Ardmore Tigers OK 2024 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 and even into August, we are publishing well over 100 of the most in-depth team previews that you'll find anywhere to get you completely ready for the 2024 football season. This is something that began for us at PRZ-Oklahoma in 2021 and it continues to get bigger and better every single year. We're looking forward to diving deep into the top teams across the state in every class. From defending champions, to the top contenders and plenty of dark horses and other teams to know, we'll have complete coverage every single day. There will be multiple previews dropping every single day! In this post, we take a look at the Ardmore Tigers!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Ardmore Tigers</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Preseason Prep Redzone Ranking: UR In Class 4A<br>Preseason Coaches Ranking: UR In Class 4A</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Head Coach: Josh Newby - 10th Season - 63-36 Record At Bethany</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>2023 RESULTS (1-9 Record - Missed Playoffs)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aug. 25th - Lost To Lawton Eisenhower 59-7<br>Sept. 1st - Lost To Ada 41-0<br>Sept. 8th - Lost To Shawnee 28-13<br>Sept. 22nd - Lost To Noble 28-27 (OT)<br>Sept. 29th - Lost To Elgin 42-7<br>Oct. 6th - Lost To Lawton MacArthur 52-13<br>Oct. 13th - Lost To El Reno 35-10<br>Oct. 19th - Lost To Midwest City 52-0<br>Oct. 27th - Beat Altus 21-13<br>Nov. 3rd - Lost To Duncan 28-27</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>2023 Offensive Scoring Average: 12.5 Points Per Game<br>2023 Defensive Scoring Average: 37.8 Points Per Game</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Ardmore Tigers knew that the 2023 football season was going to be a tough one but they probably didn't expect how it played out. With new starters everywhere on both sides of the ball, the Tigers entered the season with a lot of young players and they were thrown to the fire. Against a tough schedule, Ardmore would finish the season with a 1-9 record and missed out on the playoffs for the second consecutive season. On one hand, the future is bright because Ardmore played a lot of freshmen and sophomores last season. But then you have the other where they had to struggle through that 1-9 campaign. The season opened with non-district losses to Lawton Eisenhower, Ada and Shawnee. They opened up district play with a narrow loss to Noble in a game that went to overtime. Ultimately, they would lose their first eight games in 2023 but they would get in the win column in week nine with a 21-13 win over Altus. The season came to an end the following week with a 28-27 loss to Duncan. Ardmore might have finished the season at 1-9 but that's in the rear view mirror and as we mentioned, the future is much brighter with a ton of young and experienced players returning and the Tigers will be playing in a new class starting this season.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>2024 OUTLOOK</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For the first time in decades, Ardmore has moved down from 5A football to Class 4A and will be looking to make an instant impact in their new class. While the drop down gets them away from the heavy hitters of 5A, it also feels like 4A is about to begin a season where it's deeper and more competitive than ever before. That could honestly help or hurt the Tigers. It could open the door and allow them to punch their ticket back to the playoffs or they could get swept away by the competition throughout the season. But like we mentioned earlier, Ardmore is going to be a step ahead as they come into this season with the majority of their starters back from last year. Seven starters are back on the offensive side of the ball and we like the mix of returning starters. From the quarterback to different backs to the offensive line, the Tigers have a good mix to really improve going into 4A football. On defense, the Tigers also bring back seven starters and this is a unit that is looking to make a significant jump this season. Ardmore is in a district with the defending state champion in Blanchard and a perennial powerhouse in Tuttle. So the Tigers are going to be tested throughout the season. The road back to the playoffs is going to be a tough one but we think they have the guys to do it. But then again, it's preview season and you always like to have optimism before a season and the Tigers will have to prove it on the field.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>KEY LOSS TO GRADUATION</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jackson Hurt - Tight End</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":["1183887"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66a4959ba7eda"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">It's hard not to be impressed with some of the young players coming up within this Ardmore roster. But one of the seniors that you need to know about coming into this season is [player_tooltip player_id='1183887' first='Javon' last='Singleton'] at the linebacker position. Singleton was hands down the top tackler on last year's squad. He finished the year with just shy of 150 tackles on the season and he was the only Ardmore defender that reached triple digits last season. Needless to say, he was an absolute tackling machine last fall. This season, if Singleton and the Ardmore defense can take a positive step forward, they could end up surprising some people and Singleton will be a linebacker to watch.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1350351"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66a4959ba7f3b"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Ardmore has moved back to the flexbone option attack after several years in a more wide open offense because of personnel. Sophomore quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1350351' first='K'Drien' last='Miller'] returns to run the Ardmore offense and he had a successful freshman season. He was one of several freshmen that got thrown into that fire that we mentioned earlier in the preview. He's come out on the other side and we are very excited to see what kind of growth he's had this offseason and going into this fall. If he plays with confidence and executes at a high level, he could have this Ardmore offense on the move throughout the season. Having experience back at quarterback definitely helps.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["946188"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66a4959ba7f7f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='946188' first='Tyson' last='Laster'] is another Ardmore sophomore to watch this season and he was a name that we had circled prior to last fall. We heard about the name and knew there was some potential with him to have a significant impact early on in his high school career. He had just that on both sides of the ball and then we got a chance to watch him in person this offseason on the 7v7 circuit. He could have played at some of the younger divisions as he was still a freshman and he ended up playing up and he looked like he belonged. Laster is already on our radar as a defensive back to watch in the state's 2027 class. He got his feet wet last season and now he's ready to take off.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>MORE NAMES TO KNOW</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1728139' first='Benson' last='Le'] - 2026 Offensive Lineman<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1828129' first='Daemon' last='Cohee'] - 2027 Wide Receiver/Defensive Back<br>Gavin Lewis - 2025 Defensive Lineman<br>Jayshon Payne - 2026 Defensive Back<br>Marcus Addison - 2027 Defensive Back</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>2024 SCHEDULE/GAMES TO CIRCLE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aug. 30th - Altus<br><strong>Sept. 6th - Ada<br></strong>- In week one, Ardmore will host rival Ada and this match-up will carry a little more weight this season. With the Tigers dropping down to Class 4A, they enter Ada's class and the Cougars are a top five team coming into this season. Just like Ardmore, Ada has nearly all of their starters returning this season. Last year, Ada rolled to a 41-0 win and that was the most lopsided victory for either side in over a decade. The Tigers will look to snap a two-game skid to Ada this fall.&nbsp;<br>Sept. 13th - AT Shawnee<br><strong>Sept. 27th - Tuttle<br></strong>- District play will open up in week four and it doesn't get much bigger than this. Ardmore will host perennial powerhouse Tuttle in a battle of Tigers. Tuttle has been a dominant force in 4A football for the majority of the last decade. This is not an easy district opener for Ardmore but they get it at home and regardless of the outcome, they have the rest of the district slate to play. If they win, they will find themselves in the driver's seat for the district crown and if they lose, they aren't out of it either.&nbsp;<br>Oct. 4th - Chickasha<br>Oct. 11th - AT Madill<br>Oct. 17th - AT Blanchard<br>Oct. 25th - Bethany<br><strong>Nov. 1st - AT Harrah<br></strong>- For Ardmore to punch their ticket back to the playoffs, they are going to have to win these games down the stretch. After two tough games against ranked opponents in Blanchard and Bethany, the Tigers will hit the road in week nine and face off with Harrah. These two teams are essentially mirror images of each other coming into this season. They aren't one of the top three teams in this district but they could sneak up and surprise one of those teams. And the winner here will have a great shot to make the playoffs.&nbsp;<br>Nov. 8th - AT Tecumseh</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>NOTABLE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In 2022, Ardmore missed the playoffs for the first time in over a decade. Their playoff streak would come to an end and in 2023 a new streak was born. Unfortunately for Ardmore, it was one they wanted no part of. They missed out on the playoffs for the second straight year and Ardmore is hoping that the combination of experienced talent returning and a move down to Class 4A also helps them make it back to the postseason. And if they make it back to the playoffs, who knows what's going to happen. As we mentioned earlier in the preview, Ardmore hasn't been a Class 4A team in a very long time but unfortunately for the Tigers, it also feels like Class 4A is about as deep as it's been over the last several years. Nevertheless, we like their chances to make it back to the postseason but they are going to have to earn it.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>LAST FIVE SEASONS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2023 - 1-9 - Missed Playoffs<br>2022 - 3-7 - Missed Playoffs<br>2021 - 9-2 - Lost In Class 5A 1st Round<br>2020 - 4-4 - Lost In Class 5A 2nd Round<br>2019 - 6-4 - Lost In Class 5A 1st Round</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>3 State Championships</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1992 - Beat Douglass 34-14<br>1990 - Beat Lawton MacArthur 41-0<br>1982 - Beat Bixby 14-7</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->