Will Hancock Hawks fight their way back into the playoff mix? Their star QB is ready.
Hancock football is gearing up for what it hopes to be a resurgent year.
The Hawks are coming off their best offensive season since their last playoff trip in 2017, but failed to have a single district win to show for it on their way to a 3-7 record.
At the center of Hancock’s hopes of turning of its fortunes around is rising junior quarterback Dylan Moran. He played in seven games last season and was relied upon sparingly as he learned the playbook and tried to keep up with the quickness of the varsity game.
“It definitely got me used to the speed, because there’s really nothing to prepare you for that,” Moran told the Sun Herald. “It was really just getting used to the speed.”
Moran has stepped up considerably in the spring and it culminated in an impressive showing against Stone and West Harrison in the spring game.
Against the Hurricanes, Moran completed all eight of his pass attempts for 186 yards and three touchdowns. In one drive against stone, he complete four of five pass attempts for 22 yards. In total, Moran was 12-for-13 with 208 yards.
“Through all the work in the offseason, I became more ready,” Moran said. “Studying film and stuff. When we played West Harrison, I already knew what they were going to do before they even did it so that made it a lot easier. The game was a lot slower.”
Moran’s improvement comes at a time where his surrounding cast is also showing signs of potential. While the team did average 26.9 points per game, finding consistent production on the ground and through the air was sometimes a challenge.
This year, Moran believes his team has the offensive players needed to take the next step forward and create a balanced unit.
“Our wide receivers, Todd Dedeaux and Neil Acker, they’re both 6’3, 6’4 guys that are pretty fast with great hands,” Moran said. “I don’t think Hancock has had guys like that in a long time. Us being able to throw it a lot more should open up the run. We should be pretty balanced in the run and pass.”
As with every offense, it starts up front. Moran and company won’t be able to operate without an effective offensive line and the team loses multiple starters from last year. On top of that, a pair of sophomores are in the mix to be a part of the starting five.
According to Moran, that won’t be a problem.
“I think we have better size than last year, they’re faster,” Moran said. “They have a little better recognition of what the linebackers are doing. That’s always great when you have some young guys that can be good like that. I don’t think I got touched in the spring game one time.”
Hancock hasn’t had a winning season since going 10-3 in 2017 in head coach Neil Lollar’s first year. Now entering his sixth, the program is looking to get back into the playoff mix.
“I have the highest expectations for us,” Moran said. “I definitely think we can have a playoff berth this season... I’m extremely confident in my team.”
Hancock’s first game is scheduled to be played at Pearl River Central on August 26. It’s first home game will be Sept. 2 against Vancleave.
