Please excuse Robert Koopmann if he doesn’t recognize his surroundings Friday night.

One needs to backtrack to 2021 to find the last time the Friendswood Mustangs played a home football game.

“Having played three straight road games, including back-to-back Saturday games, it’ll be nice to be in Friendswood, Texas on a Friday night,” the Mustang head coach said. “I think that will be a great motivator for our kids.”

Koopmann and his staff will need every advantage they can muster when Friendswood hosts Manvel in a District 10-5A Division 1 game at 7 p.m., at Henry Winston Stadium.

The Mustangs (2-1, 1-0) have beaten Willowridge and Kempner the past two Saturdays at Mercer Stadium after a season-opening loss at Texas City.

Manvel (1-2, 0-1) attempts to bounce back from a disheartening 24-21 home setback to Angleton, a game which the Mavericks led 13-0 after one quarter.

Head coach Kevin Hall’s team is projected by most observers to win the 10-5A title.

The Mavericks return only three starters from a team which posted a 10-3 record last year in reaching the regional semifinals.

If the Mavs find their form, Koopmann hopes it doesn’t occur this week.

“I’ll tell you what never gets mentioned about Manvel,” Koopmann said, “and that’s the fact that those dudes are so well-coached.

“Everyone always talks about how athletic they are, but if you watch their run fits on defense, they just don’t make mistakes. And their offensive plan up front…they always know what they’re doing. Yes, they have talented kids, but coach Hall and his staff have those guys doing what they’re supposed to be doing.”

Friendswood’s challenge this week is to find holes in a Manvel defense which has few weaknesses.

That Maverick unit is led by senior safety Jalen O’Neal (6-2, 170), an Oregon State commit.

“We have to throw it well, and effectively run the ball,” Koopmann said, “but we’re not going to make a living with the ground game. 

“You try to get them in situations or formations where you can be effective.”

Friendswood’s defense has been up to the task most of the season, but the Mustang offense is still searching for consistency and productivity.

“We’ve had a great week of practice with our offense this week, but I don’t know if that’s going to translate on Friday,” Koopmann said. “The turnaround is quick from a Saturday game for the coaches. I don’t think it will affect the kids very much.”

Friendswood prevailed 27-7 last week against Kempner after leading just 13-7 at halftime.

The Mustangs have outscored their last two opponents, 61-7.

“I would say we were more sloppy than sluggish last week,” the Mustang boss said.

“On defense, if you take away one play, we were great the entire game.”

Friendswood will likely find any mistakes costly against Manvel.

“Not only can we not afford to be sloppy tomorrow, we can’t afford to be sloppy the next seven weeks,” Koopmann said. “That’s just the way this district is.”

Securing the ball and being almost penalty-free on offense is mandatory for the Mustangs.

Defensively, Koopmann knows Friendswood must produce big plays to relieve the burden on the Mustang offense.

“You have to win first down against them and put them in situations they don’t want to be in,” he said.

“If they start getting in second-and-five, it’s going to be a long night for us.”

Friendswood’s defense must also contain Manvel’s explosiveness and give its offense a short field.

“Defensively, we’re playing really, really well because that’s where all of our returning starters are,” Koopmann said. “We have to be opportunistic on offense and special teams.”

Junior Reagan Rudolph, a member of the Friendswood girls’ soccer team, was successful on two field goal attempts and two PAT kicks last week .

“She was our special teams player of the week,” Koopmann said. “She’s almost automatic on extra points for us. “Reagan was the only healthy kicker we had last week, and if (Pietro) Pasqualli isn’t healthy this week, she’ll be our kicker Friday.”

Friendswood will play at home the next three weeks and for five of its final seven regular season games.

Ted Dunnam is sports editor of the Bay Area Citizen, Friendswood Journal and Pearland Journal. When not reading spy novels, he enjoys grilling steak and salmon for his stunningly beautiful wife.