03-23-2009, 03:05 PM
06-12-2009, 08:46 PM
ttt
06-16-2009, 11:46 PM
Conner QB spends summer showing skills
Conner quarterback Nick West has a busy summer planned. The senior-to-be is hitting the camp circuit in search of a Division I scholarship offer. He's agreed to give The Enquirer a glimpse at the process through a biweekly recruiting diary (as told to staff writer Ryan Ernst).
It's going to be a pretty busy few days. I'm going to UK's camp Friday night. I might go to EKU on Sunday and then I've got UC's camp Monday. Most of the camps are set up the same way. At first you do a lot of repetitive drills - drop-backs and play-action fakes. Then you throw with a certain group of receivers.
And then there are regional camps, like the Nike Elite camp in Penn State. We did straight drills for about two hours. Everything was quick and intense and they videotaped everything. It was cool. Penn State is a really nice campus. Happy Valley is set right in the mountain. It's a pretty sweet college town, a football town. As far as the recruiting process, it was a good experience for me.
I'm just trying to improve everything right now. No matter how much you improve, you can always sharpen everything up. But it's tough in a camp situation. Because what I'm best at, I don't think I can really show at a camp. I feel like my biggest strength is reading defenses and then making in-game adjustments. But they can't put an entire defense out there in a camp situation.
When you go to these things, you're there with all the other kids and everyone's kind of in the same boat. But you can tell who's there to get looked at. Sometimes I feel like I'm a guy they're looking at. And that's kind of cool. But they have to make sure that they're not giving anyone any special treatment.
The whole thing's a process, especially for a quarterback. It's one spot and it's a really important spot. Programs just can't offer scholarships to 30 quarterbacks. They need to know that it's a good fit. I can understand where they're coming from, but it's still frustrating. I see people getting offers left and right and I'm still waiting. It'd be nice to get one, but I know I have to wait. I don't see myself getting offers until down the road a little bit. It's still early.
http://nky.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...906120368/
Conner quarterback Nick West has a busy summer planned. The senior-to-be is hitting the camp circuit in search of a Division I scholarship offer. He's agreed to give The Enquirer a glimpse at the process through a biweekly recruiting diary (as told to staff writer Ryan Ernst).
It's going to be a pretty busy few days. I'm going to UK's camp Friday night. I might go to EKU on Sunday and then I've got UC's camp Monday. Most of the camps are set up the same way. At first you do a lot of repetitive drills - drop-backs and play-action fakes. Then you throw with a certain group of receivers.
And then there are regional camps, like the Nike Elite camp in Penn State. We did straight drills for about two hours. Everything was quick and intense and they videotaped everything. It was cool. Penn State is a really nice campus. Happy Valley is set right in the mountain. It's a pretty sweet college town, a football town. As far as the recruiting process, it was a good experience for me.
I'm just trying to improve everything right now. No matter how much you improve, you can always sharpen everything up. But it's tough in a camp situation. Because what I'm best at, I don't think I can really show at a camp. I feel like my biggest strength is reading defenses and then making in-game adjustments. But they can't put an entire defense out there in a camp situation.
When you go to these things, you're there with all the other kids and everyone's kind of in the same boat. But you can tell who's there to get looked at. Sometimes I feel like I'm a guy they're looking at. And that's kind of cool. But they have to make sure that they're not giving anyone any special treatment.
The whole thing's a process, especially for a quarterback. It's one spot and it's a really important spot. Programs just can't offer scholarships to 30 quarterbacks. They need to know that it's a good fit. I can understand where they're coming from, but it's still frustrating. I see people getting offers left and right and I'm still waiting. It'd be nice to get one, but I know I have to wait. I don't see myself getting offers until down the road a little bit. It's still early.
http://nky.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...906120368/
07-08-2009, 06:46 PM
http://kentuckypreps.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=962720
It only took head coach Dave Trosper one year to turn around the Conner Cougars. This year however, coach Trosper has talented players coming back that already know his system, and the Cougars are hungry for a chance at the playoffs.
Nick West is capable of making plays with his arm and his legs.
The only problem is so is the rest of Northern Kentucky 6A. With five of the six teams in 6A being a legit contender, the Cougars are going to have to take advantage of the first five games of the season where they play smaller schools. The second half of their schedule is a gauntlet against NKY 6A, but they do have the advantage of facing second-year program Cooper in the final week if they need that last win.
2008 RECORD: 7-5; 3-2 (6A)
COACHING: The Cougars have one of the best young coaches in the area in coach Trosper. He has taken the team from 1-9 his first season to 7-5 in a tough year in 6A during his second season.
He runs a spread offense and puts a lot of confidence in his quarterback Nick West to make his own decisions at the line of scrimmage. Expect the Cougars to only get better in their third year of running coach Trosper's system.
OFFENSE: The offense all starts with their standout quarterback. West blew up last year on the scene by throwing for 2,759 yards, 23 touchdowns, and running for nine more scores. The athletic signal-caller not only throws with precision and strength, but also has the ability to improvise with his feet. The senior thrives in the spread offense that coach Trosper runs and is poised for another huge year.
West will be joined in the backfield with returning running back Austin Pugh. Pugh ran for 566 yards and five touchdowns last season. Expect his numbers to increase a little bit in his senior campaign, but not a whole lot. The Cougars' offense doesn't require a running back to carry the ball very often, but Pugh gives them a reliable athlete in the backfield.
The biggest question on the team is who West will be throwing the ball to after losing favorite target Scooter Englemon to graduation. The leading candidate is Michael Gill who caught 36 passes last season, but didn't have the big plays that Englemon did. Expect Gill to pick up a lot of the slack in production and rack up a lot more yardage and touchdowns this season.
DEFENSE: The Cougar defense was hit or miss last season. They had their great moments and they had their revolving door moments, and a lot of times those moments both occurred in the same games. They allowed 32 points per game last season, but held opponents to fewer than 20 points seven times.
If they are to be successful they will need another big year out of top returning defensive player Will Hardin. The hard hitter had a huge sophomore season last year with 81 tackles, eight sacks, and one interception.
He will be joined by another top tackler from last season's team in Eric Champ. Champ finished the season with 61 tackles and an interception. Other top returners on the defense include Huston Dockery and Nate Angel who combined for nine sacks a season ago.
2009 SCHEDULE:
8/21 @Oldham Co.
8/28 @Scott
9/4 Lloyd
9/11 Dixie
9/18 @Holy Cross
9/25 @Simon Kenton
10/2 Boone
10/9 Campbell Co.
10/16 @Ryle
10/23 @cooper
FINAL TAKE: The Cougars will be among the top teams in the area again this year, but the problem is so will three or four other teams in Northern Kentucky 6A. If the offense is as explosive as it has the potential to be and the defense plays more consistent, there is no reason why Conner couldn't be the team from 6A this season that makes a postseason run.
It only took head coach Dave Trosper one year to turn around the Conner Cougars. This year however, coach Trosper has talented players coming back that already know his system, and the Cougars are hungry for a chance at the playoffs.
Nick West is capable of making plays with his arm and his legs.
The only problem is so is the rest of Northern Kentucky 6A. With five of the six teams in 6A being a legit contender, the Cougars are going to have to take advantage of the first five games of the season where they play smaller schools. The second half of their schedule is a gauntlet against NKY 6A, but they do have the advantage of facing second-year program Cooper in the final week if they need that last win.
2008 RECORD: 7-5; 3-2 (6A)
COACHING: The Cougars have one of the best young coaches in the area in coach Trosper. He has taken the team from 1-9 his first season to 7-5 in a tough year in 6A during his second season.
He runs a spread offense and puts a lot of confidence in his quarterback Nick West to make his own decisions at the line of scrimmage. Expect the Cougars to only get better in their third year of running coach Trosper's system.
OFFENSE: The offense all starts with their standout quarterback. West blew up last year on the scene by throwing for 2,759 yards, 23 touchdowns, and running for nine more scores. The athletic signal-caller not only throws with precision and strength, but also has the ability to improvise with his feet. The senior thrives in the spread offense that coach Trosper runs and is poised for another huge year.
West will be joined in the backfield with returning running back Austin Pugh. Pugh ran for 566 yards and five touchdowns last season. Expect his numbers to increase a little bit in his senior campaign, but not a whole lot. The Cougars' offense doesn't require a running back to carry the ball very often, but Pugh gives them a reliable athlete in the backfield.
The biggest question on the team is who West will be throwing the ball to after losing favorite target Scooter Englemon to graduation. The leading candidate is Michael Gill who caught 36 passes last season, but didn't have the big plays that Englemon did. Expect Gill to pick up a lot of the slack in production and rack up a lot more yardage and touchdowns this season.
DEFENSE: The Cougar defense was hit or miss last season. They had their great moments and they had their revolving door moments, and a lot of times those moments both occurred in the same games. They allowed 32 points per game last season, but held opponents to fewer than 20 points seven times.
If they are to be successful they will need another big year out of top returning defensive player Will Hardin. The hard hitter had a huge sophomore season last year with 81 tackles, eight sacks, and one interception.
He will be joined by another top tackler from last season's team in Eric Champ. Champ finished the season with 61 tackles and an interception. Other top returners on the defense include Huston Dockery and Nate Angel who combined for nine sacks a season ago.
2009 SCHEDULE:
8/21 @Oldham Co.
8/28 @Scott
9/4 Lloyd
9/11 Dixie
9/18 @Holy Cross
9/25 @Simon Kenton
10/2 Boone
10/9 Campbell Co.
10/16 @Ryle
10/23 @cooper
FINAL TAKE: The Cougars will be among the top teams in the area again this year, but the problem is so will three or four other teams in Northern Kentucky 6A. If the offense is as explosive as it has the potential to be and the defense plays more consistent, there is no reason why Conner couldn't be the team from 6A this season that makes a postseason run.
07-21-2009, 08:01 PM
Conner quarterback Nick West is wrapping up his tour of area football camps and starting preparations for the 2009 season. The senior-to-be, part of one of the area's best recruiting classes in years, is in search of a Division I scholarship offer. He's agreed to give The Enquirer a glimpse at the process through a biweekly recruiting diary (as told to staff writer Ryan Ernst).
In the last six weeks I've gone to camps at Central Michigan, Eastern Kentucky and Cincinnati. The coaches seem interested and they're telling my coach (Dave Trosper) that they like what they see, but they still haven't offered a scholarship.
It's another waiting period. That's tough, but they do what they have to do. I realize that. They're kind of in the same situation I'm in; they've got a season coming up, too.
I really liked going to Central Michigan. Camps are cool, because you get see how you stack up against the other guys. But after going to so many local camps, you kind of already know going in where you're going to fall. At a place like Central Michigan, you see kids that you haven't seen all summer.
Central Michigan had a really nice family atmosphere. It wasn't like any other one-day camp I've been to. At the end of it they had a family barbecue. That was kind of neat. And I really liked UC's facilities - the weight room and all the things they're adding. Each place is a little different. It's nice to get to compare them.
I'm probably going to go to Western Kentucky's camp on Thursday, but that's not for sure.
Practice started this week, but somehow I showed up for the first day of drills without having my physical. I didn't even realize it. So that meant I had to sit out. Just sitting back and watching something is bad enough, but when it's your offense, that makes it twice as bad. I want to be out there. It's hard to sit on the sideline and hold the football without doing anything with it.
And we're going to have an exciting offense.
Michael Gill and Ryan Delph - our receivers - are both seniors. They looked great in seven-on-sevens this summer. Eric Champ is in the slot. He's really quick and big. Austin Pugh is our running back, but he can also line up in the slot. Anthony Boden will be our tight end. He's going to surprise a lot of people. He's going to be great for us, and not just at tight end. We've got a lot of guys like that, hybrid players. We're not going to play just one spot. We'll be able to play different roles at a high level.
I know people are saying what a great class this is locally, but it's really all I know. I'm from Florida originally, so I didn't really grow up following Northern Kentucky football. In fact, I wasn't really into football at all.
When I came up here, I had never touched a football. For the next couple years I was just kind of finding my way. It wasn't until my junior year that I thought I could be any good at all or have any kind of future.
I know Florida's a big football state, but it's also baseball year-round. I played it all the time when I was growing up, almost to the point where I got burned out. When I got up here, I figured I might as well give football a try. Because when it started getting cold out, nobody was playing baseball.
NKY.com
In the last six weeks I've gone to camps at Central Michigan, Eastern Kentucky and Cincinnati. The coaches seem interested and they're telling my coach (Dave Trosper) that they like what they see, but they still haven't offered a scholarship.
It's another waiting period. That's tough, but they do what they have to do. I realize that. They're kind of in the same situation I'm in; they've got a season coming up, too.
I really liked going to Central Michigan. Camps are cool, because you get see how you stack up against the other guys. But after going to so many local camps, you kind of already know going in where you're going to fall. At a place like Central Michigan, you see kids that you haven't seen all summer.
Central Michigan had a really nice family atmosphere. It wasn't like any other one-day camp I've been to. At the end of it they had a family barbecue. That was kind of neat. And I really liked UC's facilities - the weight room and all the things they're adding. Each place is a little different. It's nice to get to compare them.
I'm probably going to go to Western Kentucky's camp on Thursday, but that's not for sure.
Practice started this week, but somehow I showed up for the first day of drills without having my physical. I didn't even realize it. So that meant I had to sit out. Just sitting back and watching something is bad enough, but when it's your offense, that makes it twice as bad. I want to be out there. It's hard to sit on the sideline and hold the football without doing anything with it.
And we're going to have an exciting offense.
Michael Gill and Ryan Delph - our receivers - are both seniors. They looked great in seven-on-sevens this summer. Eric Champ is in the slot. He's really quick and big. Austin Pugh is our running back, but he can also line up in the slot. Anthony Boden will be our tight end. He's going to surprise a lot of people. He's going to be great for us, and not just at tight end. We've got a lot of guys like that, hybrid players. We're not going to play just one spot. We'll be able to play different roles at a high level.
I know people are saying what a great class this is locally, but it's really all I know. I'm from Florida originally, so I didn't really grow up following Northern Kentucky football. In fact, I wasn't really into football at all.
When I came up here, I had never touched a football. For the next couple years I was just kind of finding my way. It wasn't until my junior year that I thought I could be any good at all or have any kind of future.
I know Florida's a big football state, but it's also baseball year-round. I played it all the time when I was growing up, almost to the point where I got burned out. When I got up here, I figured I might as well give football a try. Because when it started getting cold out, nobody was playing baseball.
NKY.com
07-23-2009, 06:55 PM
Versatile Conner senior will fill variety of roles in spread
http://nky.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...907230358/
The Conner two-sport senior-to-be attended football camps at the University of Louisville and University of Cincinnati. After camp season, he played in baseball tournaments in Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana and Illinois. Before and after games he made his way to Conner for football meetings. And in between camps and games and meetings, he found time to work out at the YMCA.
This week, when he rejoined his teammates full-time for the stability of late-summer football practice, the shuffling will start anew.
Few football players in Northern Kentucky will be used in the variety of ways Conner will use Pugh.
"This year I think you're going to see him kind of show everything that he can do," said senior quarterback Nick West.
As the back in the Cougars' multifaceted one-back spread offense, Pugh will be a runner, a pass-catcher and a blocker. As a middle linebacker, he'll be key cog in run-stopping and pass coverage.
"The bonus with Austin is he can play anywhere," coach Dave Trosper said. "He can line up in the backfield or he can play wide receiver. When we go to our empty sets, he's still a huge part of our offense. And he can also catch it out of the backfield. And now, we can put Austin at the slot, where he offers even more because he can block. He's a 190-pound physical kid that can mash people.
"And at middle linebacker, I think that's one spot where he's really going to flourish."
Although he's been a steady presence on the Conner varsity since his sophomore year, Pugh's role has changed greatly.
In 2007 he was the main offensive weapon in a power-I offense. He carried 213 times for 923 yards and eight touchdowns. Last season, after Conner coaches installed the spread, his carries were cut in half. He ran for 549 yards and five touchdowns, but also caught 15 passes for 209 yards and three touchdowns.
Conner went from 1-9 to 7-5. The Cougars scored 33 points a game, fourth-best in Northern Kentucky.
"It was totally different," Pugh said. "I knew nothing about (the offense) or what it would look like. I went in blind.
"It was an adjustment; but it was more productive. I wasn't getting as many carries, but it suited us better as a team. After I saw how it all played out, I was all in."
Pugh also chipped in defensively last year. When the Cougars lost other linebackers to injury he filled in admirably, recording 38 tackles. This summer, after being tabbed as the starting middle linebacker, he used the time before and after baseball games to meet with Conner's staff and learn the intricacies of the defense.
"Last year I hadn't really practiced it," he said. "I was just kind of going on instincts. This year I'll be more prepared."
http://nky.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...907230358/
The Conner two-sport senior-to-be attended football camps at the University of Louisville and University of Cincinnati. After camp season, he played in baseball tournaments in Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana and Illinois. Before and after games he made his way to Conner for football meetings. And in between camps and games and meetings, he found time to work out at the YMCA.
This week, when he rejoined his teammates full-time for the stability of late-summer football practice, the shuffling will start anew.
Few football players in Northern Kentucky will be used in the variety of ways Conner will use Pugh.
"This year I think you're going to see him kind of show everything that he can do," said senior quarterback Nick West.
As the back in the Cougars' multifaceted one-back spread offense, Pugh will be a runner, a pass-catcher and a blocker. As a middle linebacker, he'll be key cog in run-stopping and pass coverage.
"The bonus with Austin is he can play anywhere," coach Dave Trosper said. "He can line up in the backfield or he can play wide receiver. When we go to our empty sets, he's still a huge part of our offense. And he can also catch it out of the backfield. And now, we can put Austin at the slot, where he offers even more because he can block. He's a 190-pound physical kid that can mash people.
"And at middle linebacker, I think that's one spot where he's really going to flourish."
Although he's been a steady presence on the Conner varsity since his sophomore year, Pugh's role has changed greatly.
In 2007 he was the main offensive weapon in a power-I offense. He carried 213 times for 923 yards and eight touchdowns. Last season, after Conner coaches installed the spread, his carries were cut in half. He ran for 549 yards and five touchdowns, but also caught 15 passes for 209 yards and three touchdowns.
Conner went from 1-9 to 7-5. The Cougars scored 33 points a game, fourth-best in Northern Kentucky.
"It was totally different," Pugh said. "I knew nothing about (the offense) or what it would look like. I went in blind.
"It was an adjustment; but it was more productive. I wasn't getting as many carries, but it suited us better as a team. After I saw how it all played out, I was all in."
Pugh also chipped in defensively last year. When the Cougars lost other linebackers to injury he filled in admirably, recording 38 tackles. This summer, after being tabbed as the starting middle linebacker, he used the time before and after baseball games to meet with Conner's staff and learn the intricacies of the defense.
"Last year I hadn't really practiced it," he said. "I was just kind of going on instincts. This year I'll be more prepared."
08-19-2009, 04:40 PM
Cougars to build on turnaround season
By James Weber • [email]jweber@nky.com[/email] • August 18, 2009
• • Print • ShareThis • Type Size: A A
Veteran players on the Conner High School football team experienced a 1-9 season in 2007 firsthand, the last of three years the Cougars had a combined record of 7-23.
Then they enjoyed the fruits of a 7-5 year last season and their first playoff win in four years.
They are not satisfied by any means after losing to Simon Kenton in the second round of the 6A playoffs and watching that team roll to the state final.
"I'm excited going from a 1-9 season to last year," senior running back Austin Pugh said. "We're definitely not happy about it. We want more, try to make it to state this year."
"We got a taste and I know I wasn't ready to be done last year," senior quarterback Nick West said. "This year it would mean so much to make a deep playoff run and get to state, win a ring."
West, a Division I prospect, threw for 2,702 yards and 30 touchdowns and will start for a third year this season. West, who also rushed for 622 yards and 11 scores, is a big key to Conner's hopes on offense.
His first year starting was that 1-9 campaign in which he and other members of the Class of 2010 got a lot of playing time.
"It's good to know we have a lot of sophomore starters from my sophomore year playing now," West said. "Our depth at all positions is a lot better than it has been in recent years. We can sub guys in and know we're not missing anything."
Pugh returns after 549 yards and five TDs on the ground last year.
Another senior who started as a sophomore, Huston Dockery, will have one last year of being "Texas Twins" with Pugh at linebacker and running back.
Trosper said both are strong, physical players.
"All our lineman are good, our backfield is great," said Dockery. "I feel not many people will get a lot of yards off us this year."
Howard Watkins and Tom Henessey return at defensive line. Eric Champ, Michael Gill, Ryan Delph and Michael Mueller lead the secondary.
Champ, also a senior receiver, helps the Cougars with great speed at both spots.
"We had a lot more unity than we had the year before," Champ said. "We all came together as one, that's what brought us through the season."
Senior Anthony Boden is also a major receiving threat.
Senior Zack Parin leads the offensive line at left tackle. The two-year starter has really improved in the weight room, Trosper said. Michael Delgrande, who missed last year with a knee injury, returns at right tackle. Bo Gabbard, Austin Hacker, and Max Ingram are among other key returners on the line.
The Cougars are ready to deal with higher expectations in the tough local 6A district.
"Last year we didn't get a lot of respect from people," West said. "This year we're expecting good things from our whole team. Last year we got to the playoffs and won our first game in a while and this year we're expecting to do big things late in the season and in the postseason."
West said the 1-9 season was a learning experience.
"Every game, we were just trying to improve and I think we were improving, but it was rough," he said. "It's all paying off now."
Trosper said the Cougars are going in the right direction.
"These guys are winners," he said. "On the freshman level, they played for the freshman championship. All their lives they've been part of winning. That's the type of players we're trying to breed here - to make winning something that is expected."
By James Weber • [email]jweber@nky.com[/email] • August 18, 2009
• • Print • ShareThis • Type Size: A A
Veteran players on the Conner High School football team experienced a 1-9 season in 2007 firsthand, the last of three years the Cougars had a combined record of 7-23.
Then they enjoyed the fruits of a 7-5 year last season and their first playoff win in four years.
They are not satisfied by any means after losing to Simon Kenton in the second round of the 6A playoffs and watching that team roll to the state final.
"I'm excited going from a 1-9 season to last year," senior running back Austin Pugh said. "We're definitely not happy about it. We want more, try to make it to state this year."
"We got a taste and I know I wasn't ready to be done last year," senior quarterback Nick West said. "This year it would mean so much to make a deep playoff run and get to state, win a ring."
West, a Division I prospect, threw for 2,702 yards and 30 touchdowns and will start for a third year this season. West, who also rushed for 622 yards and 11 scores, is a big key to Conner's hopes on offense.
His first year starting was that 1-9 campaign in which he and other members of the Class of 2010 got a lot of playing time.
"It's good to know we have a lot of sophomore starters from my sophomore year playing now," West said. "Our depth at all positions is a lot better than it has been in recent years. We can sub guys in and know we're not missing anything."
Pugh returns after 549 yards and five TDs on the ground last year.
Another senior who started as a sophomore, Huston Dockery, will have one last year of being "Texas Twins" with Pugh at linebacker and running back.
Trosper said both are strong, physical players.
"All our lineman are good, our backfield is great," said Dockery. "I feel not many people will get a lot of yards off us this year."
Howard Watkins and Tom Henessey return at defensive line. Eric Champ, Michael Gill, Ryan Delph and Michael Mueller lead the secondary.
Champ, also a senior receiver, helps the Cougars with great speed at both spots.
"We had a lot more unity than we had the year before," Champ said. "We all came together as one, that's what brought us through the season."
Senior Anthony Boden is also a major receiving threat.
Senior Zack Parin leads the offensive line at left tackle. The two-year starter has really improved in the weight room, Trosper said. Michael Delgrande, who missed last year with a knee injury, returns at right tackle. Bo Gabbard, Austin Hacker, and Max Ingram are among other key returners on the line.
The Cougars are ready to deal with higher expectations in the tough local 6A district.
"Last year we didn't get a lot of respect from people," West said. "This year we're expecting good things from our whole team. Last year we got to the playoffs and won our first game in a while and this year we're expecting to do big things late in the season and in the postseason."
West said the 1-9 season was a learning experience.
"Every game, we were just trying to improve and I think we were improving, but it was rough," he said. "It's all paying off now."
Trosper said the Cougars are going in the right direction.
"These guys are winners," he said. "On the freshman level, they played for the freshman championship. All their lives they've been part of winning. That's the type of players we're trying to breed here - to make winning something that is expected."