Elberta High School football enters the season searching for a turnaround, and much of that hope rests on the shoulders of senior quarterback and linebacker Moose Owens, whose leadership and physical transformation have coaches and teammates believing better days are ahead for the Warriors.
Last season was a rough one for Elberta, which was outscored 408-119 across the campaign. But this offseason brought a renewed emphasis on conditioning, weight training and nutrition, changes Owens said have reshaped the team from top to bottom.
“The difference between the teams is like night and day,” Owens said. “We’ve got kids that you can tell a difference in them between days almost. Just the changes we’re going through with health and coach Williams and our coaching staff and our weight program are big. Miss Martha feeding us every day and just the love and the care they’re giving us is just amazing.”
A Two-Way Player Getting Stronger
Owens started on both sides of the ball a year ago, splitting time at quarterback and linebacker while also getting snaps at tight end. He estimated he was on the field for roughly 130 snaps a game, a workload that wore on him by the fourth quarter.
“I gave it my all every play, but towards the end of the game, playing both sides of the ball … I could feel myself being pushed back a little bit,” Owens said. “I just wasn’t strong enough to keep it going the whole game. I feel like that extra strength, that extra size is going to help out a lot this year.”
The added strength has come with a jump in speed as well, Owens said, crediting work on his legs, hips and core. He said he ran a 4.8-second 40-yard dash this offseason, a time he didn’t think was possible for him before this year.
Statistically, Owens was a major factor for Elberta last season, throwing for 360 yards and four touchdowns, rushing for 154 yards and adding 26 receiving yards. On defense, he recorded 28.5 tackles, including 5.5 tackles for a loss.
A Coach’s High Praise
Elberta head coach Williams, who said this will be his 46th year coaching and 47th season overall, did not hold back when describing what Owens has meant to the program’s turnaround effort.
“If there’s a reincarnation of Tim Tebow, that’s him,” Williams said of Owens. “Not just from the way he plays, but … when Moose starts to talk in the locker room or on the field, players and coaches just hush. I’ve never had a guy like Moose. It’s just unbelievable. The leadership qualities are incredible. You want him to stand up and give you his testimony? He’ll do that in a heartbeat. You want him to stand up and motivate the guy next to him? He’ll handle that.”
Williams drew a comparison to another standout he once coached: former Fairhope High School quarterback Riley Leonard, now with the Indianapolis Colts. “I had the fortune of working with Riley Leonard,” Williams said. “He’s the closest thing I’ve ever seen to Riley Leonard. He’s that guy. Just unbelievable leadership skills.”
The Story Behind the Nickname
Owens said the origin of his nickname, Moose, traces back to his parents’ own story. His father was a Marine stationed in Hawaii, and his mother was vacationing there when the two met at a bar called Moose and McGillicuddy’s. When Owens was born, he said he was “super fat,” especially in the legs, and his mother began calling him Moose in a nod to where she and his father first met. The nickname has stuck ever since.
Looking Ahead to the Season
Owens said this year’s offense has taken on a noticeably different mentality than the one that struggled through last season’s lopsided losses.
“I love the effort. I love the speed and just the way we attack on offense,” he said. “Last year, sometimes if we messed up, we would get in our feels a little bit and slow down. But this year, everybody’s just off the wall trying to protect their teammates, trying to help their teammates. It’s a very close-knit, tight-knit group of people. It allows us to just excel better.”
Although Owens is not expected to see as much time on defense this season, he said he remains ready to help wherever the team needs him, including as the Warriors’ punter. He already has a college offer from Millsaps College to play linebacker.
“I love quarterback. I’ve been playing quarterback since I was about this tall. Quarterback is what I’ve always loved to play, and so I’m just happy to play,” Owens said. “I would really play anything to help the team out. Coach Williams, if he told me to sell tickets, I’d go out and sell tickets in the parking lot.”