Norman North Team Preview

Get 25% off your subscription by entering Knight25 in the coupon code area. Enjoy! Stay tuned to Prep Redzone Oklahoma every day as we release more individual team previews as we get closer to the start of the 2021 football season. In case you missed it, you can check out our Preseason Rankings <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2021/06/2021-preseason-rankings/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RIGHT HERE</a>. Overview (Class 6A-D1 Preseason Ranking: #6) As was the theme across the state and nation, 2020 was a bit of a weird year for the Norman North Timberwolves. They had 2 games canceled during the regular season, including their annual rivalry against Norman High. They also had a few games where they had to play with a depleted roster due to covid, including the Yukon game where they had 35 players who had to sit out due to the virus. Nonetheless, even among the madness that last season brought, the Timberwolves were still able to hang tough with some of the best teams in the state such as Owasso, and were able to make a run to the 6A-D1 quarterfinals. This season looks to be much different for them though. They return a wealth of talent on both sides of the ball and boast a big-time, Division 1 caliber quarterback for the first time in a few years. . With a full off-season to get guys healthy and bring the new starters up to speed, it would not be out of the question to see Norman North improve drastically on their 2020 record and be right back in the playoff mix with the potential to push for a semifinal appearance or beyond in 2021. <hr /> 2020 Results (6-4 Record – Lost In 6A-D1 Quarterfinals) Sept. 3 – Game VS Norman Canceled Sept. 11 – Beat Edmond Memorial 46-7 Sept. 18 – Lost to Yukon 41-24 Sept. 25 – Beat Mustang 41-14 Oct. 2 – Lost to Owasso 33-22 Oct. 9 – Beat Moore 35-28 Oct. 16 – Beat Putnam City 41-14 Oct. 23 – Lost to Union 50-25 Oct. 30 – Game VS Edmond North Canceled Nov. 6 – Beat Southmoore 59-10 1st Round – Beat Norman 42-34 Quarterfinals – Lost to Jenks 63-16 <hr /> Players To Watch [player_tooltip player_id="108886" first="Gavin" last="Frakes"] - 2022 Quarterback After seeing [player_tooltip player_id="108886" first="Gavin" last="Frakes"] compete throughout the offseason, we kept asking ourselves why he hadn’t won the starting job or seen significant playing time until this season because he looks like a star in the making. Regardless, Frakes is a tall, athletic, and big-armed quarterback who will probably put up some big-time numbers and lead the Norman North to some huge wins in 2021. Gavin has the ability to be a one-man show on his own at times, but with the number of talented playmakers the Timberwolves return for him this season, teams will not be able to just key in on him when trying to slow down their offense, which will allow him to play freely and not force throws where they are not needed. [player_tooltip player_id="157522" first="Chapman" last="McKown"] - 2023 Running Back With former teammate [player_tooltip player_id="63291" first="Gabe" last="Trevillison"] graduated, [player_tooltip player_id="157522" first="Chapman" last="McKown"] will be the main RB for the T-Wolves and could be the offensive X-factor Norman North will need to make a deep playoff run. While splitting time as a Sophomore in 2020, McKown ran for an impressive 900 yards and 7 TDs and added a couple hundred more yards and 2 TDs receiving. McKown is a bit undersized at the moment to be a 3-down back at the next level but he makes up for it with his game-breaking speed and elite agility that will most definitely translate to the college ranks and make life difficult for opposing defenses in 6A-D1 in 2021 and 2022. [player_tooltip player_id="38737" first="Hayden" last="Hack"] - 2022 Wide Receiver/Defensive Back [player_tooltip player_id="38737" first="Hayden" last="Hack"] only recorded a handful of receptions in 2020 but figures to be one of [player_tooltip player_id="108886" first="Gavin" last="Frakes"]’ top targets in 2021 as well as a long and athletic cover man in the T-Wolve secondary. The two Norman North Seniors were seemingly on the same page all spring in both 7on7 and in spring ball/team camp where they made play after play against some of the top talent in the state. Hack has great length for the position and he uses it to his advantage often along with his natural & easy hands on deep routes and jump balls where he has been dangerous all off-season. [player_tooltip player_id="61131" first="Duncan" last="Parham"] - 2022 Linebacker [player_tooltip player_id="61131" first="Duncan" last="Parham"] enters 2021 as one of the best linebackers in the state with well over 10 Division 1 scholarship offers. Quite frankly though, he may still be underrated by some. Parham is everything you look for in a modern-day linebacker at the college level. He has the speed to make plays at every level of the field, the power to come down and disrupt the run game, and he has coverage ability and size at 6’3" to match up with tight ends and bigger receivers in the passing game. Having a weapon like him at the high school level will do wonders for Norman North’s defense in 2021 as they try to match up with some of the All-Star offenses that a few teams in their class will deploy this fall. More Names [player_tooltip player_id="38781" first="Parker" last="Andrews"] - 2023 Defensive Lineman Brae Alonzo – 2022 Wide Receiver [player_tooltip player_id="135490" first="Walker" last="Peck"] – 2022 Offensive Lineman Riley Tatum – 2022 Offensive Lineman Brayden Dorney – 2023 Wide Receiver Josh Koranda – 2022 Defensive Lineman Will Bradley – 2022 Linebacker Jake Tadlock – 2022 Defensive Back Eli Moulton – 2022 Defensive Back Gavin Anderson – 2022 Defensive Back <hr /> Notable COVID-19 brought on lots of challenges and cancelations in the 2020 season, but perhaps the most notable cancelation was the very first game of the season between Norman and Norman North. Since 1998, The Cross Town Clash has been perhaps the biggest and most heated rivalry in all of Oklahoma high school football outside of Jenks vs Union. When the game was called off in early September a year ago, it was the first time in a couple of decades that these two teams did not go to battle in Gaylord Memorial Stadium to kick off their seasons. However, with a weird year like 2020, the OSSAA made some much-needed adjustments in season. The most notable of these adjustments was the decision to expand the number of playoff teams in each class. Thanks to that decision, the Tigers and Timberwolves were able to resume their rivalry and face each other in the playoffs for the first time ever. When game time came in November, the tension between the two schools was tighter than ever and the game was an instant classic. After allowing the Tigers to come back from a 15 point deficit in the 3rd quarter, Norman North would go on a long touchdown drive to reclaim the lead with just over 30 seconds left in the game and would hold onto the win despite a Norman hail mary that was nearly completed in the endzone as time expired. <hr /> 2021 Schedule/Games To Watch Sept. 2 – Norman - After a one-year hiatus, the Cross Town Clash returns to its rightful spot at the beginning of the season. Norman North will likely be the favorite to come out on top again but don’t expect Norman High to roll over and give the game to the Timberwolves, especially after the way last year’s playoff game ended. Like every major rivalry game, this one is always close regardless of who has the better team on paper each year. It should be no surprise to anyone if this one comes down to the wire once again. Sept. 10 – Edmond Memorial Sept. 17 – AT Yukon Sept. 24 – Mustang Oct. 1 – AT Owasso - The argument could be made that the game against Mustang will be the benchmark for Norman North, but after keeping it within 2 scores last year, this game will be their biggest test and will show where this team is at compared to the rest of the class. If they can go blow for blow with the Rams and potentially pull off a win, 6A-D1 will certainly be put on notice and have to respect Norman North as a serious contender down the road. Oct. 7 – Moore Oct. 14 – AT Putnam City Oct. 22 – Union - This game will be vastly important for a few reasons. One of them is obvious. Similar to the Owasso game, if Norman North can beat Union, it would likely solidify their spot in the playoffs and would validate them as a contender. The other main reason is that this game will be Norman North’s Senior Night. Taking down one of the state’s most successful programs at home would be quite an exit for [player_tooltip player_id="108886" first="Gavin" last="Frakes"], [player_tooltip player_id="38737" first="Hayden" last="Hack"], [player_tooltip player_id="61131" first="Duncan" last="Parham"], and the rest of the Timberwolves 2022 class. A win here would certainly set the stage for what has the potential to be one of the more competitive playoff fields that we have seen in 6A since the class split off into 2 divisions. Oct. 29 – AT Edmond North Nov. 5 – AT Southmoore <hr /> Championship History 0 State Championships