COVINGTON, La. -Corey Bordelon’s coaching journey comes full circle after being named head coach once again at Archbishop Hannan High School.
A place he coached at in 2006, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
“When the opportunity presented itself my wife and I thought on it, prayed on it and it was just the right move,” says Hannan head Football Coach Corey Bordelon.
Bordelon inherits a team that went 4-6 a season ago, losing in the first round of the playoffs to Vanderbilt Catholic.
Bordelon says the COVID-19 outbreak has allowed him the opportunity to evaluate the returning talent he has in 2020.
“Obviously COVID-19 is a pain in the behind in regards to or ability to be around the kids and work with them but what it did allow us is a lot of meeting time via Zoom. It allowed for a lot of him breakdown and analytics. So, really for 4 months, that’s all we did. So from that standpoint, I was able to meet with the coaches and go over a lot of things from the previous year with the kids and then we just started to implement what we wanted to change and keep from last year.”
On offense, the Hawks will go as far as District Offensive MVP, Jake Dalmado, can carry them.
Jake rushed for over 1,300 yards and 16 touchdowns a year ago but what makes him a special player are the things that don’t show up on a stat sheet.
“A phenomenal running back and the numbers speak for themselves. I think what’s most impressive about him as well as the other kids on the team is just complete humility. He’s not a braggadocios kid, not a kid that is going to do anything outside of what is important for the team,” says Coach Bordelon.
“I’ll do whatever it takes to make the team better. If that Eans that I have to motivate those guys every day, then I’ll motivate them every day but I’ll do whatever it takes,” says Hannan Senior Running Back Jake Dalmado.
The defensive lost all-district talent across the board, and despite several setbacks, they grew as a unit as the season progressed.
Coach Bordelon says, “We were injury-laden early on the season and last season was a new defensive scheme for them as well. So this year, Coach (Steve) Soper is going to take over as our DC. He has done a phenomenal job so far in his implementation of what he’s doing and I think the kids are really buying in and liking it. So, it’s going to allow us to be even better this year.”
This Senior class was on that 2018 team that went undefeated, winning the district 7-3A title.
Coach Bordelon says the pandemic is the only thing standing in the way of his team and another run at the district crown.
“Our inability to actually be practicing football is a problem. Outside of that, I think we have a great opportunity to win district and compete beyond district as well.”
