BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER
EDINBURG — After the 2017 football season, Edinburg North experienced a mass exodus.
Players transferred out, and the school got a new coach in Damian Gonzalez.
Two of the primary ballhandlers last year, the starting quarterback and running back, both left.
The Cougars have moved on, and spring has been the time to get comfortable with what they have and learn how to best utilize those players.
“If they don’t want to be here, this train is going to roll,” senior lineman Joshua Guerrero said. “We have to go. If they don’t want to come, we don’t need them. We are going to start rolling soon.”
Things are already rolling for the offensive line. Gonzalez was a line coach at North before becoming an offensive coordinator under current ECISD athletic director Roy Garza.
“Our strength on our O-line is our experience,” Gonzalez said. “Josh Guerrero, he’s going to be a three-year starter. He’s the guy up front, and everything revolves around him. The other gentleman we have is Luz Ramos. They are both big and strong, and they have both done a great job this offseason improving their footwork, and they have gotten a heck of a lot better.”
The message to the line coming into the new regime was get faster and be more agile.
Guerrero said that improvement starts with ladder drills every day, and then the group transitions to using the sleds and the parachute.
“A lot of us have lost a lot of weight already,” Guerrero said. “We are shedding some pounds and getting a lot faster on our feet.”
The difference is already showing in their competitiveness in practice.
“I have seen a lot of improvement,” senior defensive lineman Humberto Martinez said. “They have gotten a lot better. They have actually been good competition for us this year, and they are getting better every day.”
Though the Cougars lost some starters on the line to graduation, many of the backups who will be promoted to starters next year already gained experience last season due to injuries. They expect to only get better under the new system.
“Fernie de la Garza is doing a great job for us up front at the center position,” Gonzalez said. “Jonathan Longoria played a lot last year out of necessity, because we had a lot of guys hurt, but he got a lot of playing time as a junior. We have a good group of linemen. And Marcus Rodriguez, he’s probably the nastiest out of the group. He’s got a little mean streak in him. He’s going to take it to you every play. We have a little bit of everything on the line. And one thing I really like is because they spend so much time together, they are really working as a unit. As an offensive line, that is huge.”
THIRD TO FIRST
Junior Max Aguilar opened last season as Edinburg North’s third quarterback. Injuries ravaged the position, and he ended up being the player with the most snaps under center by the end of the year.
All of the players he was competing with for playing time at the quarterback position have now left, and the job is Aguilar’s to lose.
“He actually played most of the season,” Gonzalez said. “We are comfortable with him. He won some big games for us and led us to the playoffs.”
Some youngsters are competing for the backup spot, including Robert Gonzalez and Michael Rodriguez. But Aguilar will be the one with the chance to run the offense to begin the season.
“His arm is tremendous,” Gonzalez said. “He has a strong arm, and his accuracy is great. Coach (Max) Habecker is doing some things with him. Coach (Marty) Hammond is working with him. The arm is strong, and that opens it up for our receivers.”
Aguilar is embracing the challenge and excited to continue working to be ready for the beginning of the year.
“My aim this offseason is to get better with this offense, and getting the timing down,” Aguilar said. “Hopefully everything will pick up quick.”
COUGARS DEFENSE
George Espinoza comes over as the new defensive coordinator for the Cougars.
He brings with him a new system and a new swagger.
“Coach Espinoza, he is a Mario Pena disciple,” Gonzalez said. “He learned the stack from him, and he’s obviously tweaked it throughout the years. He’s put his own stamp on it. It’s more of a reaction defense. We are not going to sit and wait. If we see something, we react to it and force you to do something. We are very athletic on the defensive side. A little young, but very athletic.”
The players are excited to add some speed and intensity to the defense.
“I expect us to be quick,” junior defensive back Carlos Coronado said. “As soon as the ball is thrown, we have to get there. I want five or 10 guys going to the ball.”
The defense was tasked with a lot last year. The merry-go-round at quarterback made it difficult for the offense to get rolling.
“The injuries put a lot of pressure on the defense, because we had to be on the field for the majority of the time,” Martinez said. “That got us tired, which gave the other team more opportunities to take advantage of our mistakes.”
With all of the bad luck last year and the struggles the team went through, the players were hesitant to trust the new coaching staff.
“When they first came, I thought it could be bad, but it has actually turned out really well,” Martinez said. “I am very proud of the effort our guys are bringing every day. We are getting a lot closer, and we are playing together better.”
EDINBURG NORTH
Returning starters O/D: 5/4
Returning lettermen: 27
Key Players: QB Max Aguilar, WR Roel de Leon, DB Carlos Coronado, OL Joshua Guerrero, OL Luz Ramos, DL Humberto Martinez
Coach: Damian Gonzalez, first year
2017 Record: 5-6
This story has been edited to reflect that North offensive lineman is named Luz Ramos.