St. Thomas More Cougars
2020 Record: 7-0
District: 5-4A
Head Coach: Jim Hightower
Note: QB Walker Howard ranked as No. 1 QB in Class of 2022 (247 Sports)
"Lafayette Parish had a super year in football," said head coach Jim Hightower. "Acadiana people love their football."
Four teams in the parish won titles last season - Acadiana, Lafayette Christian Academy, Carencro, and STM.
When it comes to the Cougars, they're coming off their first undefeated season in program history and a 2-peat. But if St. Thomas More is going to make it 3 straight, there will be a lot of new faces stepping up, with only 3 starters returning in 2021.
"For everybody, it's cause for concern. We're not immune to that. We know we got a lot of holes to fill on the roster A lot of new players will be stepping on the field for the Cougars," said Hightower. "They've been waiting in line, waiting for their opportunity. I don't think they want to let it go by."
"I've been playing with some of these guys for my whole life. I can't wait for the state to see. I know them, I know how they play. I'm just really excited for the rest of the state to see how they play. I'd say that as a group, we're hungry," linebacker Jude Lasala added.
But STM can still be okay, with #15 under center. Quarterback Walker Howard, who just recently became the #1 QB in the nation according to 247 Sports, is primed for another big year. The LSU commit threw for over 3,000 yards and 35 touchdowns his junior year. And he expects to rise to even higher levels in 2021, even with a brand new cast of receivers.
"I'm ready. These guys, we've been working all summer. We have. We're ready to roll. We're going to be stepping up big. We're ready to go. We've been working hard. They saw the expectations last year with what the receivers did. They're going to take their game and what last year's offense did, and go from there," said Howard.
"Walker is our team leader this year. He has been from day 1. He's certainly risen to the occasion. I think he relishes the opportunity to be the guy, to be the leader," Hightower added. "Not just on the field, but in every aspect of our program."
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