MAGNOLIA — Magnolia West football coach Ben McGehee talks about “burning the boats.”
He tells players tales about the Vikings, Scandinavian sailors and navigators in the early centuries who ventured to islands and then burned their boats so they could not retreat.
“It’s basically going all-in,” senior receiver Gus Jordan said. “Give it everything you’ve got.”
McGehee has a team that is all-in. Players do not hesitate burning the proverbial boats. Heck, the program has a knack for burning the boats. For no surrender.
The Mustangs have made the playoffs 12 of the last 13 years. They have won eight or more games in a season seven times since 2011. They have had one losing season since 2009.
However, this season’s attempt to keep that playoff run going might prove daunting. Magnolia West, ranked No. 7 in Class 5A in the Chronicle’s preseason poll, returns 10 starters from last year’s 8-4 area finalist — and only four on offense.
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Still, the impressive playoff string does not rest on the Mustangs’ minds. It cannot afford to, largely because McGehee, in his third year at the helm, was unaware until recently told.
“I didn’t know that,” he said. “I don’t think you can think about stuff like that. If I spend time on that, that’s time I’m taking away from ways we can be better. The biggest thing is we’re going to make sure our kids are prepared, in shape and we’re going to throw everything we have at you. Our kids are tough and physical and they’re going to fight to the last whistle.
“It’s either going to be good enough or it’s not, but we’re going to know we did everything we could.”
Though inexperienced, Magnolia West is not void of talent.
Senior linebacker Sam Mattingly (140 tackles, seven sacks in 2022) is a Stanford commit. At 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, he is a punisher. Senior running back Terry Daniels compiled 650 yards and seven touchdowns in an injury-plagued 2022 campaign. Jordan (670 yards, three TDs) is a threat on the perimeter, and junior defensive lineman Brandon Mills (38 tackles, four sacks) is quick and agile to the quarterback. Junior tackle Jarod Christensen anchors the offensive front.
But there are holes, specifically at safety (no returning starters), receiver (one returning starter), tight end (no returning starter), fullback and the offensive line (one returning starter).
Things will change a bit, particularly offensively.
“We did a lot of stuff with our two tight ends last year,” McGehee said. “With them gone, we’ll be more open, more multi-formational. This year, it will be more 10 (one running back, no tight end) or 11 (one running back, one tight end) personnel. It’s back to the stuff we ran years ago. It’s rare to have two great tight ends like we had last year, where we could be creative and do some different stuff.”
Jordan said, though somewhat raw, the offense has the potential to be better than last season’s.
Senior quarterback Beau Chumley appears to be the No. 1 after splitting time last year. At 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, he is a physical dual-threat signal-caller.
“His arm strength is better,” McGehee said. “His knowledge of the offense is better. Last year, he was figuring things out. Being in a quarterback competition from the get-go, he was a little hesitant to make mistakes. Now he’s moved past that. He’s letting loose and not playing timid or scared.”
Jordan headlines the receiving corps. Senior Chase Lott is a returner with experience. Newcomer Brandon Taylor, a 6-foot-3, 180-pound senior, is a basketball standout playing football for the first time since the eighth grade and has already drawn the attention of college coaches.
The Mustangs have a running back group with size and speed. Daniels is healthy again after a hip flexor limited him the second half of last season. Junior Carson Dunaway is another big, fast tailback. Juniors Sam Gomez and John Sigler add quality depth and skill.
“We have a bigger running back group, so we have more depth there. There will be more options (play-calls), more RPOs,” Jordan said.
Four of the five starting offensive linemen are new to varsity. Christensen started all 12 games last year.
“He’s going to be a guy that has a chance to go play big-time college football,” McGehee said.
Defensively, the Mustangs will be a lot like last year, out of a base 5-2-4, but more aggressive, particularly on third downs. Magnolia West perennially has a strong defense, a unit that gives different looks early and often to keep offenses guessing.
“We’ll be new at the safety positions and the other corner but I think we have capable kids who can fill those spots,” McGehee said. “The group we put out there will take care of business.”
Everything centers around Mattingly.
The defensive front doesn’t have great size but makes up for it in speed, power and experience. Mills, senior Ryan Brown, junior Johnny Grimaldo and senior Austin Morris make for a formidable quartet.
Senior cornerback Kristian Murphy is the lone returning starter in the secondary. He started every game last season.
“I think this defense can be just as good as last year’s, if not better,” Mattingly said. “I think it’s how fast the new guys are picking everything up. The underclassmen are really getting going. They’ve hit the ground running, they want to learn and they’ll be a big part in what we do this year.”
