Basin Gridiron Training Camp: Odessa Bronchos

ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – Erik Hartman returns to Odessa on a mission. The former Broncho quarterback has made it his mission as the new head coach to rise up the ‘West Side’.

“I think he brings back the Odessa High mentality. He’s from OHS and he just brings back that school mentality that we needed desperately,” junior defensive end Ryan Sanchez said.

It’s evident in listening to Hartman speak that he is passionate about Odessa school pride, even when things haven’t gone in the Bronchos’ favor.

“Yeah it’s always been tough and that’s why I wanted to come back here and help try to build this and get the backing of the west side,” Hartman said.

For a first-year head coach, Hartman got a great draw at the quarterback position. The Bronchos return senior dual-threat quarterback Mikey Cota who is coming off a 3,054-yard, 41 touchdown junior season.

“Year one, coming in to have a quarterback that’s like that? I mean, he’s a student of the game, he’s picked up our offense and everything so to have someone coming in like that and trying to build your program, we’ve got somebody already we can build around,” Hartman said.

Last season, the Bronchos averaged 37 points per game, but a constant struggle in recent years has been on the defensive side of the ball.

“When we came in, that’s been one of our things that we wanted to focus on and we wanted to make sure that they had the good players over there. We wanted to make sure they had good coaches over there that are giving them great coaching and also the players that can help in that and just making sure that we’re adjusting and doing things right,” Hartman said.

“The difference between being good and being great is simply just disciplined and just wanting to be there and being able to just stick to it, mind over matter,” Sanchez said.

But the ultimate goal for Hartman and the Bronchos is earning the program’s first playoff berth since 2013.

“I can’t end off not going to the playoffs! We’re going to the playoffs this year!” Cota vowed.

Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine wasn’t quite as optimistic in its prediction, projecting that the Bronchos would finish fifth in District 2-6A, missing the playoffs.

The Bronchos begin their quest to prove the doubters wrong on Thursday, Aug. 29 against Amarillo.

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