Football: Prague coach Kyle Fridrich resigns; assistant Dan Maly promoted
PRAGUE — Coach Kyle Fridrich has resigned as head football coach at Prague after just one season, and assistant head coach Dan Maly has been promoted, superintendent Rick Martin said.
Prague was 7-4 in its only season under the 27-year old Fridrich, who was defensive coordinator at Tulsa Union under his cousin, Kirk, before taking the Prague job.
Fridrich was a standout player for the Red Devils, graduating in 2003. His departure is for personal reasons, Martin said.
Maly has been an assistant at Prague for three seasons. Before that, he was a head coach at Chisholm and Keota.
“He’s done a great job for us, and we felt like he provided the most consistency,” Martin said. “He’s very capable.”
Football recruiting: Deer Creek quarterback Joel Blumenthal invited to Arkansas State
Deer Creek quarterback Joel Blumenthal was invited to visit Arkansas State. PHOTO BY BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN
Deer Creek quarterback Joel Blumenthal was invited to visit Arkansas State and watch the Red Wolves’ spring game Saturday, but he’ll have to miss the visit because he’s taking the ACT that day. He said he hopes to reschedule soon.
Blumenthal visited Tulsa with linebacker teammates and fellow juniors Austin Loomis and Kooper Ruminer last Saturday.
Arkansas State, which is entering its first season under coach Gus Malzahn, didn’t have any Oklahomans on last year’s roster, but there has been an increased effort to recruit the state. Heritage Hall defensive lineman Quintaz Struble signed with Arkansas State in February.
Blumenthal (6-foot-2, 175 pounds), who as a junior threw for 20 touchdowns and rushed for six, doesn’t have any offers yet but his interest is picking up.
Edmond Santa Fe’s Khari Harding, Justice Hansen attending OU spring game
Edmond Santa Fe sophomore quarterback Justice Hansen will attend the Red-White game in Norman on Saturday. PHOTO BY NATE BILLINGS, THE OKLAHOMAN
EDMOND — Edmond Santa Fe junior defensive back Khari Harding and sophomore quarterback Justice Hansen will both attend Oklahoma’s annual Red-White spring game Saturday in Norman.
Harding announced that Sooners’ co-offensive coordinator Josh Heupel invited him to the game on Twitter. Hansen confirmed his invite in a text message to The Oklahoman.
Harding, who had 71 tackles and three interceptions as a junior for the Wolves, has six offers — Arkansas, Arkansas State, Houston, Indiana, Kansas State and Wyoming.
Hansen had a breakout sophomore season and appears to be one of the top Oklahoma prospects of the class of 2014. He threw for 2,558 yards and 25 touchdowns, and rushed for 529 yards and eight scores, in leading the Wolves to the Class 6A quarterfinals and a 10-2 record.
Hansen has offers from Missouri and Arkansas.
Deer Creek football juniors Kooper Ruminer, Joel Blumenthal, Austin Loomis getting interest
Deer Creek junior LB Kooper Ruminer visited Kansas this weekend. PHOTO PROVIDED
Deer Creek junior linebacker Kooper Ruminer went to the Dallas Nike Football SPARQ Combine on March 24 and impressed, earning a spot on the 24-man All-Combine team.
As a result, Ruminer has
seen his recruiting stock increase. He went on an unofficial visit to Kansas this weekend, and will visit Tulsa next weekend.
Ruminer, who still is awaiting his first offer, recorded 136 tackles and 10 sacks as a junior, earning a spot on The Oklahoman’s Big All-City team.
Ruminer isn’t the only Antlers junior getting serious attention from college recruiters. Quarterback Joel Blumenthal and linebacker Austin Loomis will also both attend Tulsa’s spring game next weekend.
Blumenthal took an unofficial to North Texas this weekend. He doesn’t have any offers yet, but said North Texas seems to be the closest team to offering.
Loomis, who recorded 121 tackles as a junior, has been contacted by many Ivy League schools and plans to visit Yale for its junior day. Like Ruminer and Blumenthal, Loomis is still waiting on his first offer.
John Jensen removed as Putnam City West’s football coach
John Jensen will no longer coach the Putnam City West football team, but he does plan to stay with the school as athletic director.
John Jensen’s tenure as Putnam City West’s football coach ended this week after five seasons.
Jensen said will stay on as the school’s athletic director going forward. Jensen’s teams went 3-47, though the program routinely grew in numbers and support over his five years.
But ultimately, it wasn’t enough.
“They wanted to go a different direction. They want to win games,” Jensen said. “I think we all want to win games, and we all want what’s best for Putnam City West football. If that means finding a new coach, then that’s what needs to be done.”
A press release issued by the school district was to the same effect.
“Putnam City West principal Buster Meeks says Jensen’s sincere desire to improve students’ lives and strengthen the school have been important, but that new direction is necessary to move the football program forward,” the release said.
Meeks will accept applications through April 30, with the hope of filling the position by early May. The application process can be handled online at www.putnamcityschools.org/jobs.
– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com
Twitter: @ScottWrightOK
Centennial picks Don Willis as next football coach
Former Millwood football coach Don Willis has been selected as Centennial's next head coach.
Don Willis is returning to Oklahoma City after eight years in Texas.
The former Millwood coach has been chosen as Centennial’s new head coach. He was at Millwood for 22 years, including nine as the head coach, leading the Falcons to three consecutive Class 2A titles from 2000-02.
He won at least seven games in each of his nine seasons, compiling a 91-27 record overall. He left in 2004 to take a job in Texas.
Willis replaces Mark Ryan, who moved on after a difficult battle with health issues last season.
– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com
Twitter: @ScottWrightOK
Indiana, Houston offer Edmond Santa Fe’s Khari Harding
BY RYAN ABER
raber@opubco.com
No player in the state has racked up offers over the last month like Edmond Santa Fe’s Khari Harding.
Tuesday, the defensive back added another when Indiana extended Harding an offer. Wednesday morning, he added Houston to his ever-growing list. Harding now has offers from Arkansas, Arkansas State, Kansas State and Wyoming. Kansas State was the first school to offer Harding on March 1.
Harding had 71 tackles and three interceptions as a junior.
His uncle, Rodney Harding, was a defensive lineman at Oklahoma State in the 1980s.
Oklahoma Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductees
BY RYAN ABER
raber@opubco.com
The Oklahoma Coaches Association announced its 2012 class of inductees into the Oklahoma Coaches Hall of Fame this week. The induction ceremony and banquet will take place at 6:30 p.m. July 22 at the Southern Hills Marriott in Tulsa.
The inductees:
David Brese, Durant
Laura Clay, Westmoore
Nate Harris, Tulsa Washington
Richard Lemler, Stillwater
Jim Mathews, Wewoka
L.J. Powell, Chickasha
Mike Tyson, Thomas
C.L. “Cotton” Wade, Norman
Jim Walling, Earlsboro
Ted Younts, Ardmore
Distinguished service: George Hauser, Southwestern Oklahoma State
Edmond Santa Fe’s Khari Harding picks up first offer
BY RYAN ABER
raber@opubco.com
Edmond Santa Fe defensive back Khari Harding picked up his first offer Thursday, from Kansas State.
“It’s great,” Harding said. “It feels like all the hard work and the effort you put in is finally starting to pay off.”
Harding will visit Manhattan for the Wildcats’ junior day this weekend.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” Harding said. “‘I’m just going to check out the facilities, see what campus life is like and get to know the coaches.”
Harding had 71 tackles and three interceptions as a junior.
His uncle, Rodney Harding, was a defensive lineman at Oklahoma State in the 1980s.
Khari Harding said Oklahoma State–and Oregon State–send him correspondence regularly.
He said he’s yet to hear from OU.
Enid to hire Yukon defensive coordinator Steve Chard
Yukon defensive coordinator Steve Chard is expected to be named the head coach at Enid on Thursday.
Enid is expected to hire Yukon defensive coordinator Steve Chard as its new head coach, sources confirmed to The Oklahoman.
The Enid School Board called a special board meeting for 12:15 p.m. Thursday, with the vote to approve or disapporove the hiring of a football coach listed on the agenda.
Chard has been the Yukon defensive coordinator the last three seasons, helping the Millers to three consecutive playoff appearances.
Chard’s move to Enid, which was first reported by the Oklahoma High School Sports Express, will be his second head coaching job. He was the head coach at Chickasha from 2005-08. Before that, he spent four seasons as the defensive coordinator at Owasso, and also worked as the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach at Deer Creek, where he helped the Antlers to the 2000 Class 3A state championship.
– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com
Twitter: @ScottWrightOK
