Annual Trek To Durant Shows Off Team’s Future Potential
How will the Bulldogs meet the challenges of losing one of the best senior classes in school history? Will the Bulldogs of 2025 rise to the high levels like they did last year? Can they win it all?
These are some of the questions Sulphur head football coach Corey Cole and his staff are addressing as the team just completed 15 spring football workouts topped off with a camp at Durant at the end of May.
This week, Cole served up a deep dive into his program, giving fans some insights on what to expect when the season rolls around in August and who might play big roles in the upcoming season.
Following are some of Cole’s thoughts on the upcoming season and the productivity of the spring workouts.
Spring Workouts
“These workouts and camp provide us with opportunities to get guys some most needed reps,” he said. “We use the spring as an early way to start filling out our depth charts, and more importantly, introducing any changes to schemes that we might have added or changed during the off season. I thought our kids had a business like approach all spring and attacked everyday as an opportunity to grow and get better individually and as a team. Really proud of the way we competed day in and day out. Really excited in the way we played at the Durant team camp PHOTOS BY BLAKE SEALE
against Durant and Idabel.
“I thought we were really aggressive offensively and defensively and played really fast. Our physicality and toughness was great. With the spring behind us, now it’s time to attack the summer and summer workouts with enthusiastic energy and relentless effort chasing our goals.
“There was great competition all spring long and excited to see this group continue to grow.” Offensive Outlook
Bulldog quarterback Traber Sartors eyes a receiver as Sulphur participated in the annual team camp recently at Durant.
Bulldog quarterback Kale Brakefield fires off a pass in the Durant camp just recently completed.
The Dog’s Colten Cole is shown in spring workouts at the Durant camp recently.
Dogs
Cole said his three quarterbacks, Kale Brakefield, Traber Sartors, and Carter Cole all made great progress during spring ball. “With the style of offense we have installed a year ago, it’s important that these guys study the system and continue to grow,” he said.
One of the big strengths of this year’s team will be at running back where Cole believes the Dogs have “a chance to be really, really good.” Leading off that group is Maddax Mobly, who returns after a “tremendous junior season where he led the team in rushing and TD’s.” Mobly currently has four Division 1 offers for next level play, according to Cole.
Also returning are Jojo Gray and Grady Hardoin, both productive last season, and who Cole said have really developed physically and speed-wise this spring.Another runner, Madden Duck, has been limited with injury, but adds another dimension for the team, the coach said. Sulphur should also have a solid corps of receivers with several returning from the runner-up team last year.
“Several returners at receiver should make that group a strong group for production in 2025,” said Cole.
He said Maddax Mobly, Bridge Barrett, Drake Wood, Carter Cole, Garin Watson, Cooper Cole all return from the 2024 season.
“Mobly, Barrett, and Wood all had multiple TD receptions and were a key part of our 2024 passing attack,” he said. “Look for Rush Pitman, Jaxon Freehill, and Jesse Peters to add to this group in 2025.” Also returning is H back Colten Cole, who is a hybrid player for the Dogs and can play tight end, fullback, and wide receiver. “He provides a really unique skill set that we will need to take advantage of in 2025,” the coach said.
Michael Morris and Jackson Haggard will provide much needed depth to this position, according to Cole.
Offensive, Defensive Lines
“I was really happy with the development of our offensive line this spring after graduating four guys last year,” said Cole. “These guys were challenged and have responded well to this point and were really physical during team camp. Brody Wallace leads the way as he enters as a three-year starter at center. AJ Gordon, Connor Sullivan, Caysen Meador, George Martinez, Caleb Walker, Acer Dixon, Wriley Ashley, Dominic Ludlow and Kaden Howe all had very productive springs and team camp and got better everyday, this group will be the key to another explosive offense in 2025 and we are excited with their progress.”
Defensively, Cole said the coaching staff is really excited how well these guys played and pursued the football this spring.
“Colten Cole, Cooper Cole, Grady Hardoin, George Martinez and Jojo Gray give us a really solid defensive end group and Connor Sullivan, Acer Dixon, Brody Wallace, Caysen Meador, and Caleb Walker give us a solid group at defensive tackle,” he said.
Linebackers and Secondary
Linebacker could be another area where the Dogs could really be a force for opposing offenses, according to Cole.
“We feel like our linebacker group could be really good,” said Cole. “Morris, Madden Duck, Garin Watson, Brakefield, Dylan Gleason, and Haggard play very physical and downhill and could be a huge part of the upcoming season.
“The secondary is going to be very athletic and skilled,” Cole said, with Barrett, Wood, Mobly, Carter Cole all with lots of playing time last year and bringing some experience on the back end. “Sartors, Pitman, and Freehill have all developed this past year and will be key parts to the secondary,” he said. “This could be a strong group as they continue to develop.”
Some Final Thoughts
“We had a great spring and we’re proud of these guys effort but now it’s time for maybe the most important part of our program and that’s the summer grind,” said Cole.
The team will workout every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday in June and then it’s four days a week in July.
“These workouts help develop team chemistry, teammates bond in tough times, and it strengthens our culture by making our guys physically and mentally tough. We were just a little short last seasonthese guys are ready to work and ready to FINISH.”
Can the Bulldogs win it all? Well, they were just an inch or two short of beating one of the most dominant teams ever in the Class 3A state title game last December and will have lots to play for when the season begins in August.
