Lions are looking to continue their winning ways in 2022 under first year head coach Greg Bryant. He comes over to Moore after being an assistant coach at Choctaw. He takes over a Moore program that is incredibly hungry and has a sour taste in their mouth after the way last season ended. Moore would finish up the regular season with a 7-3 record but had to miss the playoffs because of key losses in district play. Despite a 5-0 start and a 7-3 record, including a district win over a Mustang team that made the 6A-1 semifinals, the Lions were on the outside looking in. Shortly after the regular season came to a close, head coach Brad Hill resigned his position to become the next head coach at Kingston. Earlier this year, Greg Bryant was named the next head coach of the Lions and he wanted to combine tradition and also put his stamp on his program. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As Bryant looks to turn this Moore program into a consistent winner year after year, he also has the benefit of inheriting a very talented football team. Eight starters return on the offensive side of the ball. And while they'll need to replace their top overall playmaker, they've already seen the emergence of a new potential star, along with a strong offensive line and starting quarterback all coming back. On the defensive side of the ball, they'll be some new faces. The Lions only return five starters on that side of the ball but after watching Moore this spring, those new faces are incredibly athletic and should come along very quickly. It's safe to say that Moore should have been a playoff team in 2021. But the calendar has turned and that season is in the past. This year's Moore football team is ready to leave no doubt on their playoff hopes. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator {"className":"is-style-wide"} --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>2021 Results (7-3 Record - Missed Playoffs)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aug. 27 - Beat Edmond Memorial 32-13<br>Sept. 3 - Beat Westmoore 40-14<br>Sept. 9 - Beat Norman 41-30<br>Sept. 24 - Beat Southmoore 42-0<br>Oct. 1 - Beat Edmond North 41-14<br>Oct. 7 - Lost To Norman North 29-6<br>Oct. 15 - Lost To Union 56-14<br>Oct. 22 - Beat Putnam City 45-21<br>Oct. 29 - Lost To Owasso 49-28<br>Nov. 5 - Beat Mustang 44-41</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator {"className":"is-style-wide"} --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Key Losses To Graduation</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Marcus Dockins Jr. - Athlete</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator {"className":"is-style-wide"} --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Players To Watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='211560' first='CJ' last='Simon'] - 2025 Athlete<br></strong>We mentioned earlier in the preview that Moore already has another potential star that emerged that can replace some of the production from Marcus Dockins and that's 2025 standout [player_tooltip player_id='211560' first='CJ' last='Simon']. When Dockins wasn't in at running back, it was Simon taking carries last season and had an outstanding freshman season in 6A-1. Simon would also line up at wide receiver and also saw time on defense. The Lions are passing on the torch to Simon and this is a program now that has had several very versatile and top level athletes come through the football team. From Deuce Hishaw to Dockins and now Simon has the chance to be the next special athlete.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='391392' first='Denver' last='Wolfe'] - 2023 Quarterback<br></strong>QB1 returns for Moore and he'll be boosted by returning his offensive line as well as plenty of skill players around him. Because of how explosive and special Marcus Dockins was last season, Wolfe didn't get as much pub within the Moore offense but he was a solid quarterback for Moore and has the chance to have a truly breakout season. Wolfe and the Lions are going to be throwing the ball and Wolfe is a good athlete as well. We expect him to put up some pretty impressive numbers in the passing and running game. If Wolfe and the Lions can have an explosive season this year on offense, we expect them to make it into the playoffs in 6A-1. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='157512' first='Jax' last='Rumsey'] - 2023 Offensive/Defensive Lineman<br></strong>One of the 2023 linemen on the rise in Oklahoma is without a doubt [player_tooltip player_id='157512' first='Jax' last='Rumsey'] of Moore. He has been a top prospect for Moore for over a year now and looks to finish off his high school career in style. His recruitment has also begun to pick up and he has the chance to continue climbing the 2023 rankings within Oklahoma. One thing that we're excited to see is how much defense Rumsey plays this fall. We now how dominant he can be on the offensive line but we want to see if he's just as dominating on defense. Rumsey leads a very experienced offensive line group that will certainly help the other two players to watch from the Lions. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>More Names To Know</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brayden Clark - 2023 Wide Receiver/Defensive Back<br>[player_tooltip player_id='916911' first='Cam' last='Hayes'] - 2024 Running Back/Defensive back<br>[player_tooltip player_id='347459' first='Darian' last='Grant'] - 2024 Athlete<br>Jaylen Pounds - 2023 Tight End/Defensive Lineman<br>[player_tooltip player_id='110749' first='Kai' last='Campbell'] - 2024 Offensive/Defensive Lineman<br>Noah Wood - 2024 Offensive/Defensive Lineman</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator {"className":"is-style-wide"} --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>2022 Schedule/Games To Circle</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Aug. 26 - AT Edmond Memorial<br></strong>- The Greg Bryant era at Moore will get underway on the road as Moore will open their season at Edmond Memorial. If the Lions are going to be a playoff team in Class 6A-1, this is as good of a chance as any to prove it as they open the season against an Edmond Memorial team that is on the rise with a lot of young talent. The Lions took care of business last year against the Bulldogs and they'll look to replicate that once again in 2022. Despite the Lions coming into this season on the outside looking in of the top ten in 6A-1, they will immediately jump into the top ten with a win over the Bulldogs. And this will give them plenty of momentum going into the rest of non-district play and a tough district lineup. <br>Sept. 2 - AT Edmond North<br>Sept. 9 - Norman<br>Sept. 23 - Westmoore<br>Sept. 30 - AT Enid<br>Oct. 7 - Southmoore<br>Oct. 14 - Jenks<br><strong>Oct. 21 - AT Norman North<br></strong>- It's not out of the realm of possibilities that Moore replicates the start of their 2021 campaign. They could very easily start the season 6-0 but their playoff hopes will all come down to the final four weeks of the season. That's when the Lions will be playing the four toughest district opponents with Jenks, Norman North, Bixby and Broken Arrow. Luckily for the Lions, they have three of those games at home. But they'll have to hit the road in week eight to take on Norman North. As it stands right now, Moore and Norman North are right behind those Tulsa-area schools in terms of this district. This will be a must-win game for the Lions for their playoff hopes to stay alive. A loss here will cause Moore to need a lot of help. <br>Oct. 27 - Bixby<br>Nov. 4 - Broken Arrow</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator {"className":"is-style-wide"} --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Notable</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Moore Lions ended their playoff drought in 2017 when they made the playoffs for the first time since 2005. The Lions would even play in the 2019 semifinals and made the playoffs in each season since 2017 until that streak was snapped in 2021. Despite going 7-3 following the regular season, the Lions were on the outside looking in on the playoffs. We haven't done the research to make it official, but we can't think that's it's common that a team goes 7-3 during the regular season and then misses out on the playoffs. But the Lions simply did not have luck in the correct district games and despite beating Mustang in week ten, it wasn't enough to leap frog teams in the district standings and they were left on the outside looking in. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator {"className":"is-style-wide"} --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Championship History</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>0 State Championships</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->