We're featuring some of our HomeTeam 100 players, including our No. 39 player, Gaither QB Alex McGough:
It would be easy to dismiss Gaither as a legitimate playoff contender in 2013, given its enormous losses from last year’s offense.
This fall, the Cowboys return players responsible for only 33 percent of their rushing yards, 13 percent of their receptions, 8 percent of their receiving yards and only 5 of the 38 offensive touchdowns scored in 2012.
All of that attrition doesn’t hurt so bad with McGough still in the huddle.
The 6-foot-3 McGough will be at the center of the rebuilding effort this fall, hoping to build on his 2012 performance: 1,727 yards passing, 22 touchdowns and six interceptions on a 56-percent completion rate.
“Even though we’ve had some losses,” McGough said, “we’ve got some people coming that are good that no one has heard of. Yet.”
The FIU commit and the Cowboys have shown signs that they’ll be fine with their new — and mostly untested — crew of receivers and running backs.
They acquitted themselves well in the Battle of the Bay 7-on-7 tournament, beating Alonso and playing Plant close, and later winning the BCP Route 9 tournament without star defenders Amani Oruwariye and Matt Williams — both members of the two-time 7-on-7 national champion Team Tampa.
“That felt really good,” McGough said. “It just showed that everyone on our team can play.”
Also in this series:
Players 91-100
Players 81-90
Players 71-80
Players 61-70
Players 51-60
Players 41-50
Players 31-40