2022 Team Preview: Albuquerque Bulldogs
In this article:
Albuquerque High 2022 Preview Head Coach: Tim Johnson Mascot: Bulldogs Twitter: @BulldogCityFB; @abqhsfootball (Recruiting) Colors: Kelly Green and White 2021 Record: 2-8 Overview: It’s been a long time since Albuquerque High finished above .500, but this…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingAlbuquerque High 2022 Preview
Head Coach: Tim Johnson
Mascot: Bulldogs
Twitter: @BulldogCityFB; @abqhsfootball (Recruiting)
Colors: Kelly Green and White
2021 Record: 2-8
Overview: It’s been a long time since Albuquerque High finished above .500, but this year’s team seems to have enough talent to compete most weeks. The new quarterback is dual threat junior Frank Hren, who throws the ball well enough to allow the Albuquerque High offense to become much less predictable compared to last season.
Even though he’s being recruited largely as a defensive back, senior speedster Jabulani Cooper Jabulani Cooper 5'10" | 165 lbs | DB Albuquerque | 2023 State NM will also carry the ball a lot at running back. Senior Damian Garcia Damian Garcia 5'5" | 150 lbs | RB Albuquerque | 2023 State NM will get a share of the carries as well. Cooper, who runs the 40 in 4.5 seconds, is one of the fastest players in the Albuquerque Metro area. All three Division II schools in New Mexico have offered.
The wide receiver corps is led by Miguel Adame, Anthony Johnson and Andrew Roybal. Junior Diego Viscarra is available as well as the Bulldogs look to spread the wealth with numerous players getting touches. Albuquerque High had a run-dominated attack last season but hopes for a 50-50 run-pass ratio in 2022 since they have several capable receivers at their disposal and a quarterback who can get the ball to them accurately.
The offensive line features junior left tackle T.J. McCarthy and senior right tackle Chapel Bray, both of whom have the size and mobility to play at the next level. Believe it or not, the 6-foot-4, 290-pound Bray is also an excellent swimmer and a valuable member of the AHS swim team. Senior Richard Viscarra is the center. Both guards will be first-year varsity players.
Defensively, the back seven returns most of the players from last season while the D-Line will be inexperienced with an array of new player across the board. Senior DE Jesus Vidaca should play the five-technique. The noseguards are Edwin Edmund and Richard Maulden, both of whom will see significant action by frequently rotating. The linebackers in AHS’ new scheme are the centerpieces of what the Bulldog coaches refer to as ‘controlled chaos.’ The LBs move around a lot. Jabulani Cooper Jabulani Cooper 5'10" | 165 lbs | DB Albuquerque | 2023 State NM headlines the secondary from his safety spot with junior Diego Viscarra and senior Kaleb Garcia playing the cornerback spot. The secondary is definitely the most experienced position on the Bulldogs’ defense.
Schedule: The Bulldogs have six home games, with all six coming Week 4 and after. Six of Albuquerque High’s final 8 games are at home. They open the season with a long road trip to Las Cruces to face Organ Mountain at Field of Dreams. After that, though, their longest trip is to Santa Fe to face district rival Capital.
Aug. 19 at Organ Mountain
Aug. 26 Bye
Sept. 1 at Sandia (Thur.)
Sept. 9 WEST MESA
Sept. 17 FARMINGTON (Sat.)
Sept. 24 LA CUEVA (Sat.)
Sept. 30 CLOVIS*
Oct. 7 at Los Lunas*
Oct. 14 at Capital*
Oct. 21 SANTA FE*
Oct. 27 MANZANO (Thur.)
* District Game
Top Storyline: Will Albuquerque High begin to show steady progress this season as they move towards posting their first winning record in many years?
Final Thoughts: Jabulani Cooper Jabulani Cooper 5'10" | 165 lbs | DB Albuquerque | 2023 State NM and T.J. McCarthy offered a glimpse of what this season might have in store for AHS with their impressive performances at the East New Mexico camp in early June. The Bulldogs’ top running back transferred to Cleveland and its top defensive player graduated and signed with New Mexico. But a new quarterback, the lightning quick Cooper in the backfield, some nice receivers and a rugged offensive line with bookend tackles have the Bulldogs in a positive frame of mind going into the season. However, games against La Cueva, Farmington, Clovis , Los Lunas and West Mesa will test them severely.
Coach’s Comments: “We’re never going to have the numbers to drop down in classification. We’re always going to be a big school. At some point in time we have to be able to compete and play competitive football against big schools in order to for us to get better.” – Albuquerque High head coach Tim Johnson.