Bishop McGuinness 2024 QB Damon Cochran II regains his starting spot behind center

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OKLAHOMA CITY - Damon Cochran II wasn’t used to standing on the sideline. 

Throughout his football career, he had always been in the starting lineup.

However, that all changed for Cochran when he reached the high school level. As a sophomore at Bishop McGuinness, he had to back up starting quarterback River Warren and watch him help guide the Fighting Irish to a 10-2 record and a deep run into the playoffs. 

“I started all the way up until my sophomore year, so it really wasn't bad,” Cochran said. “It's just that one year off. It just gets to you a little bit, and so you just got to regroup and get back to it.”

However, after Warren transferred to Del City, Cochran entered his junior season back in the starting lineup and he has been making the most of his return.

Cochran had what could be considered a breakout game Thursday night against Shawnee. He threw for 255 yards and four touchdowns in only three quarters of action, while adding six carries for another 31 yards and another score in a 48-10 win for the Fighting Irish.

“He did a great job. He's come along each week, has gotten better, taking a leadership role as a quarterback on the team and just does a really good job, able to do it on the ground, running the ball and throws the ball well,” Bishop McGuinness coach Bryan Pierce said.

“Once again, just out there directing traffic and just getting the job done on the offensive side of the ball. I'm very proud of him.”

While having to be the backup quarterback wasn’t a goal for Cochran in 2022, he was able to benefit and learn from the experience.

“Just play fast, stay calm, and don't worry about it,” Cochran said. “Just play.

"It's really that when you play your hardest and you just stay calm and have fun, you play your best.”

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Pierce is surprised by how well Cochran has adapted to being the starter this season.

“He sat back and he learned and continued to work on his craft and then it's kind of like our mentality around here, next man up and he's the next man up and got in there and once again, he's showing what he's capable of doing,” Pierce said. “I think there's big things ahead of him still.”

As the season progresses, Cochran wants to keep improving his craft.

Some of the areas he has spotlighted are his speed, decision-making and trusting that his offensive line will give him time and trust his wide receivers will get open.

Cochran considers himself a signal caller who is in the mold of former Oklahoma Sooner Jalen Hurts, now with the Philadelphia Eagles. At 6-foot-1, 193 pounds, Cochran is not afraid to break out of the pocket and run over defenders if they choose to get in his way.

“I've always felt like I was a dual quarterback,” Cochran said. “I'm not that fastest, but I can get some yards.”

Bishop McGuinness QB Damon Cochran II 

Yet, Cochran is also a dual athlete. Along with starring on the gridiron, Cochran is a talented baseball player who verbally committed to the University of Missouri baseball team in January.

“They were super nice when I went there,” Cochran said of Missouri. “They made me feel at home. They talked to my parents.

"My parents liked them, and then they had a coaching change and I went down there last weekend and talked to a coach. He's a pretty nice person. He's a coach that I would love to play for.”

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However, while Cochran said he intends to play baseball for the Tigers, he won’t rule out a football career.

“If I win a state championship and get an offer, that's really it," he said. "If I win a state championship, that can change it.

"I want to do both in college, but if I had to pick one, I would go baseball, but it depends on how good I become as a football player and how good of an offer I'd get.”

That includes if his childhood dream team came knocking.

“That'd be something that would tempt me a little bit,” Cochran said. “Oklahoma is my favorite college team. So yeah, it'd be a dream of mine to go play for them.”

Cochran still has time to worry about such decisions. Now, he is just looking to lead the Fighting Irish (3-1) to a title game and then let the chips fall where they may.

“My expectations where we were going to go undefeated,” Cochran said. “I really wanted to go undefeated and win a state championship, but we lost to Bishop Kelley.

"That doesn't really mean anything. We can still come back and win every game.”

-- Michael Kinney | @SBLiveOK