Published: September 04, 2008 10:57 am      

Ada to pay McBroom a visit

Cougars to open 2008 season against old coach, old rival

Ada — One more day.

One of the most eagerly anticipated season-openers in recent Ada football history will finally arrive when the Cougars travel to Noble Stadium in Ardmore to battle the rival Tigers.

The story lines are many, but at the top of the list is the new coaching eras that will begin at both schools.

Matt Weber, a Davis High School alum, came to Ada after a successful stint in Marlow. His dad, Joe Weber, followed him to Cougar Country.

Larry McBroom, a former Ada quarterback who won 199 ballgames and seven state championships while coaching here, made a surprise landing in Ardmore to help return that program to elite status.

How will the Cougars fare in the first game since failing to make the playoffs for the first time in 25 years? Will McBroom earn his 200th victory as an Oklahoma high school coach against the very team he helped make the state’s most tradition-rich program?

An expected capacity crowd will find out the answer to those questions and watch those story lines progress Friday night when the game officially kicks off at 7:30 p.m.

“If the weather is OK, it’s going to be a circus-type atmosphere,” Matt Weber said from the Craig McBroom Field House Wednesday afternoon. “You’re always going to have a big crowd at Ada-Ardmore, but then you add coach McBroom being down there and then with my dad, being in it for so long a lot of people know him. And you throw coach (Ada assistant Don) Byrd in the mix ... a lot of people not even from Ada or Ardmore have told us they were going to be at the game.”

As far as rivalries go, it’s fairly common knowledge that Ada versus Ardmore is one of the longest running in the state. Weber will get his first taste Friday night.

“Just knowing high school football, I know Ada and Ardmore is a big rivalry. I’m excited to get to feel it. I won’t really get to feel it until Friday when I get there and get in that atmosphere. That’s going to be exciting for us — the new coaches — that haven’t had the chance to experience Ada-Ardmore yet,” he said.

Weber said he’s always been a big Larry McBroom fan. But for a about three hours Friday night, he’ll be a foe. But he said the game isn’t about Matt Weber versus Larry McBroom.

“The neatest thing about Larry is — when you’re a young coach, you always look up to guys like that — and he always had time for us. He has zero ego to be as successful as he’s been,” Weber said. “The thing about it — and coach McBroom would tell you the same thing — he or I or anyone on our staffs are going to have very little to do with who wins the football game. We’re not going to throw a pass or catch a pass or make a tackle. It’s going to be which team executes better.”

Weber said the key to any Game 1 victory is protecting the football, gaining field position through the kicking game and being physically fit.

“In all first games — and it sounds like a general coaches line, but it’s true — you try to limit your turnovers, change field position when you kick the football and hope you’re in decent shape. The team that is the best in those three areas is usually going to win. Those three things are huge,” Weber said. “You just want to go in there and execute the small things you have in at the time. Our main goal going into this game is to be as fundamentally sound as possible.”

Weber said the biggest obstacle the Cougars will have to overcome is ... that Ardmore is big. Really big.

“The field is going to lean their way when we walk out there. They’re humongous. Size could be an issue,” he said.

Anchoring the Ardmore offensive line will be right tackle Josh Skinner (6-3, 310), left guard Michael Reed (6-3, 285) and left tackle Jacob Reed (6-5, 275).

Seasoned senior quarterback Reed Downing returns to guide the Ardmore offense that also features explosive running back Cecil McCarrol.

“Ardmore is Ardmore. They have good skill kids. The key to their offense is their quarterback. He’s a lot better runner than I thought he was after seeing him on film,” Weber said. “And they have a couple of good little scat backs that get in there and hide behind those big linemen, and they don’t need much of a crease. We’re certainly going to have to swarm to the football. That’s the best way to take care of those guys. If they dodge one of us, somebody else is going to have to be there.”

And even though the Tigers have good team speed — Ardmore won a state track championship last spring — Weber doesn’t feel like that aspect of the game gives the home team an edge.

“They have some kids that can run, but that’s the good thing about us. We’re not lacking in that area either. We have a great track program ... and we’re not lacking speed. Speed-wise, we’re pretty evenly matched,” he said.

Just like Ada’s team, Ardmore is also a work in progress.

“We’re far from being a polished football team, but I think what we’re doing, we’re doing pretty well,” Weber said. “They’re learning a new system too, so we’re kind of in the same boat.”

Defensively, Weber said Ardmore is using a similar 4-4 formation to “the one Ada ran back in the Dan Cody days.” He said Ada’s offense, led by new quarterback Qumain Black, will have to be at the top of its game to excel against the Tigers ‘D’.

“Just like all Larry McBroom teams, they’re very, very sound. You’re not going to be able to trick them. The only way you’re going to be able to beat them is go in there and execute better than they do,” he said.

Weber realizes that a few Ada fans will fine themselves rooting for both teams Friday night, torn between loyalties.

“Larry McBroom and his whole family are very important to this community. I think if you ask Larry, Ada is always going to be home to him,” Weber said. “I’ve talked to him on the phone and during film exchange ... but just normal coaching talk. He’s been as helpful as he can be. I think we both have the same idea. We’d like to see each other go 9-1.”

COUGAR NOTES: The first Ada Football Booster Club luncheon will be Friday at noon at Polo’s Mexican Restaurant. All Ada football fans are encouraged to attend ... A limited number of tickets to Friday’s game are available to the public. Cost is $5 for adults and $3 for students. Tickets may be purchased at the high school or at McCortney’s Pharmacy until Friday at noon while they last. ... Ada leads the all-time series 45-37-2. ... The teams have alternated victories since 2003 and if that trend continued, it would be Ada’s turn at a win Friday night ... The only schools Ada has more victories against are McAlester (60) and Durant (53) and both of those teams are also on the 2008 schedule.