Football preview: Scott City hopes state baseball success carries over to football season

High school football has evolved over the years into a commitment that begins following the last game of one season and continues through opening night of the next when preparation collides with execution. This introduction and team breakdown are part of the Southeast Missourian high school football preview, which examines how teams spent the year preparing for Friday night's season openers.

Scott City junior Braden Cox runs onto the field during a photo shoot earlier this month at Scott City High School. (Laura Simon)

Remember the offseason?

High school football teams across the country take the field for three to four months every year, but as the product has grown in popularity over time, preparation has redefined the rest of the year.

From the last game of the season to the start of opening night, high school football players hardly ever stop working.

It's a process that begins in the weight room and ends on the field, and Central coach Nathan Norman is one of many people who understands the demands of the yearlong grind.

"It's so demanding now for a high school student," said Norman, who guided the Tigers to their first-ever Class 4 state championship appearance last season. "You're asking a lot for them to be involved with a sport like that because it's year-round, and that's tough."

A 1996 graduate of Jackson High School, Norman helped lead the Indians to a pair of state title game appearances before competing at the college level with Arkansas. Bob Sink and Van Hitt both coached Norman in high school and now serve as assistant coaches on his current staff.

"We'll all tell you that it's definitely changed," Norman said. "We were encouraged to weight lift, condition and train, and we did. I feel like that aspect of it probably hasn't changed as much as the number of practices, obviously. I remember when I was in high school, you got two weeks to practice, and that was it."

A Scott City football player gets a drink during a 7-on-7 scrimmage on July 22, 2015. (Glenn Landberg)

Jackson coach Brent Eckley began his coaching career in 1995 at Hickman Mills High School, where he coached quarterbacks for two years before serving three years as offensive coordinator at Warrensburg High School. Eckley landed his first head coaching job in 2000 at Montgomery County High School before moving on to Union High School in 2005, and he amassed a 101-32 record during his time at the two schools.

Eckley has seen the demands of high school football evolve over the years and believes there have been a number of factors that have contributed to it.

"I think sometimes as a coach, you want to try to control as much as you can," he said. "You want to have an influence on as many things as possible. I think that's what happens is in us trying to make sure our team is as well prepared as they can be, we'll spend as much time in the offseason as we can getting them ready for their season so things move smoother."

There's also a demand that's required from coaches, one that Perryville coach Mike Wojtczuk understands.

"It's a grind, but you've got to love the game," Wojtczuk said. "It's like my dad told me a long time ago, 'If you find a job you love, then you never have to work another day for the rest of your life.' Being a football coach is like that."

As for the players, focus and commitment go hand in hand.

Teams tend to carry the mindset that games are won in the offseason, and execution is only a part of the arduous process of high school football.

"It's very important that they buy in and want to be a part of it," Norman said. "It's easy to give up on something that you don't invest much time in. That aspect of it helps. If we've got a kid who makes it with the football program, they're dedicated because they have to be. There are just too many days they're required to be here.

"It's got to mean something to them."

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Scott City Rams Preview

Scott City quarterback Ty Wilthong leads a group of teammates onto the field during a 7-on-7 at Central High School in July. (Glenn Landberg)

The ball may be shaped significantly different, but the Scott City Rams are looking for some of the success and magic they had the last time they suited up for coach Jim May.

May led Scott City to the Class 3 championship game in the spring baseball season, and the Rams since have turned their attention from the diamond to the gridiron.

Some of the key contributors to the baseball success will try to convert that experience on a different front.

"We're hoping to carry over that momentum," said May, who is still looking for his first winning record -- the Rams twice finished 5-5 -- at Scott City in his seventh season.

Leading the way on the baseball field was now junior Braden Cox, who will split time at quarterback this season, and senior Trent Pobst, who is returning to play football his senior season after time away from the sport.

"Him and Trent were both phenomenal during the baseball season, and hopefully we can carry that over," May said. "I know it's a completely different sport, but the attitude and the intensity level it takes to win and play the game does carry over."

The positive spring experience came after a 4-6 record on the football field in 2014, which followed a 2-8 campaign in 2013. May said there are 14 players on his football roster that were on the 16-player roster from the state runner-up baseball team. Many of those players will be counted on heavily this football season.

"I think what it meant to some of the younger kids, is they actually surprised themselves [with] what they can accomplish when they really want to get after it and work after it," May said. "Not all of them. Some of them were like that all the time and expected that success, but other ones that got a taste of it would like to keep living it."

The Rams will try to continue to evolve as they mature with Cox, who started at quarterback as a freshman and has become the centerpiece of the program.

After finishing second on the team in rushing as a freshman, Cox had six 100-yard rushing games last year -- two times surpassing 200 yards -- in leading the team with 1,190 yards on the ground.

"He's never shied away from the limelight," May said. "He's always stepped right in and competed. He continues to get bigger and stronger and he works out in the weight room like a maniac. Those things are going to start paying dividends for him now. All the people that are older than him are moving on and it's his time to shine."

Spring

Scott City's Matt Groves lifts a 25-pound plate in a strength training exercise during open gym at Scott City High School Wednesday morning, April 8, 2015. (Glenn Landberg)

While May focuses on baseball during the spring, the preparation for the gridiron hardly takes a backseat for the Rams.

Offseason conditioning is primarily geared towards linemen, who participate in early-morning weight lifting and agility drills. May said he focuses on improving technique and footwork.

"We do have some that we do work out after baseball practice because we open up the weight room for those who want to come in," May said. "As far as structure at a school our size, almost everybody is doing a spring sport except for some of our linemen."

Outside of the offseason conditioning program, May also teaches a strength class three hours a day.

"As far as the spring, we have a few open gym kind of things. Most of our kids are at baseball or track. We'll have a few linemen in lifting and working out in the morning that don't do a spring sport," May said. "Almost all of our skill position players play spring sports, so they're pretty much locked into there."

May said he does everything he can to keep his team together during the offseason, including campouts, barbecues and an annual fishing tournament.

Summer

Scott City's Cody Rhyne carries past St. Vincent defenders before scoring a touchdown during the jamboree Friday, Aug. 14, 2015 at St. Vincent High School in Perryville, Missouri. (Fred Lynch)

The Rams compete in several 7-on-7s throughout the summer before transitioning to practicing three days a week in July.

May said he and his coaching staff focus on the basics during the summer.

"When you get to the season, you're making your weekly adjustments, and it's not just working on the basic package anymore," May said. "You're pretty much adjusting to who you're going to play Week 1 or Week 2, whoever that might be."

June is mostly devoted to weight lifting and conditioning, according to May.

"Basketball has a lot of their shootouts and things in June, and we give most of June to the basketball team," May said. "At the end of June, we have our senior campout where we take our seniors and go camping and have a leadership couple of days with them. We come back in July for football."

Scott City meets in the mornings for summer practices and primarily works on agility drills and weight lifting. Whether its lifting weights, sprinting or flipping tractor tires, players rotate between two or four stations depending on the day.

"We're just trying to get ourselves physically prepared to go out and compete and not be so wore down that we can't think," May said. "It gives us a step up for when we go to learning on the field because we're not trying to necessarily get in better shape as we're learning. It's a big step for us."

Offense

Scott City's Braden Cox waits to throw a pass in an agility drill during open gym at Scott City High School Wednesday morning, April 8, 2015. (Glenn Landberg)

The Rams dealt with a critical injury last season when then-sophomore quarterback Ty Wilthong sprained an ankle in the second game of the season, only to return two weeks later and break his foot.

"Pretty much after about halfway through Week 2 he was done," May said.

The injury zapped the Rams' flexibility as Cox returned to quarterback, altering the plans of making him a versatile weapon at running back and receiver.

It also removed a promising signal-caller in Wilthong, who has good size and athleticism.

"He's healthy and he had a good summer and they all had a great baseball season in the spring, so we hope he's ready to go."

May said he plans to use both Wilthong and Cox at quarterback in a spread attack, using it as an approach to keep the Rams unpredictable.

"They're both 6-2 and close to 200 pounds and both really good athletes, so we have to have them both on the field at the same time," May said. "We're going to try to play their strengths the best they can."

Both players will be primary threats in the slot, running back or receiver when not over center.

The Rams lost their leading receiver, Austin Spriggs, to graduation, but return starters in senior Drew Short, junior Dylan Keller and senior Isiah Berry.

Short was second on the team in both receptions and yardage -- 22 catches for 286 yards -- last season.

Cape Central and Scott City football practice Wednesday, July 15, 2015. (Glenn Landberg)

Speedy senior Nick Bickings will see increased duties as a slot receiver, along with junior Caden Hillemann.

Pobst and senior Jordan Kluesner also will be in the mix of receivers, and will be able to help in the running game.

May said he has about 12 players he can use in the rotations at wide receiver, slot and running back, and he plans to utilize the depth.

"We've got some kids that can run, and we're going to try to spread the ball around and get the ball in all their hands," May said.

May's primary concern is on the line, where only two-year starter Levi Davidson, a 250-pound senior, returns at center.

"He'll have to be our anchor this year, and he's really doing a good job of helping the younger kids get up to speed and try to get along," May said.

The Rams likely will be starting freshman Sam Elders and sophomore Dakota Talley at the tackles, while junior Brittan Jones and senior Matt Groves, who has not played the last couple years, are probable candidates at the guards.

"We'll basically have four inexperienced linemen up there," May said. "I have a lot of faith they'll become a pretty good unit before it's all said and done, but I think there could be some growing pains as they get their feet wet a little bit."

Defense

Scott City's Matt Groves carries a 45-pound weight for a strength training exercise during open gym at Scott City High School Wednesday morning, April 8, 2015. (Glenn Landberg)

The line is also the most unsettled area on a defense that will hope to make up for a lack of size with speed and tenacity.

May said it will have to be an attacking defense.

"We're not going to be able to stand toe-to-toe with you. We're going to have to come get you," May said. "That's why I'm trying to impress upon them and hopefully they get that figured out."

Junior Nolan Potter, senior Kevin Hunt, who recently moved to Scott City, and Davidson will likely be on the line, which traditionally has had a four front under May.

"We're still trying to figure out who that other one is going to be," May said.

Pobst may be the answer to that puzzle after a strong showing at the jamboree when he was inserted at defensive end.

The Rams have a pair of two-year starters in Hunter Copeland and Hillemann at linebacker, and junior Jaden Kaiser spot-started last year.

In the secondary, the Rams return Keller and Berry at cornerback.

Berry led the team with five interceptions last year.

"They've both been good for us the last couple of years," May said.

Cox anchors the defensive back field at safety.

"Some of the stuff we'll try to do is take advantage of our speed and athleticism, and our back speed will help some of our front get by," May said. "And those kids, while they might not be the biggest kids on the field, a couple of them will be pretty high motor, high intensity and will be get-after-you players. You don't have to be a giant to get in there and get after it."

Special teams

Kaiser, Cox and Copeland are candidates for the kicking duty.

Kaiser and Cox are also in the mix for punter with Pobst.

Bickings could play prominently in the return game after shining at times in that role last season.