2022 Team Preview: Hobbs Eagles

<strong>Hobbs 2022 Preview</strong> <strong>Head Coach</strong>: Ken Stevens <strong>Mascot</strong>: Eagles <strong>Twitter</strong>: @HobbsEaglesFB; @coachKStevens <strong>Colors</strong>: Black, Gold &amp; White <strong>2021 Record</strong>: 6-6 (6A Quarterfinals) <strong>Overview</strong>: After reaching the Class 6A quarterfinals last fall, optimism is high in Hobbs that the Eagles will take the next step this season. Ken Stevens’ main concern this off-season has been finding a successor to athletic quarterback Colton Graham, who threw for over 2,200 yards and 22 touchdowns in 2021. He’s headed to New Mexico Junior College to play baseball. Dual threat senior QB <strong>Omar Argott</strong> gets his opportunity to lead the Eagles offense after patently waiting his turn and paying his dues. Stevens described him as a ‘tough competitor’ and the hardest working player on the team, always a good sign. Argott will be supported by a solid ground game led by senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="208821" first="Diego" last="Baeza"]</strong>, who rushed for 671 yards and caught 22 passes last season. He is elusive and has great vision. More good news for Argott? His primary targets in the passing game both return. Seniors <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="137921" first="Kaden" last="Trevino"]</strong> (59 receptions for 974 yards and 13 TD) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="269534" first="Ethan" last="Vanlandingham"]</strong> (32 receptions, 3 TD) impressed at the recent 8Gradys Elite 150 Combine with Trevino taking home Camp MVP honors. He picked up his first offer earlier this month from Eastern New Mexico. Vanlandingham has superior quickness as he showed at the Elite 150 Combine. The offensive line loses both starters at tackle but replacements are ready. Hobbs has good size along the offensive front. At least four projected starters weigh between 285 and 305 pounds. Junior <strong>Joshua Ray</strong> (6-3, 285) earned O-Lineman MVP honors at the Elite 150 Combine. Defensively, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="138050" first="Kenyon" last="Singleton"]</strong> is arguably the top returning linebacker in southern New Mexico. He made a staggering 132 tackles in 12 games last season. His secret? A fantastic motor that never stops. He also has great speed, frequently running the 40 in 4.6 seconds, and toughness. He’ll play the MIKE linebacker. One of the OLB spots belongs to junior <strong>Zaeden MacPherson</strong> with junior <strong>Cameron Hernandez</strong> joining him on the second level. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="335460" first="Andre" last="Alvarado"]</strong> anchors the defensive line after a solid camp season that drew raves from analysts. Alvarado is 6-foot-0, 265 pounds and moves well for his size. Junior DT <strong>Oliver Hill</strong> (6-0, 315 pounds) bring great size to the interior of the D-Line. <strong>Senior Seth Rodriguez</strong> should contribute to the D-Line as well. Senior free safety <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="208835" first="Hector" last="Armendariz"]</strong> spearheads the secondary after making 95 tackles with 2 interceptions in 2021. He has great speed and instincts, and always seems to be around the football. <strong>Jordan Chism</strong> joins Armendariz at safety. Seniors<strong> Izik Flenniken</strong> and <strong>Nathan Cereceres</strong> are the likely starters at cornerback<strong>. James Moore</strong> returns after missing the second half of the 2021 season with an injury, and will play OLB or SS. <strong>Schedule</strong>: As usual, half of Hobbs’ schedule consists of district games and the non-district slate is dominated by matchups with regional rivals from Classes 5A and 4A. One contest, though, stands out: the Sept. 16 home game against Rio Rancho. The Rams make the long journey to southeastern NM for one of the most intriguing games of the year. Aug. 19 CLOVIS Aug. 26 ARTESIA Sept. 2 at Roswell Sept. 9 at Lovington Sept. 16 RIO RANCHO Sept. 23 Bye Sept. 30 at Las Cruces* Oct. 7 CENTENNIAL* Oct. 14 at Alamogordo* Oct. 21 ORGAN MOUNTAIN* Oct. 28 at Carlsbad* * District Game <strong>Top Storyline</strong>: Possessing an array of weapon on the offensive side and multiple next level players on the defensive side, will Hobbs continue ascending up the Class 6A ladder? <strong>Final Thoughts</strong>: Located just a few miles from the Texas border, Hobbs is a classic ‘Friday Night Lights’ town where high school football is king. We’ll find out a lot about Hobbs when they begin a crucial three-game stretch at home against Rio Rancho on Sept. 16. Will Hobbs be 4-0 heading into that game? After that, district play begins and their first two district games are against Las Cruces and Centennial. Hobbs certainly has the talent to keep up with the Bulldawgs and Hawks. Win those two games and the Eagles could be headed towards a district title. <strong>Coach’s Comments</strong>: “We have a lot to build on from last season. We gained a lot of confidence going into this year by not just making the playoffs but earning a home playoff game. We played Cleveland tough for a half. We have a good mix of kids coming back on both sides of the ball that have a lot of experience in big games. They’re hungry to do better and improve. We’re excited about the opportunities presented by the upcoming season. We expect to compete at a high level in every game. Omar Argott is a tough competitor and he’s going to bring a lot of that to the table. We’re excited for what he’s going to be able to do for us. Omar is a little bigger than Colton and has a big arm. His running style is more physical. He’s a dual threat quarterback in his own right. We have a good nucleus of guys coming back on the offensive side of the ball” – Hobbs coach Ken Stevens. https://twitter.com/1__KayTea/status/1540849060206223365 https://twitter.com/1__KayTea/status/1536895707663278080 https://twitter.com/RayJoshua55/status/1540885600118591489 https://twitter.com/8Gradys/status/1541880243283062785 https://twitter.com/nolimitethan_v/status/1540844907979386881 https://twitter.com/HobbsEaglesFB/status/1519725642329337856