It will be a whole new ballgame for Tonganoxie this year, as the Chieftains will be replacing virtually their entire starting offense in the same year as they drop smaller schools and add larger ones to their schedule.
THS will renew an old rivalry with Lansing in addition to picking up the other three 5A schools in the Kaw Valley League — Turner, Mill Valley, and Bonner Springs — and head coach Mark Elston said that although his team is excited to play some of those teams, they’ll be in a tough spot with so many 2-way starters against teams that will be able to platoon.
“No disrespect to Prairie View or Santa Fe Trail (whom THS beat by a combined score of 131-18 in 2009), but they just don’t pack the enormous numbers that Lansing or Mill Valley or Turner are going to have...” Elston said. “So we’re going to have to be in very good condition, we’re going to have to be very fundamentally sound, and we’re going to have to have some luck and stay healthy.”
Amidst all the change, there will still be some constants. Jeremy Carlisle returns for his fourth year as the starting quarterback, and THS will continue running sprint-option passes and option runs out of their flexbone offense. All five starters on the O-line will have to be replaced though, but Carlisle said they may have actually increased their mobility there, which will allow them to run more counters and traps.
“I feel like we’ve replaced pretty much everyone pretty well,” Carlisle said. “Our offensive line has shown great improvements throughout this first two weeks of practice.”
“We’ve got some work to do up front to replace those guys,” Elston added, “but we’ve got a lot of guys that got a lot of reps last year.”
The backfield also presents some big shoes to fill. THS loses college-level running backs Jeremy Moss and Austen Holloway in addition to DJ Lindsay, who set a new state record in the 400-meter dash last year, but the general consensus is that this year’s primary runners — including Dylan Scates and Jeff Simms — could be even better.
“DJ had some straight-line speed that was just absolutely incredible,” Elston said. “He scored a lot of long touchdowns ... but we’ve got some guys back there in the backfield this year that might have a little more wiggle to them.”
Julius Coats is also a newcomer to the backfield that could complement Carlisle, who ran for 1,105 yards and passed for 586 in ’09. Austin Vickers, out for football for the first time as a senior, will be another weapon at tight end. Coats and Vickers could also contribute on the line and at linebacker on defense, where THS has traditionally run a 4-4 but will be mixing up the looks this year with what Elston said will be more of an emphasis on speed than size.
“Our defense has really shown improvements...” Carlisle said. “Our defensive line is doing great up front, and the defensive backs and linebackers are all doing exactly what we ask them to do.”
The Chieftains hope all that will combine for a winning season despite all the newness as they try to win the KVL and head to the 4A state playoffs, neither of which they’ve done since ’06.
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It will be a whole new ballgame for Tonganoxie this year, as the Chieftains will be replacing virtually their entire starting offense in the same year as they drop smaller schools and add larger ones to their schedule.
THS will renew an old rivalry with Lansing in addition to picking up the other three 5A schools in the Kaw Valley League — Turner, Mill Valley, and Bonner Springs — and head coach Mark Elston said that although his team is excited to play some of those teams, they’ll be in a tough spot with so many 2-way starters against teams that will be able to platoon.
“No disrespect to Prairie View or Santa Fe Trail (whom THS beat by a combined score of 131-18 in 2009), but they just don’t pack the enormous numbers that Lansing or Mill Valley or Turner are going to have...” Elston said. “So we’re going to have to be in very good condition, we’re going to have to be very fundamentally sound, and we’re going to have to have some luck and stay healthy.”
Amidst all the change, there will still be some constants. Jeremy Carlisle returns for his fourth year as the starting quarterback, and THS will continue running sprint-option passes and option runs out of their flexbone offense. All five starters on the O-line will have to be replaced though, but Carlisle said they may have actually increased their mobility there, which will allow them to run more counters and traps.
“I feel like we’ve replaced pretty much everyone pretty well,” Carlisle said. “Our offensive line has shown great improvements throughout this first two weeks of practice.”
“We’ve got some work to do up front to replace those guys,” Elston added, “but we’ve got a lot of guys that got a lot of reps last year.”
The backfield also presents some big shoes to fill. THS loses college-level running backs Jeremy Moss and Austen Holloway in addition to DJ Lindsay, who set a new state record in the 400-meter dash last year, but the general consensus is that this year’s primary runners — including Dylan Scates and Jeff Simms — could be even better.
“DJ had some straight-line speed that was just absolutely incredible,” Elston said. “He scored a lot of long touchdowns ... but we’ve got some guys back there in the backfield this year that might have a little more wiggle to them.”
Julius Coats is also a newcomer to the backfield that could complement Carlisle, who ran for 1,105 yards and passed for 586 in ’09. Austin Vickers, out for football for the first time as a senior, will be another weapon at tight end. Coats and Vickers could also contribute on the line and at linebacker on defense, where THS has traditionally run a 4-4 but will be mixing up the looks this year with what Elston said will be more of an emphasis on speed than size.
“Our defense has really shown improvements...” Carlisle said. “Our defensive line is doing great up front, and the defensive backs and linebackers are all doing exactly what we ask them to do.”
The Chieftains hope all that will combine for a winning season despite all the newness as they try to win the KVL and head to the 4A state playoffs, neither of which they’ve done since ’06.
