August 5, 2025 • 8 mins
Todd talked with Coldwater Coach Chip Otten about the upcoming season for the Cavaliers.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Today's high school football preview. We stay in Mercer County
and we talk Cold Water Football with head coach Chip Otton.
The Cavaliers coming off a Division six state championship, a
fifteen to one season, which is pretty well in line
with expectations every year. Coach Otton, thanks for joining us.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Thanks for having me, Todd. That's always good. Good to
hear from all the from the Lima lamb and get
some get some love down here in small school, small
school country football.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
I guess, well, the level of excellence is impressive for
of course the Midwest Athletic Conference and for your program.
And I guess let's start with my sort of flipp
and comment there about expectations. But the truth is that
is your expectation every year, and that sometimes can be
a double edged sword, but I think you've used it
to your advantage over the years, right, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Yeah, those old guys, you know the scene. We had
a really good senior class last year, and the seniors
this year they don't want to you know, they want
to continue that and they don't want to let those
last year seniors down. And you know, obviously we deep
down know that every year we're not going to win it.
But but you know, you kind of start at the beginning,
(01:15):
and we talked about today, we're in that first stage
of the whole process of trying to get there with
preparations that we're all just trying to get better day
by day, and really, as Tochi's we're trying to figure
out which guys can do it and which guys.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
Can Speaking of the losses from graduation, you mentioned you
had a pretty good contingent of seniors last year. Was
it most of the team? I mean, do you have
like three or four starters back or what's the situation there.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Yeah, we got about five or six guys that played
good starting roles, a couple of wide outs and a
couple of linebackers and two alignments. So I guess there's
six right there, five or six guys that are returning
full time starters. But when you you know our nucleus
being quarterback and linebacker corps and and really really good
(02:11):
in Mason Welsh, you know, he was our we call
him rover kind of like our free safety and and
a really good inside receiver, kind of tight end wing guy.
That that core group we have to replace replace all
those guys. But but that's that's you know, that's that's
our job to try to get him in the right place.
(02:31):
And coach Wright used to coach for us, and he said,
these only guys we got coach him up and see
what happens.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
We're talking with Chip hot in Cold Water Football. They
will open the season coming up in a couple of weeks,
like everybody else. They will be an action taking on
as a value view the first week, coach or is
that we go?
Speaker 2 (02:52):
We go Valley View and Clint Away and Clinton Matthew
Home which was our which was the same last year.
So fortunately we we won both of those and yeah,
it'll be interesting. That's too good because both teams ended
up I think I want to say both of them
ended up eight and two regular season, maybe until we
get a lot of good you know, their value viewer
(03:14):
is division maybe even up to four.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
Yeah, they're both divisions three or four.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
I guess probably four.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Yeah, they're both in Region sixteen and both were nine
and three last year when it was all said and done.
And you know, it's I would assume for a program
of your stature, sometimes those early non league games you
need to schedule can be a bit elusive. How's that
gone for you over the years.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Yeah, that's been you know, we used to always open
up with Kenton and then once once we uh once
we decided not to have that game between the both
of us. You know, over the years we've had we've
had some really good matchups, you know with a Columbus
Bishop Hartley, and we've traveled down to Cincinnati few times,
(04:00):
and so it's all difficult. We do have value view
again the next two years and then we'll search for
that number number two game and and rotate that again
starting next year. And I don't think we've found someone yet.
Like you say, it's it's you got to do some traveling,
you know, to get to get a good quality opponent
(04:23):
without going you know, getting too crazy and you know,
playing a big, big boy that that you know, you
just want to make sure that you can be competitive
and and but also if you can beat them, get
a lot of points.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
Coach, since they expanded the playoffs especially, did that allow
you over the years to not worry as much about
that first and second week opponent, I mean as far
as computer points or do you still think about that.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
Yeah, it's it's uh, it definitely does ease that because
a few years ago when we were up in Division five.
You know, we if we have lost a couple of
one or two of those, it would have been it
would have been pretty close whether we would even got
in when there was you know, eight teams in the playoffs.
So that definitely does does allow you did not you know,
(05:16):
to not worry quite as much as far as who
you schedule those first two And eventually, I think hopefully
eventually the league will go back to will play everybody
in the league because of the expansion of the playoffs,
and then then you only got to get one one
non league game.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
Yeah, the MAC used to play everybody, have nine league games,
and they cut it back to eight, and so now
you have to have an extra non league game. But
when you think about camp, then Chip, you mentioned some
of the positions you've got to fill and surely not
the first time you've had to do that. When you
look at the next couple of weeks, what are the
most important things for your team to figure out here?
Speaker 2 (05:57):
Yeah, and like I mentioned earlier, see quarterback is the
is probably the number one spot, and we have a
junior and a senior battling it out, so we'll make
a decision on that here probably within a few days
to a week. And then and then of course our
two really good linebackers Miles pop Hutter and Cody Depwig,
(06:19):
who also shared a running back spot. So you know,
there's there's three spots right there. We do have a
really good running We think we have a really good
running back who Brax and Taylor is a junior and
he had me I mean, he had seven hundred yards
last year. And I think as they're kind of their backup.
And then we got to fill those two linebacker spots.
(06:39):
And then I like I mentioned Mason Welsh who was
our rover and inside receiver and and we think we've
got a replacement for him, Kayden Obringer, who was a
good wide out forced last year, played some defense, but
he'll be a two way guy kind of kind of
taking Mason spot.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Well, certainly, it seems like a long time until the
season starts, until it's almost here, right, I mean, yeah,
you got less than two weeks now, So uh, for
you when you're trying to fill these spots over the years,
have you found that your two days and your practices
are more instructive as to how to do that or
is it the scrimmages that eventually illuminate you.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Ah, yeah, that's a great question. You know, sometimes when
you just practice against yourselves, you think, okay, that guy
can do that. And fortunately we have two always we
go wal palk Ands line in our and those that
really gets you, you know, to see like okay, he's ready,
he's not ready. So I guess it's the combination of both,
(07:41):
because because obviously you've got guys that that maybe are
a little ahead of other guys, so you think they're
your guy, and oftentimes they probably will be. But also
there might be somebody who in the scrimmages does really
well or maybe not so well, so so the scrimmagers
do at least, you know, seeing play against someone else
(08:04):
kind of gives you an idea of what they can
do and not do.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
That's Coldwater coach Chip Otten, his team preparing for the
season opener coming up in a couple of weeks at
Valley View and coming off a state championship. Coach, we
appreciate your time, good luck this season.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Okay, thanks for having me once again, and yep, yep,
thanks for taking care of us down here in Mercer County.
Today's high school football preview. We stay in Mercer County
and we talk Cold Water Football with head coach Chip Otton.
The Cavaliers coming off a Division six state championship, a
fifteen to one season, which is pretty well in line
with expectations every year. Coach Otton, thanks for joining us.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Thanks for having me, Todd. That's always good. Good to
hear from all the from the Lima lamb and get
some get some love down here in small school, small
school country football.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
I guess, well, the level of excellence is impressive for
of course the Midwest Athletic Conference and for your program.
And I guess let's start with my sort of flipp
and comment there about expectations. But the truth is that
is your expectation every year, and that sometimes can be
a double edged sword, but I think you've used it
to your advantage over the years, right, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Yeah, those old guys, you know the scene. We had
a really good senior class last year, and the seniors
this year they don't want to you know, they want
to continue that and they don't want to let those
last year seniors down. And you know, obviously we deep
down know that every year we're not going to win it.
But but you know, you kind of start at the beginning,
(01:15):
and we talked about today, we're in that first stage
of the whole process of trying to get there with
preparations that we're all just trying to get better day
by day, and really, as Tochi's we're trying to figure
out which guys can do it and which guys.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
Can Speaking of the losses from graduation, you mentioned you
had a pretty good contingent of seniors last year. Was
it most of the team? I mean, do you have
like three or four starters back or what's the situation there.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Yeah, we got about five or six guys that played
good starting roles, a couple of wide outs and a
couple of linebackers and two alignments. So I guess there's
six right there, five or six guys that are returning
full time starters. But when you you know our nucleus
being quarterback and linebacker corps and and really really good
(02:11):
in Mason Welsh, you know, he was our we call
him rover kind of like our free safety and and
a really good inside receiver, kind of tight end wing guy.
That that core group we have to replace replace all
those guys. But but that's that's you know, that's that's
our job to try to get him in the right place.
(02:31):
And coach Wright used to coach for us, and he said,
these only guys we got coach him up and see
what happens.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
We're talking with Chip hot in Cold Water Football. They
will open the season coming up in a couple of weeks,
like everybody else. They will be an action taking on
as a value view the first week, coach or is
that we go?
Speaker 2 (02:52):
We go Valley View and Clint Away and Clinton Matthew
Home which was our which was the same last year.
So fortunately we we won both of those and yeah,
it'll be interesting. That's too good because both teams ended
up I think I want to say both of them
ended up eight and two regular season, maybe until we
get a lot of good you know, their value viewer
(03:14):
is division maybe even up to four.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
Yeah, they're both divisions three or four.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
I guess probably four.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Yeah, they're both in Region sixteen and both were nine
and three last year when it was all said and done.
And you know, it's I would assume for a program
of your stature, sometimes those early non league games you
need to schedule can be a bit elusive. How's that
gone for you over the years.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Yeah, that's been you know, we used to always open
up with Kenton and then once once we uh once
we decided not to have that game between the both
of us. You know, over the years we've had we've
had some really good matchups, you know with a Columbus
Bishop Hartley, and we've traveled down to Cincinnati few times,
(04:00):
and so it's all difficult. We do have value view
again the next two years and then we'll search for
that number number two game and and rotate that again
starting next year. And I don't think we've found someone yet.
Like you say, it's it's you got to do some traveling,
you know, to get to get a good quality opponent
(04:23):
without going you know, getting too crazy and you know,
playing a big, big boy that that you know, you
just want to make sure that you can be competitive
and and but also if you can beat them, get
a lot of points.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
Coach, since they expanded the playoffs especially, did that allow
you over the years to not worry as much about
that first and second week opponent, I mean as far
as computer points or do you still think about that.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
Yeah, it's it's uh, it definitely does ease that because
a few years ago when we were up in Division five.
You know, we if we have lost a couple of
one or two of those, it would have been it
would have been pretty close whether we would even got
in when there was you know, eight teams in the playoffs.
So that definitely does does allow you did not you know,
(05:16):
to not worry quite as much as far as who
you schedule those first two And eventually, I think hopefully
eventually the league will go back to will play everybody
in the league because of the expansion of the playoffs,
and then then you only got to get one one
non league game.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
Yeah, the MAC used to play everybody, have nine league games,
and they cut it back to eight, and so now
you have to have an extra non league game. But
when you think about camp, then Chip, you mentioned some
of the positions you've got to fill and surely not
the first time you've had to do that. When you
look at the next couple of weeks, what are the
most important things for your team to figure out here?
Speaker 2 (05:57):
Yeah, and like I mentioned earlier, see quarterback is the
is probably the number one spot, and we have a
junior and a senior battling it out, so we'll make
a decision on that here probably within a few days
to a week. And then and then of course our
two really good linebackers Miles pop Hutter and Cody Depwig,
(06:19):
who also shared a running back spot. So you know,
there's there's three spots right there. We do have a
really good running We think we have a really good
running back who Brax and Taylor is a junior and
he had me I mean, he had seven hundred yards
last year. And I think as they're kind of their backup.
And then we got to fill those two linebacker spots.
(06:39):
And then I like I mentioned Mason Welsh who was
our rover and inside receiver and and we think we've
got a replacement for him, Kayden Obringer, who was a
good wide out forced last year, played some defense, but
he'll be a two way guy kind of kind of
taking Mason spot.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Well, certainly, it seems like a long time until the
season starts, until it's almost here, right, I mean, yeah,
you got less than two weeks now, So uh, for
you when you're trying to fill these spots over the years,
have you found that your two days and your practices
are more instructive as to how to do that or
is it the scrimmages that eventually illuminate you.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Ah, yeah, that's a great question. You know, sometimes when
you just practice against yourselves, you think, okay, that guy
can do that. And fortunately we have two always we
go wal palk Ands line in our and those that
really gets you, you know, to see like okay, he's ready,
he's not ready. So I guess it's the combination of both,
(07:41):
because because obviously you've got guys that that maybe are
a little ahead of other guys, so you think they're
your guy, and oftentimes they probably will be. But also
there might be somebody who in the scrimmages does really
well or maybe not so well, so so the scrimmagers
do at least, you know, seeing play against someone else
(08:04):
kind of gives you an idea of what they can
do and not do.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
That's Coldwater coach Chip Otten, his team preparing for the
season opener coming up in a couple of weeks at
Valley View and coming off a state championship. Coach, we
appreciate your time, good luck this season.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Okay, thanks for having me once again, and yep, yep,
thanks for taking care of us down here in Mercer County.
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