Midwest City Bombers OK 2024 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 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 Midwest City Bombers!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Midwest City Bombers</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Preseason Prep Redzone Ranking: #6 In Class 5A<br>Preseason Coaches Ranking: #8 In Class 5A</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Head Coach: Darrell Hall - 13th Season - 83-49 Record At Midwest City</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>2023 RESULTS (6-5 Record - Lost In Class 5A 1st Round)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sept. 1 - Lost To Carl Albert 40-13<br>Sept. 7 - Lost To Del City 53-14<br>Sept. 15 - Beat Putnam City North 31-13<br>Sept. 22 - Beat Altus 55-8<br>Sept. 29 - Beat Duncan 48-17<br>Oct. 6 - Lost To El Reno 27-14<br>Oct. 13 - Beat Lawton MacArthur 42-7<br>Oct. 19 - Beat Ardmore 52-0<br>Oct. 27 - Beat Noble 42-34<br>Nov. 3 - Lost To Elgin 13-3<br>1st Round - Lost To Bishop McGuinness 42-14</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>2023 Offensive Scoring Average: 29.8 Points Per Game<br>2023 Defensive Scoring Average: 23.1 Points Per Game</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Midwest City Bombers had another winning season that ended with another playoff appearance. They've certainly taken advantage of being a Class 5A team and have become a consistent playoff team. The Bombers began the year with a brutal non-district schedule. They opened up the season against the two teams that would end up playing for the Class 5A state championship. They lost the season opener against defending champion Carl Albert and followed that up with a loss to eventual Runner Up Del City. They turned things around in the rest of September. They beat Putnam City North, Altus and Duncan to close out September with a 3-2 record and were dominant each week. In week six, they tripped up against El Reno but they once again turned things around immediately. They beat Lawton MacArthur and impressed with a 42-7 victory. They also beat Ardmore and Noble before a week ten showdown with Elgin to help decide the district championship. In 2022, the Bombers won an instant classic with Elgin in the final minute. In 2023, they came up short to an Elgin team that would finish the regular season with a 10-0 record. They went on to the playoffs and tripped up in the first round to Bishop McGuinness. But this is a Bomber team that is trending in the right direction as we start looking ahead to the 2024 season. This should be a fun team to watch this season and it will be interesting to see if they can take the next step in Class 5A and make a deeper playoff run.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>2024 OUTLOOK</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Bombers bring back the majority of their starters on both sides of the ball and on offense, they could have one of the better rushing attacks in Class 5A this season. That was evident last season when they had a legitimate two-headed monster in the backfield at running back and we're fired up to see what they can do in 2024. But the two-headed monster lost one head as one of the running back standouts has recently moved away to a different program. But despite that, the Bombers still have an excellent running game and that should help their new quarterback. The expected QB1 is going to be a sophomore this season and while he's talented and the ceiling is incredibly high, he's still unproven and the Bombers will lean on that running game, specifically early on in the season when they face arguably the toughest part of their schedule. Like last season, they'll face Mid-Del rivals Carl Albert and Del City in the non-district slate before competing in a very competitive district in Class 5A. The defensive side of the ball will also be a strength as they bring back six starters and we really like the depth and talent they have in their front seven. Between the defensive line and linebackers, this is a defensive unit that could really improve on what we saw from a year ago. And again, they'll need to play at their best because they have four of the top five teams in our 5A preseason rankings on their schedule. But the Bombers are also a top ten team coming into this season and they expect to be very competitive in the Class 5A playoff race in 2024. </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>David Arriaga - Kicker<br>Jacob Brunson - Offensive Lineman<br>Kenneth Colston - 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":["1332266"],"_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-669345c94bfad"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Senior running back [player_tooltip player_id='1332266' first='Jahhim' last='Mahmoud'] was one part of that two-headed monster in the Midwest City backfield. Mahmoud was somewhat of an unknown at this time last year but it did not take him long to acquaint himself with the Bomber backfield and start producing at a high level. Mahmoud would finish his junior season with nearly 100 carries for nearly 800 yards and he also is the leading returning rusher in terms of touchdowns on the ground. This season, Midwest City's coaches are expecting his production to take another step up and they're excited to see what he brings to the table in 2024. After seeing his breakout season last fall, we're excited to see it as well.  </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1332270"],"_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-669345c94c08c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">We mentioned earlier in the preview how we really like what Midwest City is bringing back on the defensive side of the ball. And that starts with the front seven because they have some dudes on the defensive line and linebacker group. Senior linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1332270' first='Keiwon' last='Landrum'] is one name that we'll be keeping an eye on this season. He was very productive last fall as a junior and is looking to become one of the unquestioned top linebackers in Class 5A this fall. Landrum was flirting with the 100 tackle mark last season and was an absolute menace in the offensive backfield, racking up tackles for loss every single week. He should have another big season this fall.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1035105"],"_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-669345c94c0e1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">When it comes to the Midwest City offense, all eyes might be on that rushing attack and rightfully so. That will take a lot of pressure off quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1035105' first='Roman' last='Manella'] as he attempts to break out this season as QB1 of the Bombers. And as we mentioned earlier in the preview, Manella is a player that is talented and has a high ceiling. But he just hasn't had the opportunity to show what he can do on a Friday night. Now, he gets that chance and we're looking forward to seeing it. We got a chance to watch him a little bit during the spring at the Bixby team camp. He's a confident quarterback who throws a good ball. It wouldn't surprise us at all if he ends up having that breakout season.&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='1056551' first='Hakeem' last='Olawuyi'] - 2025 Defensive Lineman/Linebacker<br>Humberto Ambrosio - 2025 Defensive Lineman<br>Jerelle Chambray - 2025 Athlete<br>Josiah Johnson - 2025 Wide Receiver/Defensive Back<br>Lincoln King - 2026 Wide Receiver</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 - Piedmont<br><strong>Sept. 6th - AT Carl Albert<br></strong>- To be the man, you have to beat the man. And in Class 5A, there's only one man and that's Carl Albert as they are coming off back to back state championships and have absolutely owned 5A football for the majority of the last decade. The Bombers will try to take down the Titans in week one. They've met in non-district play in each of the last six seasons. Carl Albert has owned the series with the Bombers but Midwest City will attempt to turn things around this season.&nbsp;<br>Sept. 20th - Del City<br>Sept. 27th - AT Southeast<br>Oct. 4th - Newcastle<br><strong>Oct. 11th - AT Bishop McGuinness<br></strong>- In week six, the Bombers will go on the road to face Bishop McGuinness in the first of two tough district contests. This week six clash is also a rematch of last year's first round match-up that saw the Irish upset the Bombers before moving on to the 5A semifinals. Midwest City is looking to make a deep run in the playoffs this year but before they can do that, they need to take care of business in district play. This is a critical contest for the district standings in 2024.&nbsp;<br><strong>Oct. 17th - Lawton MacArthur<br></strong>- The following week, Midwest City will host Lawton MacArthur and this match-up, combined with the McGuinness game the previous week will all but decide who ends up taking home the district championship. The Bombers and Highlanders have been district foes for the last two years and Midwest City has definitely had Lawton MacArthur's number. In 2022, the Bombers won 37-14 and last year, they knocked off the Highlanders 42-7. This year, they'll play them on a short week following a critical McGuinness game.<br>Oct. 25th - Classen SAS<br>Nov. 8th - AT Duncan</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>NOTABLE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For decades, Midwest City has always been in the state's largest class and then when the split in Class 6A happened, they were in 6A-2 for nearly a decade. But in 2022, the Bombers dropped down to Class 5A and they'll be there for at least the next two seasons. Midwest City is going to be one of those programs that will be tightroping that line of being one of the biggest schools in Class 5A or one of the smallest schools in Class 6A-2. But when the Bombers moved down to Class 5A, they found immediate success. After missing the playoffs all together in 2021, the Bombers would move down to 5A and won the district championship in their first season. They would have another winning season in 2023 but fell short of the district title. This season, the Bombers find themselves in a very competitive district with the top three teams (including Midwest City) all ranked in the top six of our preseason rankings. There won't be much that separates the district champion and a team that has to go on the road in the first round as a three seed. But Midwest City is looking forward to making a run in 2024 with a deeper playoff push.&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 - 6-5 - Lost In Class 5A 1st Round<br>2022 - 8-3 - Lost In Class 5A 1st Round<br>2021 - 5-5 - Missed Playoffs<br>2020 - 8-3 - Lost In Class 6A-2 Semifinals<br>2019 - 4-7 - Lost In Class 6A-2 Quarterfinals</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>5 State Championships</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1995 - Beat Putnam City North 31-14<br>1994 - Beat Union 21-13<br>1988 - Beat Lawton Eisenhower 31-27<br>1985 - Beat Muskogee 40-36<br>1960 - Beat Lawton 19-0</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->