Chaparral coach opts to stick to his guns

Apparently, new Chaparral head football coach Ben Johnson truly understands the adage, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

After inheriting a club that led the Sunrise Division in scoring last year, Johnson opted to keep the Cowboys' option-oriented offensive system in place.

Of course, Johnson's decision wasn't an extremely difficult one. All he had to do was take one look at senior quarterback Tyson Dobbs, Chaparral's veteran offensive leader.

"He's everything you want in a quarterback," said Johnson, who came to the school after four years at Indian Springs. "He's like a coach in the huddle."

Dobbs, a 6-0, 185-pounder, took over as the club's starting quarterback midway through the 1996 season. As a junior last year, he continued to develop into one of the area's most dependable field generals, passing for 866 yards and six touchdowns and rushing for another 400 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Now, as Dobbs prepares for his final season, his coaches and teammates are hoping their signal caller's vast varsity experience can work to their advantage.

"The experience he brings in, especially early in the season, is invaluable," Johnson said. "The players are confident in him, he makes wise decisions and he's a tough kid who can stand in and make a tough pass."

Above all, Dobbs' leadership will be critical as the Cowboys aim to improve on their 1997 campaign, which saw them reach the Southern Zone playoffs. And he, for one, welcomes the expectations others are placing on him.

"I'm much more vocal now than I was the last two years," Dobbs said. "And we're keeping the offense the same, and that's good for me. Instead of changing, you feel like you're improving."

Of course, Chaparral's offensive success will also depend on Dobbs' teammates. And the cupboard appears far from bare for the Cowboys this year.

Dobbs will be surrounded by several talented varsity returnees, including tight end Richard Seigler, receivers Derek Justice and Mario Hagan and linemen Ty Bingham, John Ream, Adam Rodriguez and Willie Felkins.

He'll also be joined in the Cowboys' backfield by one of the area's top returning tailbacks, senior Verwon Washington. And Washington knows that having Dobbs on his side beside can only make his job easier.

"We're so balanced," Washington said. "If I get stopped he can throw to the receivers, and if they mess with our receivers, they won't stop me."

How far into the playoffs Dobbs and his high-octane offense can lead the Cowboys won't be determined for several months. But if Chaparral's quarterback has anything to say about it, the season won't end until late November.

"The main goal is to win state," Dobbs said. "Last year, I got a taste. Now I want the whole thing."

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