OCS Has Twin Threats
BOBBY ARDOIN
St. Landry Now.com Editor
Creating adequate defensive secondary coverages to offset the Opelousas Catholic passing game could become a complicated issue for opponents this season.
Not many teams will have sufficient answers for blanketing a pair of senior 6-foot-3 receivers, like the Vikings’ seniors Roderick Tezeno and Maurice Marcel.
OCS head football coach Cullen Matherne admits having two, athletically talented receivers is a nice problem to have, since he can blend a potentially solid passing game with running back Royce Butler, who lost nearly the entire 2024 season with an injury.
Tezeno has had an interesting offseason, after catching 17 touchdown passes last year.
Several months ago, Tezeno announced that he has committed to play football at the University of Southern California.
Marcel, whose baseball skills are equivalent to his football talent, will also be a key factor for this football season.
“We will run pretty much our same offense, but the difference is we have a lot of depth there this season. I think we also have the ability to move the ball around more and get it to our playmakers,” Matherne says.
Obviously Matherne notes, having two tall receivers who can catch the ball will provide the offense with more options.
“Roderick and Maurice are two guys that you can move around. You can put them out wide or in the slot. Roderick has been putting in a lot of time this offseason and working hard to become better. The by-product is that Maurice has been watching that and learning from Roderick,” says Matherne.
Matherne said he has also been viewing a lot of previous game film, including those of former OCS standout wide receiver Keon Coleman, who is starting his second NFL season with Buffalo.
Coleman was about the same height as Marcel and Tezeno in high school and Matherne admits there might be something in those vintage tapes that he can apply to the current OCS passing game.
Tezeno says his commitment to USC occurred quickly after the OCS staff sent his highlight tapes to the Trojans staff.
“One of our coaches had a connection to the coaches out there (in California). The coaches (at USC) decided that they like what they saw and they needed me out there, so I visited with my parents. (USC) likes to air it out, so we talked about that and it was a case of visiting where it felt like home,” Tezeno says.
Matherne says Tulane and Houston were heavily recruiting Tezeno, but things became more competitive after Mississippi State made its offer.
“Things kind of blew up after that. Georgia came in the next day after Mississippi State and now (Tezeno) was not the best kept secret anymore. USC got on board and then UCLA came back the next day,” Matherne recalls.
The receiving skill set accompanying Tezeno is impressive, says Matherne.
“He can do it all. (Tezeno) can reach up and catch the high throws, get open in zones and run the inside and outside routes. His IQ represents the total package, with a great command of the route tree.
“It’s going to be fun, moving him and Maruice around and seeing what happens,” Matherne adds.
