The Neosho football program is returning a plethora of starters in a season that figures to see positive strides forward.
The Wildcats return 16 starters and have 28 total lettermen coming back, giving head coach Brandon Taute an experienced foundation to build from.
“We have a group of kids who have played a lot of games of varsity football in the (Central Ozark Conference), which is something you can’t simulate no matter what you do,” Neosho coach Brandon Taute told NewsTalk KZRG. “For them to be able to play in those moments under the lights on Friday nights is huge for us. The understanding of the scheme and what we’re trying to do is as high as it's been since I've been here. That will allow us to do a little more and be a little better at what we’re doing.”
From a scheme standpoint, these seniors have been in our system for four years. This is our first group where this is all the seniors have known while in high school.
Offensively, the Wildcats will lean heavily on a pair of senior returning playmakers—WR Hudson Williams (second team all-COC) and senior RB Denver Welch (third team all-COC).
“Hudson and Denver both had big breakout year’s last season,” Taute said. “Hudson, in my opinion, is one of the best receivers in the COC if not this entire area. He’s just got great body control and really soft hands… Denver is just a complete running back. He does a great job in the run game, pass game, pass pro. Anything you ask him to do from a running back standpoint, he does well.”
An old adage in football talks about building a winning football team from the inside out. If that’s the case, Neosho’s experience in the trenches will bolster each phase of the game.
“Everybody knows the games are won in the trenches and we have a lot of guys coming back with a lot of experience.”
Along the offensive line, Neosho returns juniors Miller Franklin, Romario Cifuentes and senior Tyce Hardin.
Senior Cade Spiva figures to slot in at quarterback this season for Neosho.
“Cade has been working for this for a long time,” Taute said. “He is a true dual-threat quarterback. … He is just a student of the game. He loves football.”
The defensive line returns juniors Everson Tomlinson, Gabriel Busteed, and senior Brice Warren.
Also returning defensively, the Wildcats return several important pieces, highlighted by a pair of senior third-team all-COC performers—LB Korbyn York and LB Trey Hardin. Senior DB Bostyn Patterson and junior DB Kanten Smith also bring back starting experience in the secondary.
The Central Ozark Conference got a bit of a shakeup in the offseason. The COC West features Carthage, Joplin, Webb City, Republic, Willard and Neosho in football. The COC East is made up of Lebanon, Waynesville, Nixa, Ozark, Kickapoo and Glendale.
“It’s going to be a tough game week in and week out, and we love that,” Taute said. “We get to play all four of the new schools, which is cool because we get to mix it up and play somebody different. … We’re excited to play some of the best teams in the state every week.”
Neosho opens the season on the road against Glendale before opening up at home against Kickapoo in Week 2.