TexasFootball.com Interview: Crane head coach Jeff Cordell

Share or Save for Later

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Save to Favorites

TexasFootball.com caught up with Crane head coach Jeff Cordell to talk about the Golden Cranes ahead of the 2021 season.

Crane – a team that completed a relatively normal season in 2020 despite the Covid-19 pandemic – finished 8-2 and atop District 1-3A Division II, going a perfect 3-0 in district play. The Golden Cranes advanced to the second round of the postseason before ending their season with a 35-25 loss to Childress.

Cordell is entering his third season at the helm of Crane’s football program, and had this to say regarding last year’s wild Texas High School Football season:

“Even though we had a small case in the beginning, we didn't lose any football games. We were very fortunate in that regard. We were pretty normal across the board regarding what we got to do. So, you know, even though we had to tweak some things, we didn't really get the wrath of COVID that some teams did, especially in West Texas and El Paso – who got a lot of their seasons cut. We were very blessed and grateful to get to play what was, really, a complete season last year.”

Through all the change, one thing is staying the same for the Golden Cranes: Jaxon Willis’ presence at quarterback. The rising senior enters his third season as the starter, and Cordell spoke to the benefits of having Willis back:

“If you look at his stats over the last two years, you see the kind of numbers he’s put up. He's an amazing athlete, and that can be recognized by the fact he's already been offered by Army-West Point. Now he's got a Division One scholarship, and I think even some more opportunities will present themselves as he continues into his senior year. So, you know, having those two years of experience under your belt as a QB and signal caller for our offense is huge. Additionally, you'll see him a little bit more on defense this upcoming season than you have in the past.”

That defense Cordell is referring to? It pitched quite a few shutouts this past season – three to be exact. It also held their opponent to 21 points or less on six occasions. The head coach gave us some names to watch on the defensive side of the ball:

“Well, we've got two linebackers in Jeren McDonald and Juan Pulido – Pulido being one of the best linebackers in the West Texas area, especially at the small school level. He's a big, huge frame individual that has speed, is hard-nosed, and knows the game of football and has a knack for finding where the football is. We're anchored in the secondary by Pacen Smith and Oliver Cervantes. We have Paul Walker and Elijah Velarde that are returning in our ‘TNT,’ as well as JJ Rodriguez and Keaton Sena with some other guys in behind, including Blake Rodriguez – a guy who has seen a lot of playing time. You know, we basically get eight returners on each side of the ball. We're pretty excited about this upcoming season for that reason.”

While the defense locks down opponents, the Crane offense – which averaged over 40 points per game last season – will have no shortage of firepower to keep its fans entertained. Here’s who’s expected to make an offensive impact in 2021:

“For us, we’ve got Trevor Owens. He's a returning starter who’s got about a year and a half of experience under his belt. We have another guy coming up, Oliver Cervantes, that's going to step in and really help us with what we're doing. And a guy who's probably going to open a whole lot of eyes – I probably shouldn't be sharing this information with you, because he's kind of a diamond in a rough right now – is Manuel Aranda. He's really had a lot of success in the last couple of months with our 7-on-7, showcasing his talents. I know it's just 7-on-7 but being able to run around and catch a ball and in traffic and do some of the things that he has done, it's been impressive. We're excited about the arsenal that we have heading into the season with our spread offense.”

Finally, the big question: What are this team’s expectations for 2021?

“I think any person in the state of Texas that's in this position has the ultimate goal of winning a state championship. I think that's why we're in this business, but it’s not the most important thing. It's about preparing these kids for life after graduation, whether it's at the collegiate level or in the workforce. But, you know, the pinnacle of success in Texas High School Football is winning the state championship. Over the last two or three years here in Crane, we've made it to the second round and gotten bounced. Our expectation is to make it past the second round of the playoffs – and we’re in a very tough region, Region One. You’ve got teams like Canadian and Childress, and they all do a really great job. They're well-coached teams that we're going to face in the first and second round of the playoffs. I think if we can do that, then we can maybe ultimately achieve the goal that we want to see. But it all starts right now in the summer with strength and conditioning, and our kids are excited about the opportunity to get better for this upcoming season.”

This article is available to our Digital Subscribers.
Click "Subscribe Now" to see a list of subscription offers.
Already a Subscriber? Sign In to access this content.

Sign In
Don't Miss Any Exclusive Coverage!

We've been the Bible of Texas football fans for 64 years. By joining the DCTF family you'll gain access to all of our exclusive content and have our magazines mailed to you!