Eufaula Ironheads OK 2023 Team Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Get 25% off your subscription by entering Knight25 in the coupon code area. Enjoy!</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's the month of July and that means it's preview time! Throughout the month of July and into August, we are publishing well over 100 in-depth team previews to get you completely ready for the 2023 football season. This is something that began in 2021 and has continued to get bigger every single year. We're looking forward to diving deep into the top teams across the state. From defending champions, to top contenders and plenty of dark horses, we'll have complete coverage every single day with new teams from Class 6A, all the way down to the addition of 8-man coverage this year with Class B and C. In this post, we take a look at the Eufaula Ironheads.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Eufaula Ironheads</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Preseason Prep Redzone Ranking: UR</strong><br><strong>Preseason Coaches Ranking: UR</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Eufaula is coming off back to back seasons where they won double digit games and the district championship. The Ironheads are looking to do that again as we enter the 2023 football season. At this time last year, the Ironheads had high expectations as they returned one of the top quarterbacks in the class and had just had a 12-2 season that ended in the semifinals with a loss to the eventual state champions. The 2022 season saw them win ten games again along with the district championship and it followed a similar path. The Ironheads lost their season opener in a competitive game with Vian. And then Eufaula didn't lose again the rest of the regular season. They won a close 24-21 district championship showdown with Idabel in the final week of the regular season and because of that, they captured another district title as they headed into the playoffs. The tenth win came in the first round when they survived a scare from Henryetta, winning 14-12. But the season came to an end the next week after losing to Claremore Sequoyah. The season came to an abrupt end but they're hopeful for another district title and double digit wins.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Ironheads do bring back the majority of their starters coming into this season so they should be in contention once again in the district and beyond. The offense brings back seven starters on that side of the ball but it also brings the biggest question mark with the Ironheads this season. They've had one of the best quarterbacks in Class 2A over the last few seasons with Luke Adcock and now that he has graduated, this Ironhead offense will look a little different as we head into the 2023 season. Whoever that quarterback is will benefit from having some serious production at the running back and wide receiver position. The defense also brings back six starters on that side of the ball and will look to be just as stout as we saw from them last season. With the exception of their two losses, this was a defense that played lights out throughout the season. If they show a decent amount of improvement, the Ironheads will be in a good position in the district title race. If they can capture another district championship, that will set them up for a solid path when the playoffs roll around.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>2022 RESULTS (10-2 Record - Lost In Class 2A 2nd Round)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sept. 2 - Lost To Vian 40-26<br>Sept. 9 - Beat Tahlequah Sequoyah 42-14<br>Sept. 16 - Beat Checotah 45-7<br>Sept. 23 - Beat Spiro 48-13<br>Sept. 30 - Beat Heavener 47-13<br>Oct. 7 - Beat Wilburton 63-14<br>Oct. 13 - Beat Antlers 58-12<br>Oct. 21 - Beat Valliant 56-7<br>Oct. 28 - Beat Hugo 21-0<br>Nov. 4 - Beat Idabel 24-21<br>1st Round - Beat Henryetta 14-12<br>2nd Round - Lost To Claremore Sequoyah 35-7</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Key Losses To Graduation</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brett Pippenger - Defensive Back<br>Luke Adcock - Quarterback</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Players To Watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["926239"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Eufaula big man [player_tooltip player_id='926239' first='Draven' last='Gragg'] is one of the more intriguing 2024 prospects in Class 2A as we head into the new season. Gragg is listed as an offensive and defensive lineman on the roster but he was played more as a linebacker because of necessity in 2022. Gragg was one tackle shy of 100 for the season so the position move did not hurt his production last season. This year, Gragg, who is listed at 6'4 and 275 pounds, should be a dominant force on the defensive line and then help out the offensive side of the ball along the line of scrimmage as well. The Eufaula defense certainly has the potential to be a really good unit this season and Gragg is a big reason behind that. Colleges have noticed that as well and he's received multiple offers this offseason.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["926241"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"You can make the argument that Eufaula 2025 standout [player_tooltip player_id='926241' first='Kaden' last='Rice'] is the most productive two-way player that is returning for the Ironheads this season. Rice stepped into a new role last year at the wide receiver position and became one of the top targets in the offense. He finished his sophomore season with nearly 40 catches for well over 600 yards and eight touchdowns. As the Ironheads work in a new quarterback this fall, we expect Rice to remain that top target in the passing game and for that production to even go up this season. And then he turns around and plays defense as well and last season, he finished with nearly 90 tackles and four sacks on the season. Lining up at linebacker, Rice was an impact player and very productive on defense as well.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":2,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64c333b54841e"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>More Names To Know</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bryan Lynn - 2025 Kicker<br>Carson Luna - 2025 Offensive/Defensive Lineman<br>Connor McAllister - 2025 Offensive Lineman<br>Dresden Chiles - 2025 Defensive Back<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1293008' first='Jayden' last='Ellen'] - 2026 Athlete<br>Peter Lee - 2026 Running Back/Linebacker<br>Rashon Watts - 2024 Defensive Lineman</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>2023 Schedule/Games To Circle</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sept. 1 - AT Vian</strong><br>- The season opener always brings quite a bit of excitement, no matter what the match-up. But Eufaula's opener against Vian gives the Ironheads a “measuring stick” game right out of the gate. Vian has been one of the best 2A teams in the state for the majority of the last two decades. And these two have met quite a bit during that stretch and the Wolverines have dominated the series. This match-up has become more competitive over the last few years but the Wolverines still own a 12-game winning streak at the expense of the Ironheads. <br>Sept. 8 - Tahlequah Sequoyah <br>Sept. 15 - AT Checotah<br>Sept. 22 - Spiro<br>Sept. 29 - AT Heavener<br>Oct. 6 - Wilburton<br>Oct. 12 - AT Antlers<br>Oct. 19 - AT Valliant<br>Oct. 27 - Hugo<br><strong>Nov. 3 - AT Idabel</strong><br>- Sometimes the schedule just works out in a way where the storylines write themselves. Last year, Eufaula and Idabel were the top two teams in the district and they didn't meet until the final week of the regular season. This year, it certainly looks like these two teams are the top in the district and Idabel actually might be the favorite as they return almost everyone from last year's quarterfinal team. This week ten game is a massive game for the Ironheads and they'll have to go on the road in a match-up that might decide the district title again. This is a situation where the playoffs are starting early for Eufaula. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Notable</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Eufaula has been one of the more consistent teams over the last decade and it hasn't mattered what class they were competing in.. They've made nine consecutive playoff appearances and there is a good chance that they extend that streak to ten years in a row this fall. And in seven of those nine playoff appearances, they've won at least one game. That includes two years ago when they made a run and came up one game shy of playing for the state championship. Eufaula was one of many teams in Class 3A that got dropped down to Class 2A when 3A went to just 32 teams back in 2018. That's the year that Class 2A became one of the more competitive classes and it should be competitive once again this fall. But it will be the last year of that as next year we'll see the class get split into two divisions starting in 2024. This year, Eufaula should extend that playoff streak and another new class shouldn't change much next year.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- 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 -->