New coach, abundant turnover have Morton Ranch looking forward
Thursday May 08, 2008
Written by Chad Washington
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first in a series of 12 spring football previews. The Athlete’s Connection will run our “Spring Blitz” series every weekday through May 23.
Most of what earned the Morton Ranch football team its first victory last season is gone.
Scott Svendsen hopes his hiring and the subsequent revamping of the program signals a new dawn for the Mavericks, who feel the sky is the limit for their progression in part because there’s nowhere to go but forward.
“Our goal as a staff every day is to go in one direction and that’s forward, whether it’s in little steps or big steps,” said Svendsen, a former Katy assistant hired at Morton Ranch in January. “We have a long way go. One win in two years – that says something for itself.”
The Mavericks went 0-10 in their first season of 2006, then were 0-9 last year before defeating Alief Taylor 14-6 in their regular-season finale. Then they lost more than 40 seniors to graduation and head coach Jim Shewmake to resignation this winter.
In came Svendsen, a South Dakota native who played football in Europe and was a Katy assistant from 2000-2004, when the Tigers won two state championships. He came to Morton Ranch from Tyler John Tyler, where he was offensive coordinator.
“We’re scrapping everything that happened the last two years,” Svendsen said. “During our offseason program I’ve seen great gains and improvement. I hope we’re taking everything here to another level. There’s a lot of intensity and a lot of desire to improve.”
Svendsen has some background with spread offenses, but the Mavericks team he’ll field for the program’s spring game at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Rhodes Stadium will base nearly everything it does out of the I.
Morton Ranch returns three prominent skill players – senior free safety Joe Mitchell, who also will compete for time at quarterback; and senior running back Michael Venson. Mitchell, who stands 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, saw limited time under center last year, attempting only 18 passes and completing eight for 59 yards. He also caught one pass for an 81-yard touchdown.
Venson carried the load at running back, amassing a team-best 577 yards and scoring four touchdowns.
The Mavericks averaged less than 250 yards of total offense a game.
“(Mitchell and Venson) have come up together and they’re on the same page,” Svendsen said. “Michael has good speed. He’s a slasher and he prefers to run off the edge but he’s not afraid to go inside. The thing I’ve noticed about him so far this spring is I haven’t seen any negative yards.”
Mitchell is competing with Sean Barrum at quarterback.
Both lines are rife with varsity inexperience. Senior Martin Balch is the returning center, and the defense features linebacker Rashad Patterson, defensive end Eddie Zanely and safety Floyd Madison.
Morton Ranch opens its season against Tomball Aug. 29 at Rhodes Stadium. The Mavericks’ District 17-5A opener is Oct. 10 against Katy at Rhodes.
“There are some good kids in the bunch. There’s a lot of fire in them,” Svendsen said. “They’re excited about what we’re doing.”
MORTON RANCH 2008 SCHEDULE
Aug. 29: Tomball, 7 p.m. (at Rhodes Stadium)
Sept. 5: at Fort Bend Travis, 7:30 p.m. (at Mercer Stadium)
Sept. 13: Langham Creek, 7 p.m. (at Rhodes Stadium)
*Sept. 19: Magnolia, 7 p.m. (at Rhodes Stadium)
Sept. 25: Foster, 7 p.m. (at Rhodes Stadium)
+Oct. 10: Katy, 7 p.m. (at Rhodes Stadium, as visiting team)
+Oct. 17: Cinco Ranch, 7 p.m. (at Rhodes Stadium, as visiting team)
+Oct. 25: Seven Lakes, 5 p.m. (at Rhodes Stadium, as home team)
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