Now or never: TLCA-Abilene Eagles tackle 11-man game with enthusiasm

A couple of scrimmages helped Texas Leadership Charter Academy coach Jeremy Kirk get a better idea of what to expect to start his team's first season in 11-man football.

One scrimmage was against Midland's TLCA, and Kirk called it a win for his team. Next was Archer City, a Class 2A Division II team that showed the Eagles a thing or two.

"I wasn't very bright," Kirk said, laughing about scheduling AC. "I tell you what, that team right there is going to make a run to state."

While district rival Windthorst is ranked No. 7 in the state by Dave Campbell's Texas Football, Archer City is No. 23. The Wildcats were 8-3 last year and return six starters on offense and five on defense.

Of course, the No. 1 team is Albany, a team TLCA faces in its final game of the regular season.

Those workouts helped Kirk and his staff size up TLCA's squad that played three seasons of six-man football.

"I was very pleased with our second scrimmage," Kirk said. "We asked our kids to do the simple things to get us through the scrimmage and be healthy, and we did that. I think they got a little taste of what it's going to be like on Friday nights."

How many freshmen?

This is a young team, no doubt. There are 14 freshmen and six sophomores on the roster.

"We really are a JV playing a varsity schedule," Kirk said. "But I'm one that like, 'We just gotta go. If we don't learn now, what good is going to do us?"

The freshmen played well last year, Kirk said, getting acclimated to football. There are only three seniors on the team.

"They know what to expect and the ins and outs," Kirk said. That is why they will be on the field.

This year's eighth-grade class also looks promising, so the future is there for the Eagles.

But this season will be a test. Kirk expects to play all freshmen in the defensive secondary and two at linebacker.

Four or five freshmen will start on offense, including quarterback Jonathan Rico.

The enthusiasm is there, Kirk said.

"Our kids are really buying in," he said. "The kids keep asking questions and they're wanting to learn the game fast. And we need them to learn the game fast.

Kirk said the Eagles likely will throw the ball more to allow the offensive line time to gel. He has size up front, for sure, but experience is lacking now to be effective running the ball.

Against Archer City, Rico was decked by a defensive end while trying to pass on the first play of the game.

He bounced back up, introduced to the reality of football.

"He realized, hey, it's not too bad to get hit," Kirk said.

Anchoring the offensive line is Zaidryn Moreno-Nobles, who was at Cooper a year.

The Eagles center goes 365 pounds and "we go 280 at the guards and 265 at our tackles," the coach said.

At wide receiver is the coach's son, junior Jay. He has played 11-man football since seventh grade until last year, so he brings valuable experience to the lineup. He also has speed, which the Eagles hope to use for big gainers.

Rico had a good arm and is smart about his reads. Kirk hopes the Rico-to-Kirk connection quickly develops.

Giving the Eagles a chance early on

Kirk said he built his schedule to start with three games that will test his team but also ease them into the season.

Water Valley and Sterling City also are joining the 11-man ranks and while successful at the six-man level, they are adjusting to the new game just like TLCA.

Munday was 0-10 last year and hired Wylie High assistant Webb Murphy to lead the program.

Kirk said they talked during the summer about how to build programs.

"How you get kids involved ... he has a lot of kids out," Kirk said.

"We felt those three games gives us a chance to find success early," the TLCA coach said.

Lockney and City View conclude the non-district schedule. Kirk knows the coaches at both schools and needed to find games.

Rising to 11-man meant Kirk had to expand his roster of coaches. He had two assistants last year. Now, he has five.

Steven Ward is offensive coordinator. He formerly coached 11-man, tried his hand at six-man at TLCA and sidelined himself. The Eagles now playing in Class 2A led him to rejoin the coaching staff.

Kirk will call the defense, and he said he is a bit unorthodox. TLCA will align in a 3-3 stack, allowing his players the freedom to react.

"I can tell them where to go and we'll be OK," he said. "Our strength will be more on the defensive side to start the year."

Help needed, appreciated

The other coaches are Michael Stevens from Anson, Cameron Rockett from Bangs, Tyler Burchette from Millsap and Dakota Fanning, who was the quarterback a few years back at Baird.

Home games will be in Hawley. There are just three - Hamlin on a Thursday, Roscoe and Cross Plains. Kirk said Hawley coach Mitch Ables understand his situation and offered his field when it was available. The Bearcats have a home game Oct. 7 against Colorado City, so the Eagles will suit up for Thursday Night Football.

"Mitch has been a great influence on me," Kirk said of developing a friendship with the successful Hawley coach.

Kirk said his team will suit out in Abilene and be ready to warm up when it arrives in Hawley, which is 14 miles north of Abilene. That was routine for Iowa Park, when Kirk coached there, for games at nearby Holliday.

"That's the same situation we're in here," he said.

This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Now or never: TLCA-Abilene Eagles tackle 11-man game with enthusiasm