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Posted: Aug 03, 2026 7:56 PMUpdated: Aug 03, 2026 8:56 PM
Embracing the Grind: Oologah’s Heat Check and QB Battle
High school football is officially back in the air, and while some local squads are out running midnight drills in their pajamas or waking up before the roosters even think about crowing, Head Coach Sam Noble and the Oologah-Talala Mustangs are opting to stare the late-summer sun right in the face. With temperatures flirting with triple digits this week, the Mustangs are hitting the practice field right at 2:00 PM to embrace the grind and build some serious heat acclimation. Coach Noble knows his squad is going to be tested early, and there is absolutely no better way to find out who the real dudes are on the roster than sweating it out in the dead of the afternoon.
Noble is working with a massive youth movement this year, fielding a roster loaded with hungry freshmen and sophomores anchored by a solid core of senior leaders. But the biggest storyline to watch in fall camp? A good old-fashioned quarterback battle. Returning sophomore Brock Lustig and rising freshman Easton Gilmore have been duking it out all summer, slinging the rock under the lights at the Claremore 7-on-7 shootouts. Noble is keeping his cards close to the vest, letting both Lustig and Gilmore battle it out through fall camp and two full scrimmages before naming a starter. Nothing is set in stone, and Noble is giving both guys a fair shot to grab the reins before opening night. May the best man win.
To make sure these young guns are dialed in, Coach Noble is pumping the brakes on the modern Week 0 madness. After starting the season a week early for the last half-decade, the Mustangs are taking a traditionalist approach and waiting for Week 1 to officially open up the season against Hilldale. Instead of rushing into live action before they are ready, they will use their two scheduled scrimmages against Jay and Verdigris to iron out the wrinkles and let the underclassmen get their feet wet. It is a calculated, veteran move by Noble to ensure the Mustangs hit the ground running when the games actually count.
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