Jenks Players To Watch

Get 25% off your subscription by entering Knight25 in the coupon code area. Enjoy! The Class 6A-D1 state championship is set for 1PM on Saturday night at UCO’s Wantland Stadium. We’ll see a familiar face in the Jenks Trojans, but their opponent is somewhat surprising after Edmond Santa Fe beat Union in the semifinals on Saturday, making it to their first title game in almost two decades. Prep Redzone Oklahoma will have preview content throughout the week to get you ready for Saturday afternoon’s title game. In this latest post, we take a look at some of the Players To Watch for the Trojans that will have an impact in Saturday’s game. TWO-WAY PLAYERS TO WATCH [player_tooltip player_id="48281" first="Grant" last="Lohr"] - Senior Running Back/Defensive Back Offense: Last year’s breakout star for the Trojans was a senior running back who also was a defensive back in Will Cox. This year, it’s that same combo of positions but the player is [player_tooltip player_id="48281" first="Grant" last="Lohr"]. On the offensive side of the ball, he’s a different type of runner and he’s become one of the best in Oklahoma. The thing that makes Lohr so special and separates him from other running backs is his patience. He waits for his moment and he takes advantage of it. He’s scored 21 touchdowns on the season and has averaged over 7 yards per carry. He just had a great game against a front seven from Owasso that is pretty good. He’ll look to replicate that on Saturday against Santa Fe’s talented front seven. Defense: On the other side of the ball, he uses that patience and also physical ability at the safety position. There’s no secret when it comes to Lohr that he’s at his best on defense when he’s able to work closer to the line of scrimmage and help out with run defense. However, he also has shown the ability to drop back and make interceptions and play good pass defense. Lohr has the chance to have a huge impact on Saturday’s game. The big question we have is where is Lohr at his most valuable, offense or defense? And while his future as a college prospect might be as a defender, it’s hard to argue his abilities on offense and what he’s been able to do this season. [player_tooltip player_id="38514" first="Jayden" last="Patrick"] - Senior Wide Receiver/Defensive Back Offense: Jenks senior [player_tooltip player_id="38514" first="Jayden" last="Patrick"] was a player that we saw for the first time last year and really thought he was a special talent at the cornerback position. However, fast forward to 2020 and he’s become even more valuable. Not only does he still have the ability to shut down a side of the field, he’s become Jenks’ home run threat at the wide receiver position. He leads the team in receptions, yards and touchdowns. We believe that Patrick is the number one athlete and weapon on this Jenks team and they use him accordingly. They also use him in special teams, whatever they need to do to get the ball in his hands. Patrick is a big play waiting to happen and then he turns around and attempts to shut down the opposing team’s top receiver. Defense: Coming into the season, we thought that Patrick was one of the top corners in the state. He’s still that but his stock has risen dramatically as just an overall athlete that will be able to help in a variety of ways. However, we’re looking forward to this championship match-up because Patrick has the ability to showcase his corner skills on a big stage against arguably the best wide receiver in the state. Santa Fe’s [player_tooltip player_id="38667" first="Talyn" last="Shettron"] is regarded as one of the top junior receiver prospects in the country. Shettron torched the Trojans in their regular season meeting in 2019. Patrick will look to contain Shettron and not let those big plays hurt the Trojans for a second straight year. OFFENSIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH [player_tooltip player_id="38530" first="Stephen" last="Kittleman"] - Senior Quarterback Last year, [player_tooltip player_id="38530" first="Stephen" last="Kittleman"] had a tough job of replacing a three-year starter in Ian Corwin at quarterback. However, Kittleman helped get the Trojans to the title game. Coming into this year, Kittleman already had everyone’s respect as one of the better quarterbacks in Oklahoma. He’s been your typical Jenks quarterback. First off, he does wear #9 and we know that number is special. But he’s been a distributer of the ball to some special players on this Jenks offense. He’s thrown for over 2,200 yards and 26 touchdowns with only 6 interceptions. We wouldn’t categorize Kittleman as a "game manager" at QB because he can make plays with his arm and his legs and he takes chances when he needs to. He also doesn’t make mistakes that cost his team. Kittleman is hungry to lead his team to a state championship after falling short in the title game last year. Ty Walls - Sophomore Wide Receiver One of only two sophomores to make this list, Ty Walls has become a very consistent target for Kittleman in the Jenks passing attack. Ty Walls has been Jenks’ second leading receiver in yards and touchdowns on the year. He’s caught six touchdown passes and has really given a Jenks a weapon in the slot while Patrick has been their home run threat. The scary part about Walls is how much better he’s going to be when it’s all said and done. He’s putting up this production on a loaded Jenks team that have championship aspirations. Walls could end up being the next big name when it comes to Jenks playmakers. [player_tooltip player_id="38569" first="Waylon" last="Adams"] - Senior Tight End Every successful quarterback needs what is considered a "security blanket". Usually it’s a reliable tight end who can bail out the quarterback when the play is breaking down and senior [player_tooltip player_id="38569" first="Waylon" last="Adams"] is that for this Trojan offense. When you look at the stats and numbers, Adams isn’t going to blow you away. But the reasoning is pretty simple, as he’s not the number one option in the passing game. However, whenever his number is called, he performs and he is a reliable target. And once he gets the ball in his hands, that’s when the fun really begins. Adams is a big, strong athlete that is a mismatch when he’s going against linebackers and defensive backs. With the ball in his hands, it’s going to take more than one defender to bring him down. [player_tooltip player_id="38493" first="Logan" last="Nobles"] - Senior Offensive Lineman He’s one of the best offensive linemen in the state and he’s committed to Oklahoma State. [player_tooltip player_id="38493" first="Logan" last="Nobles"] is an absolute mountain of a man and anchors this Jenks offensive line at left tackle. Jenks has had a lot of success putting out big and powerful offensive linemen in the last couple decades and Nobles is the latest to fit that mold. One of the big match-up’s to watch, if it happens, will be Nobles going up against Santa Fe’s [player_tooltip player_id="38489" first="Collin" last="Oliver"], another top prospect and another OSU commit. If Nobles can limit Oliver in pass rushing situations, then the Trojans will have a good shot to put up some points on Saturday. [player_tooltip player_id="38806" first="Milton" last="White"] - Sophomore Offensive Lineman On that same offensive line is a young sophomore that has the chance to be the next big lineman prospect for the Trojans. While he doesn’t have the height of a Nobles and will more than likely be an interior guy at the next level, [player_tooltip player_id="38806" first="Milton" last="White"] is a name to remember. He established his spot as a starter earlier than most do at Jenks. And with Nobles graduating, it will be White that will be anchoring the O-Line as the Trojans move into 2021. Just like with Nobles, White will look to be dominant against a Santa Fe front seven that has some big time players. DEFENSIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH [player_tooltip player_id="61129" first="Colemon" last="Thurber"] - Junior Defensive Lineman The only junior on this list is defensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id="61129" first="Colemon" last="Thurber"]. The Trojans have a couple defensive linemen that we could have gone with but it’s hard to ignore Thurber’s production and ability on the football field. He isn’t the biggest lineman but you wouldn’t know that if you just watch his play. Even when he’s going against opponents much bigger than him, he knows how to get the better of them. Whether that’s speed or just straight up strength, Thurber knows how to disrupt things along the line of scrimmage. Thurber does have the benefit of having some strong players playing behind him but when it comes to this title game match-up, Thurber and the Jenks front will be very important, looking to slow down Santa Fe’s run game. [player_tooltip player_id="38621" first="Tyson" last="Ward"] - Senior Linebacker He might be the last player on this list but he is so critical to Jenks’ success on the defensive side of the ball. I don’t like to throw the word "underrated" around very often because when it’s used all the time, it simply loses it’s meaning. However, Jenks senior linebacker [player_tooltip player_id="38621" first="Tyson" last="Ward"] is one of the most underrated linebackers in Oklahoma today. All he did last year was lead the Trojans in tackles after transferring to Jenks from Lincoln Christian. Fast forward to 2020 and he’s still the leading tackler on the Trojans with 85 on the season. And when you watch Ward on the field, especially before the snap, he’s an extension of the coaching staff. Ward is going to be a great addition to whoever ends up signing the talented linebacker.