It’s probably safe to say Cooper City is going to be sick of seeing Michael Flood at some point Friday night.

The Nova senior not only leads his team in rushing and passing, but he also plays on defense. And returns punts. Flood wants to be on the kickoff team as well, only he says coach Bill Hobbs has nixed those plans.

“The kid never wants to come off the field — he just keeps going,” Hobbs says, watching his quarterback run defensive drills. “Sometimes late in games he gives me the look that maybe he’s wearing down, but he knows that’s part of the deal. He goes right back out.

“He’s been my quarterback right since Day One. I put him right into the fire. But he’s a senior now. This is his time to shine and he’s doing just that.”

Hobbs knows a little something about staying on the field, as he himself was an All-Broward selection at Cooper City as a senior in 1984 and played on both sides of the ball.

Love of football

Flood, at 6-foot and 170 pounds, has most definitely taken after his coach. Flood has not only accounted for eight offensive touchdowns, but he’s run back a pair of punts as well.

“I just love playing football,” said Flood, who has passed for 690 yards with seven touchdowns and rushed for 254 yards and one score.

Flood, in his fourth year as Nova’s starting quarterback, has the Titans off to their best start in years. Nova goes into Friday’s home game against Cooper City riding a four-game winning streak after losing a close one to currently unbeaten South Plantation on opening night.

The Titans know they have an uphill battle in District 15-7A, what with Plantation (4-1) and St. Thomas Aquinas (3-1) still ahead.

Big game

Yet Friday’s game against the rebuilding Cowboys (1-3) might be just as big.

Cooper City surprisingly won the district last year by upsetting the Raiders at Brian Piccolo Stadium. Both Cooper City and Nova need a win Friday to stay in the postseason hunt.

“We are a team that practices hard every day,” Flood said. “We have some big games coming up, and I think we can win them. This is a big game on Friday. It’s a big game for our fans, our school, our football program. If we can win this game, it’s a Nova comeback.

“It feels real good to be at 4-1. Real good. We have to win this game because we’re looking to the playoffs. It’s going to be a real fight.”

Sudden rise

Like Cooper City’s rise the previous two seasons, Nova has been coming on strong this season. The Cowboys had long been one of Broward’s bottom programs but finished second to the Raiders in 2010 before finally beating them last year.

Nova is looking to be 5-1 for the first time in years — and aiming for what Hobbs says could be the school’s first winning season since the 1990s.

After losing to South Plantation 31-14 in the opener, the Titans had lopsided wins against Pompano Beach and Pines Charter.

A pair of close wins against Miami Westminster Christian and South Broward have the Titans playing meaningful district games.

“This is a great time for Nova right now, and we’re not done yet,” said Hobbs, in his fifth season at Nova after being the head coach at Coconut Creek and Cypress Bay.

‘great position’

“This is a great position to be in, but our kids have to finish. That’s exciting. They are in the position to get over the hump and get Nova football to a place it hasn’t been in a long time.

“And these kids deserve that. They’ve worked so hard and have committed themselves to the program. This is a great group of kids.”