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However, after a productive offseason implementing his philosophies and seeing buy-in from the players, Mullins is ready to see how far the Hornets have come. They’ll get their first look Friday when they open at Edgewood.
“The kids are just thirsty for consistency, for someone to put the time and energy into them,” Mullins said. “We have really good kids, we just had to put a plan in place and they’ve bought in. We’ve just sort of refocused everyone, put accountability measures in place and the kids have taken to it.”
Mullins said he and his staff have been able to gain the players’ trust by establishing strong relationships with them as their educators first. Four of the coaches on staff are in the same building with the kids, so their ability to see the student athletes throughout the day helps show they are “in this together.”
The new system of play isn’t too difficult to grasp, either. Mullins has brought the triple-option offense and 50-stack defense he learned at Lakota East, and both should fit Monroe’s personnel well.
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEWS
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“The Xs and Os look a lot like what Lakota East does, but I’ve taken experiences from all the stops along the way and bringing bits and pieces from everyone I’ve worked with over the years,” Mullins said. “I’ve taken all the good things I’ve learned and put them together into my own philosophy to create what we’re doing at Monroe.”
Offensively, Mullins wants to control the clock, staying relatively conservative with the running game but also attacking the defense vertically at times. Junior Collin Deaton takes over as a dual-threat quarterback, while senior Tyler Tracey, the team’s leading rusher last year, returns at fullback with TeJean Rice stepping up at running back.
Senior tight end Bobby Borneman, and junior wide receivers Nick Voustas, Landry Flor and Ryan Miltenberger also will be key contributors, along with running back and backup quarterback Alex Pitsch. The offensive line consists of guards Corey Parker and Connor Thornton, center Karson Gomia and tackles Chandler Holler and Zach Hagedorn.
“The triple option is nice because you don’t need huge linemen to run it,” Mullins said. “Navy has smaller linemen, and they compete with the big boys all the time. If you have undersized guys, it gives you a chance, and also you don’t every year have to have a kid that can throw the ball all the time. You know you’ll always have someone that can run it. We are blessed to have three kids to run our offense who are really good with Deaton, Tracey and Rice. They are like a three-headed attack and really receptive to what we are teaching.”
The defense is young but fast and playing hard, which Mullins has been happy with.
Senior nose tackle Christian Thomas, junior inside linebacker CJ Miles and senior safety Nick Snell will be leading things on that side of the ball. Holler and freshmen Konnor Loper and Tysen Rupp will contribute on the defensive line, freshmen Wyatt McPherson and Elijah Jackson join Borneman as outside linebackers, and sophomore Tanner Chastain will play as an inside linebacker.
Voutsas, Miltenberger and Flor are the cornerbacks, and senior Caleb Rose and Pitsch join Snell at safety.
“We’re pretty young, but we had such a great offseason,” Mullins said. “They were quick to try to get someone in, so I was hired in December and we were able to start right on schedule and get eyes on the kids early. I think that makes a big difference.”
The Hornets open the season Friday at Edgewood.
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