Wherever Cary Nagel goes, a physical football team follows. He’s always had at least one alpha on offense that has set that tone of physicality.
As an offensive coordinator at Franklin Pierce a decade ago, Nagel helped two-time 2A SPSL MVP Willie Patterson amass 56 total touchdowns and a state-best 4,382 all-purpose yards as a senior in 2016.
Nagel then spent six seasons in South Thurston County as the head coach at Tenino High School from 2017 to 2022, leading the Beavers to the 1A state quarterfinals in 2021 and an Evergreen Conference title in 2022. Tenino’s Power-T scheme was enforced by running back Takari Hickle, now a starting defensive end at Oregon State. Hickle earned the Evergreen MVP as a senior after rushing for 2,091 yards and 24 scores.
Then, it was Bryson Allen when Nagel came back to Franklin Pierce in 2024. Allen was twice named the 2A SPSL MVP, rushing for 3,671 yards and 51 touchdowns in 2024 and 2025.
Now, for the first time in four years, Nagel is once again a head coach in Thurston County. He takes over the Olympia High School program after the departure of Nick Mullen.
Nagel won’t have to look far to find his alphas to run his signature smash-mouth, run-heavy scheme.
Seniors Ibrahima Diallo and Aden Carr and juniors Shaun McKay and David Ukwu will be at the forefront of the Bears’ new-look offense. The Bears have often deployed a pass-centric attack in years past, but the personnel at Nagel’s disposal in the running back room was just too dangerous. It needed to shine.
“It’s a no-brainer to put the ball in their hands as much as we can. We can utilize them on the ground and in the air,” Nagel said. “We’re downhill. We’re a different style now. They’ve done a great job of adapting to what we’re doing.”
Diallo compared the duo of himself and Carr to Sonic and Knuckles from the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise.
“That’s a scary duo because we’re both fast and powerful. It’s gonna be really hard for teams,” Diallo said. “You get me, and then you have to see Aden the next play. They’re not gonna like that.”
Nagel stopped short of calling the offense a Power-T offense, but rather a multiple offense with elements of the Power-T and Wing-T schemes. The Bears will also line up in shotgun with senior quarterback Tucker Downing, who Nagel described as “the absolute leader of our football team.”
“It doesn’t really have a name. Let’s get the ball in their hands and score points,” Nagel said of the offense. “Tucker is fantastic. We go how he goes, and he drives everything we do.”
Downing won’t have his First Team All-South Puget Sound League South wide receiver Canon Betts to throw to, but he will connect often with senior Charlie DeBord and senior Karter Clark. The running backs have proven their ability to catch out of the backfield, as well.
Up front, senior Keegan Sawyer is a returning starter at left tackle, and sophomore Nolan Schof has impressed at left guard. Junior Michael Mobuogwu will start at center, and junior Cortez Diaz-Infante will line up at right tackle. Junior Miles Vega and junior Layne Larson are battling for the right tackle spot. The offensive line features plenty of depth and physicality.
“Across the board, the line is doing a good job of doing things differently,” Nagel said.
The defense loses four first team all-league players in 2025 SPSL South Defensive Player of the Year Hunter Liberty at linebacker, linebacker Austin Stull and defensive back Sam Rigg, all of whom graduated. Defensive lineman Braydon Cook also transferred to Camas for his senior year.
Mobuogwu will be a wrecker up front on defense, while Ugwu, junior Braden Barrett and senior Kameron Kronmeyer will roam in the middle of the defense and are capable of dropping into coverage. Carr was a first team all-league selection at defensive back and will be a “do-it-all guy” on defense for the Bears, Nagel said.
The new brand of physicality has been a welcome addition within the Olympia roster, especially for players like Barrett, who has made a name for himself as a physical player.
“Last year, we were a little bit more conservative. This year, we’re going to be more aggressive and hands-on,” Barrett said. “I really like the physical side of football, like hitting people downhill and hitting people on routes. When we had our coaches’ meeting months before the season started, the first thing [Nagel] brought up was how we’re going to be a different, physical team.”
In order to reach that new aggressive mindset as a whole, Nagel sought to improve the team’s mentality from day one. The nearly brand-new coaching staff, minus four returning assistants, understood that physicality could help them contend in the SPSL that is dominated by teams like 4A state champion Sumner, Graham-Kapowsin, and Puyallup.
“I wanted to make sure that they understood that good programs are very physical programs. We have to be very physical in this league especially,” Nagel said. “It’s a mentality. It’s the way we practice. It’s the way that we do our preparation. Our kids have a specific focus on exactly what we’re trying to do, and that message is sent every day.”
The Olympia Bears have revenge on their minds after falling in an overtime heartbreaker to Capital in the season-opener last fall. Olympia led by 11 points in the fourth quarter before Capital rallied to send the game to overtime and eventually win with a walk-off touchdown.
Capital and Olympia will square off Sept. 4 at Ingersoll Stadium in a rivalry nicknamed the Spaghetti Bowl.
“The guys are hungry. They felt like they were a better team than the way they performed versus Capital,” Nagel said.
“We’re all mad. That’s one game that’s in my heart right now, and we’re all ready,” Diallo added.
