Bishop McGuinness Team Preview
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Stay tuned to Prep Redzone Oklahoma every day as we release more individual team previews as we get closer to the start of the 2021 football season. In case you missed it, you can check out our Preseason Rankings RIGHT HERE.
Overview (Class 5A Preseason Ranking: #6)
This should come as no surprise, but the Bishop McGuinness Irish are once again one of the top teams in Class 5A as they head into the 2021 season. We’ll be the first to admit that at this time last year, we thought the Irish would take somewhat of a step back and we could not have been more wrong. The Irish went 10-3 and made a trip to another state championship game, the fourth in the last five years. However, they had one of the best players in the state and now they have to replace him. One of the biggest keys not only for the Irish but for 5A football in general is who will replace
Luke Tarman
Luke
Tarman
6'2" | ATH
Bishop McGuinness | 2021
State
OK
in this McGuinness offense. The Irish had an legit video game star at quarterback in 2020 and was a big reason they made it all the way to the championship game. We started calling Tarman “Mr 2K2K” at the end of the season after the Irish QB threw for over 2,000 yards and also ran for over 2,000 yards. Historical numbers are always tough to go up against but we’re fairly confident that when it comes to 2K passing and 2K rushing, Tarman is in a pretty limited club. McGuinness will start 2021 with some weapons on offense and a really strong offensive line, which will help the quarterback work his way into the offense. Seven starters return on the Irish offense while only three are back on the defensive side of the ball. That number is scary but after watching McGuinness in person this spring, we’re not as concerned with their defense as others might be. The Irish once again have an absolutely brutal non-district schedule. If they come out of the first three weeks unscathed, they’ll have a chance to make another run to Wantland Stadium in December.
2020 Results (10-3 Record – Class 5A Runner Up)
Aug 28 – Beat Muskogee 20-13
Sept 11 – Lost To Bishop Kelley 35-21
Sept 18 – Beat Booker T Washington 28-17
Sept 25 – Beat Lawton Eisenhower 56-34
Oct 2 – Beat Woodward 55-14
Oct 9 – Lost To Carl Albert 56-35
Oct 15 – Game AT Western Heights Canceled
Oct 23 – Beat Piedmont 33-14
Oct 30 – Beat Guthrie 41-14
Nov 6 – Beat Guymon 62-0
1st Round – Bye Week
2nd Round – Beat Duncan 41-21
Quarterfinals – Beat Coweta 39-12
Semifinals – Beat McAlester 28-21
Championship – Lost To Carl Albert 33-21
Players To Watch
Brandt Haag
Brandt
Haag
6'5" | 305 lbs | OL
Bishop McGuinness | 2023
State
OK
– 2023 Offensive Lineman
We cannot wait to see the return of McGuinness 2023 offensive lineman
Brandt Haag
Brandt
Haag
6'5" | 305 lbs | OL
Bishop McGuinness | 2023
State
OK
. It only took a couple weeks for Haag to get on our radar last fall but unfortunately that’s all Haag got to do in terms of playing. In their annual rivalry game with Bishop Kelley, Haag hurt his knee and would end up having season-ending surgery. However, before the injury, Haag was establishing himself as the next elite offensive lineman to come out of Bishop McGuinness. Talking with some of the coaches there, they believe that he has the ability to match what former Irish standout and current Georgia Bulldog Owen Condon was a few years ago.
Mike Taffe
Mike
Taffe
6'0" | 190 lbs | RB
Bishop McGuinness | 2023
State
OK
– 2023 Running Back
A big question going into the 2020 season would be how the Irish would replace star running back Dominic Richardson. We got that answer in the form of a 2023 standout who spent his freshman year at Millwood and suited up for the Irish last fall.
Mike Taffe
Mike
Taffe
6'0" | 190 lbs | RB
Bishop McGuinness | 2023
State
OK
played running back and wide receiver for the Irish in 2020 and had somewhat of a quiet season. He was in the same backfield as Tarman, who put up those ridiculous numbers so it’s understandable. Now with Tarman graduated, look for Taffe to have an absolutely monster year running behind one of the better offensive line units in 5A football.
Zane Shadid
Zane
Shadid
6'0" | 210 lbs | LB
Bishop McGuinness | 2023
State
OK
– 2023 Linebacker
Our last player is one we’ve written about quite a bit after his offseason playing 7v7 with Sooner 7. Junior linebacker
Zane Shadid
Zane
Shadid
6'0" | 210 lbs | LB
Bishop McGuinness | 2023
State
OK
was one of the more consistent defensive players we saw during the 7v7 season. However, when he takes the field on Friday nights, he’s going to be one part of a fantastic defensive unit. We got a chance to see Bishop McGuinness during team camps and Shadid was a standout but the entire Irish defense was very impressive. McGuinness and Shadid will be swarming opponents and play really good team defense. Also watch out for Shadid to be a physical presence at running back if given the opportunity.
More Names
Brody Houser – 2022 Defensive Lineman
Keyarus Randle
Keyarus
Randle
6'4" | OL
Bishop McGuinness | 2022
OK
– 2022 Offensive Lineman
Paul Tarman – 2022 Wide Receiver
Notable
The following really depends on what type of person you are. Are you a glass half full or half empty type of person? Because the last five years have been some of the best for Bishop McGuinness football but four of those five years ended the exact same way. It ended by walking off the field with a silver ball after losing to rival Carl Albert. McGuinness lost to the Titans in the 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2020 championship games. They’ve gotten so close to the mountain top but have lost each time. However, you can make the argument that plenty of programs would love to trade places and get that opportunity to compete for a state championship. But it goes without saying that the Irish have to be tired of settling for silver year after year. Especially when those title losses have come at the hands of their rivals from Carl Albert. McGuinness will once again be in the title hunt this fall and are determined to make it back to Wantland Stadium in December. But this time around, they want to leave with a trophy of a different color.
2021 Schedule/Games To Watch
Aug. 27 – Coweta
– The Irish will have a big season opener against #5 Coweta, the team that McGuinness eliminated from the playoffs last year. We wrote more about this match-up in the Coweta Preview.
Sept. 10 – Bishop Kelley
– The annual “Bishop Battle” has become one of our favorite rivalry games in the state and it’s pretty easy to see why. First off, these schools really don’t like each other, so you don’t need a lot of hype for these teams to want to win bad. Then you look at how competitive the series has been in the last decade and it’s hard not to be intrigued when these two teams square off. 10 out of the last 16 meetings have been decided by 7 points or less. The Irish get Bishop Kelley at home this season and are ready to get some revenge after losing to the Comets in 2020.
Sept. 17 – AT Del City
Sept. 24 – Lawton Eisenhower
Oct. 1 – AT Woodward
Oct. 8 – Carl Albert
– The Irish get their first shot at Carl Albert in week six as they’ll host the five-time defending champions. We say first shot because let’s be honest, after the last five years, odds are pretty good that these two will end up seeing each other again later on with a lot more on the line. It might be the state championship or even in the semifinals. Neither team is as heavy of a favorite as they have been in previous years. Other teams like Piedmont and Guthrie will be pushing both for district supremacy and 5A is much deeper this year. But nevertheless, this is still one of the best games on the 5A schedule year after year.
Oct. 14 – Western Heights
Oct. 22 – AT Piedmont
Oct. 29 – AT Guthrie
Nov. 5 – Guymon
Championship History
2 State Championships
2007 – Beat Glenpool 14-9
2006 – Beat Grove 31-0