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Wolves’ running back Cohen healthy, faster
By Richard C. White, Staff Writer
DJ Cohen knows the whispers and doubts are coming. The Plano West senior running back knows some people will question how healthy he is after an ankle injury greatly affected his performance last season, causing him to miss several games.
Others will cite his perceived lack of speed as a major shortcoming for a player whom the team is rallying behind to be their premier back this season.
To all the questions and doubts, Cohen knows the only thing he could do this summer workout season was to put in his time and when the time comes this fall, prove them all wrong.
As for the injury which plagued him last year, Cohen feels more than just healthy.
“That injury is all taken care of,” he said. “I feel like a new man.”
Senior quarterback Travis Wilson has seen firsthand Cohen’s rapid speed transformation over the six weeks of the summer workout program.
“He’s been criticized in the past for not having speed, but he’s worked his butt off and is going to bust out now,” Wilson said. “He’s one of the meanest, most intense guys on the team. He’s a solid rock.”
At 5-foot-10, 185 pounds with a 335-pound bench press max, building and maintaining muscle-mass has never been a problem for Cohen.
However, now that he’s added the threat of speed to his game, many inside the Wolves locker room anticipate incredible returns this fall on the football field.
“DJ’s come a long way. We have high expectations of him as our running back,” said Kelly Mercer, West offensive coordinator. “We’re looking at him this year as the guy who gets 20 to 25 carries a game.
“I think there’s no doubt he can be a 1,000-yard rusher if he stays healthy; and if he does that, we’ll go to the playoffs, there is no doubt in my mind.”
In addition to the ankle injury in 2007, Cohen also split time at the running back position last season with a senior and another junior. That won’t be the case this year as head coach Mike Hughes has big plans for Cohen.
The Wolves’ head coach is looking to Cohen to be the team’s primary back as West hopes to improve on its 6-4 regular season record from 2007, which saw them attain their second straight playoff berth before losing in the bi-district round.
The Wolves’ coaches have seen more than enough evidence this spring and summer to show them that Cohen can handle the heavier workload. The senior has shown his coaches that he’s capable of doing a lot more than just running the ball and spotlighting the team’s ground game.
“I see him taking on a leadership role,” Mercer said. “He’s really matured as a person, as a young man and that happens a lot between their junior and senior year.
“DJ’s not very vocal, not a rah-rah kind of guy who leads by talking; he leads by example with his work ethic and attitude on the field.”
To better prepare himself for the rigors of Texas high school football, Cohen runs several miles in the morning before he joins his teammates for their summer workouts.
Cohen has also stuck with a strict diet. The last few months he’s eaten a lot of white meat, which includes plenty of baked chicken. He also makes a lot of salads while avoiding pork and all greasy foods.
The Wolves’ strength and conditioning coach Joey McCullough, who heads up the summer workout program, has extensively monitored Cohen’s continued improvement.
“He’s worked very hard on his speed and flexibility and has had an outstanding summer,” he said. “In the weight room we’ve been working him more on the pull weights with high repetition and fast-twitch muscle work.”
In the running program Cohen has worked with track coach Jerry Gardner, who coaches the team’s skill players on flexibility and explosion off the ball. Cohen’s also spent extra time working with his offensive linemen, as he knows he won’t be succeeding this fall on his own.
Putting all these factors together has given Cohen a deeper intensity and edge.
“It’s all about getting his timing and repetition down,” McCullough said. “He has a new confidence as he’s making a lot of good cuts and is hard to bring down.”
With the season’s first game (Aug. 30) fast approaching, Cohen can’t wait to get to work and show the doubters how far he’s come.
“This summer has been great for me, improving on my speed and quickness,” he said. “I had a plan my junior year to make it somewhere, so this senior year for me will be really focused on that; strictly business.”
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