Clark quarterback Hayden Greenbauer brings experience to this year’s Clark varsity. Greenbauer helped lead the Cougars to victory over the Holmes Huskies, 45-21, last September at Gustafson Stadium. Photo by John Albright

Clark coach Lloyd Alexander gets that burst of excitement every year when fall football workouts begin.

After all, that’s the signal the season is around the corner. The excitement steps into full throttle when the games begin, especially when your team is usually a playoff contender.

Don’t be surprised if the enthusiasm is a little higher this season. Thanks to a wealth of experience, the Cougars are ready to improve on last year’s 5-6 finish that ended in a double overtime loss to Southwest in the Class 5A Division I bi-district playoffs.

”We have 10 kids back who started the last game of the year,” Alexander said. “That is a big plus for us. We have a year of maturity and knowledge. Hopefully that will pay off. We felt confidence because our kids have played well. Last year we were so inexperienced. Now, we can put more kids on the field right off the bat. We can do better.”

The enthusiasm begins with junior quarterback Hayden Greenbauer. He made strides as a sophomore a year ago in running Clark’s multiple I offense, becoming a threat as a passer and runner.

As the season went on, Clark started putting points on the board on a regular basis, the true clincher came in the ninth game of the season when the Cougars ate up the final 8:25 with a 16-play drive during a 14-7 District 28-5A victory over Taft.

The only difference now is he’s more mature and has a better grasp of Clark’s offense.

His skills go hand-in-hand with returning tailback Jock Tilghman and tight end Adair Campbell, who earned third team Class 5A All-State honors as a punter after averaging 43 yards a kick.

Help on the front comes from Robert Chapman, Anker Williams, Allen Zhong, Cory Smith and Marcus Beam.

“Hayden is a great quarterback for us,’ Alexander said. “He’s a good leader. He showed that last year. The entire offense started coming together later in the season. We started showing better ball control. It was such a learning curve for Hayden. But now he has the experience and you can’t put a price on that.”

Experience and depth are also present on the defensive side, starting in the secondary with Aaron Durke, Jacoby Pillow, Jacob Garcia and Jerrard White.

Alexander and his staff will also have several options at linebacker as Gilbert Mata, Kevin Ozment, David Linahan, Tim Sanchez, Vincent Region, Chris Byng, Joey Cammer and Vincent Hu.

Leading the front work are Greg Castro, Neal Larson and Bobby Keller, who isn’t expected to be available until District 28-5A begins because of a recent foot injury.

With the experience intact, Alexander is counting on a better start this season. Clark has struggled though 0-3 starts the past two years, but managed to bounce back for the playoffs this past year.

However, a better start would build momentum much sooner. The schedule has the usual tough non-district challenges from Churchill and Alamo Heights, before beginning 28-5A play against first-year school Brandeis.

Following the opener, the biggest tests come from defending 28-5A champion O’Connor, pre-season favorite Warren and Stevens.

“We have remedied some of the problems that hurt us last season,” Alexander said. “The experience will help. You take a kid who has never played in the Gucci Bowl in front of 10,000 fans; that is kind of a wide-eyed deal. They know what it is like now. We have great senior leadership and that will be a plus, too.

We need to carry it into district. The last two years we had an open date before we began district, but this year we start earlier. The kids are going to have to be prepared.”

Clark 2008 Football Schedule

Thursday, Aug 28: at Churchill, 7 p.m., Comalander

Thursday, Sept. 4: Alamo Heights, 7 p.m., Farris

Saturday, Sept. 13: x-Brandeis, 7 p.m., Farris

Saturday, Sept. 20: x-Stevens, 7 p.m., Gustafson

Friday, Sept. 26: x-Marshall, 7:30 p.m., Farris

Saturday, Oct. 4: x-Jay, 7 p.m., Gustafson

Saturday, Oct. 11: x-O’Connor, 7 p.m., Farris

Friday, Oct. 17: x-Warren, 7:30 p.m., Gustafson

Friday, Oct. 31: x-Taft, 7:30 p.m., Farris

Friday, Nov. 7: Holmes, 7:30 p.m., Gustafson

x-District 28-5A games