Norman High's Dax Noles a 2-way playmaker, but he prefers hits on defense at safety
MUSTANG, OKLAHOMA - Statistically, Friday was a banner night for Dax Noles.
The senior scored three touchdowns to help lead Norman High to a 27-19 victory over Mustang.
However, as important as those plays were, they weren’t the kind that gets Noles excited. It’s on the other side of the ball that he finds his biggest thrill.
“My favorite position is safety for sure,” Noles said. “I love coming down, hitting people.”
At 6-foot, 185 pounds, Noles has been a versatile playmaker on both sides of the ball throughout his prep career. Offensively, he will line up at wide receiver, quarterback and running back.
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But it’s Noles' role as the last line of defense that he relishes the most.
Regardless of where NHS coach Rocky Martin sees No. 9, he knows Noles has a chance to do something special.
“He's all over the field,” Martin said. “Whether it's offense or defense, he's a playmaker. We always try to get the ball in his hands.
"And then on the defensive side, he's flying all over the field and making tackles and covering. He's fun to watch. He's fun to coach. Makes me look good.”
This season, Noles is tied for second on the Tigers in tackles to go along with two interceptions.
Both of Noles' picks came in the opening game against rival Norman North. That includes one in which he made a leaping snag in front of the receiver before landing in bounds.
On offense, Noles has 16 receptions for 321 yards and four touchdowns. He’s also accounted for 100 yards rushing and two scores.
Norman High senior Dax Noles lines up at quarterback during the Tigers' game at Mustang on Oct. 20, 2023.
Tigers' quarterback Phoenix Murphy knows how valuable Noles is to the program.
“He is a necessity of this team,” Murphy said. “He’s great. He is one of my brothers. I really love him; he is just a really good player.”
Coming into the year, Noles was looking to build off a strong junior campaign and continue to prove he can play beyond high school.
“Obviously, I wanted to play at the next level,” Noles said.
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It wasn’t long after the season opener that Noles announced he would be staying home after he committed to the University of Oklahoma as a PWO (preferred walk-on).
“It's close to home and I just love the coaches there,” Noles said. “They treat me so well. Just no other place I'd rather be.”
While Noles has scholarship opportunities to play at FBS programs, to be able to continue to suit up and play in his own backyard was something he didn’t want to pass up.
“It's pretty huge,” Noles said. “I'm so close to all my brothers and my family, so I'm really excited to stay close and come back and watch and play.”
However, Noles isn’t done with his prep career yet. With two games left in the regular season, Norman is 3-5 overall, but the Tigers are holding onto fourth place with a 3-2 record in District 6A 1-2.
They close out the season with games against Yukon and Owasso as they look to sew up a spot in the postseason.
After starting the season at 0-3, the possibility of Noles extending his senior campaign looked impossible.
“I think it's a big up and down season," he said. "We have so much potential and we play good games like (Friday), and then there’s games where we're just not there. We have got to stay high and play levelheaded all year.
"I've had a blast. I love my guys. Senior year, just trying to enjoy it but also win. I love winning; it's all that I wanted to do.”
-- Michael Kinney | @SBLiveOK
