Coppock improves for Eagles

Coming into the season Mark Sanford knew that there was only one thing he needed to get his team to play to its potential — a quarterback.
Enter Lee Coppock.
Just a sophomore and being thrown into the fire, Coppock’s improvement has been a pivotal component of the Eagles’ early success this season.
With a trio of senior playmakers in Luke Heinsohn, Andy Colberg and Hunter Loose, Sanford hoped that his veterans would be able to make up for some of the shortcomings of having a young quarterback. So far, they have.
“Handing the ball off to Luke and then having Andy and Hunter, it’s just awesome,” Coppock said “These guys just know the game so well that when I make a mistake they always make up for it.”
With the seniors making the plays Sanford expects of them, Coppock has become progressively more comfortable at quarterback, and as a result has the Eagles heading into a pivotal game against cross-town rivals St. Anne’s Belfield at 5-2 on the year.
“Lee has certainly allowed us to expand our operation,” Sanford said. “Initially we just wanted to make sure he could run a three-step drop and a hitch route and complete it and gain some confidence. But right now we’re really pretty broad in what we can do with him. He’s come much farther than we had anticipated.”
And while Coppock has worked hard both on and off the field, Sanford knows that Heinsohn, Colberg and Loose have helped in more ways than one.
“First of all, their leadership is exemplary,” Sanford said of his seniors at the skill positions. “They know how to deal with inexperience and liability. They really went out of their way to encourage, to really build Lee up. But secondly, when you have that athleticism around you it makes your job a lot easier.”
Coppock’s defining moment so far this season under center came against Blue Ridge last month.
Trailing by 12 points with 10 minutes to play, Coppock helped lead his team down the field for two scores including a 44-yard pass that found Hunter Loose for what became the game winning touchdown.
“That was a big step,” Sanford said. “It’s one thing to see a guy 30 or 40 yards down the field. It’s another to hit him.”
“He’s got the potential to be the best quarterback in this school’s history,” Colberg added. “His smarts for the game have come along and he’s just got a really great arm.”
Beating STAB would undoubtedly start the discussion. Since Covenant’s football program began the Eagles have yet to beat the Saints.
With his offense squaring off against defensive end Bryan Stinnie and linebacker Quincey September, Sanford knows that Coppock’s ability to spread the ball around the field will dictate his team’s success.
“If we couldn’t throw the ball, the 200-yard games that Luke has might have been only 130 or 110,” Sanford said. “If they can load eight or nine guys in the box I don’t care how good Luke is he’s not going to have as great of a day. We have to be able to hurt them if they do it. We have to be able to balance the attack.”