WEATHERFORD EAGLES
Coach: TAYLOR SOSSAMON
9-3
Weatherford returns a good young core of players off last year’s Class 4A quarterfinals team, and third-year head coach Taylor Sossamon says, “We will have some competition battles at several positions, particularly on offense,” as he looks forward to “seeing who steps up and fills the roles of some of those seniors we lost.” The Eagles return six offensive starters and eight defensive starters from a 9-3 campaign, and with a veteran defense and emerging offensive playmakers, Sossamon believes his program can make another deep run in 2026.
The Eagles run a spread power offense that tries to mesh a physical, downhill run game with modern spread creativity. Senior wide receiver Jakoby Flynn (5-9, 145) posted over 600 yards of total offense and five touchdowns and is an instinctual, dynamic player on both sides of the ball, with Sossamon saying Flynn is “a guy we try to engineer touches for and is one of our best playmakers on offense.” Senior wide receiver Cooper Bryant (6-2, 175) added over 350 yards of total offense and four touchdowns, senior center Austin Burkeen (6-0, 220) is a three-year starter who anchors the offensive line, and senior wide receiver Zane Behne (6-2, 180) and junior Graham Riddell (6-0, 180) give the Eagles more targets on the perimeter. Sophomore tackle Cooper Bell (6-3, 250) started eight games as a freshman and looks to be an impact player this season.
Defensively, Weatherford likes to be “multiple in our presentations, but try to be simple in our execution,” according to Sossamon. Junior linebacker Kalen Clift (6-1, 200) is one of the most instinctual young players Sossamon has ever been around, and he led the team in tackles from his linebacker position with 117 total tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and a forced fumble as a sophomore. Junior linebacker Ryker Smith (5-10, 200) posted 109 total tackles and 11 tackles for loss, while Flynn doubles as a free safety and helps everyone else get lined up. Flynn ended last season with 56 total tackles and one interception; Bryant contributes 44 total tackles, three tackles for loss and one interception from boundary safety, Burkeen is a three-year starter at nose guard with 42 total tackles and four tackles for loss, and senior defensive end Henry Davis (6-4, 235) added 30 total tackles, six tackles for loss and three sacks.
8-28 – at Lawton MacArthur
9-4 – at Tecumseh
9-11 – vs. El Reno
9-18 – vs. Duncan
9-25 – at Douglass
10-2 – vs. Clinton
10-9 – at Elk City
10-15 – vs. Bethany
10-23 – at Cache
10-30 – vs. Woodward
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