Brown excited Greyhounds are heading in right direction
Things are looking up for Monessen, and third-year coach Wade Brown is excited about where things are headed.
无毛视频淭he kids are more used to us and are believing in us,无毛视频� said Brown. 无毛视频淓ven the younger kids, they were (with us as) water boys and are reacting good to things.
无毛视频淲e have kids that have been working out a lot more than in the past. They were more committed in the spring and into the summer. Our numbers have grown.无毛视频�
Brown anticipates there being 28 to 30 players, including 10 to 12 freshmen, and expectations are high.
无毛视频淲e want to win a conference championship, and go for a WPIAL championship and a state championship,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淭hat is the process you have to have. We have to have them going out there believing they can beat anybody.无毛视频�
Brown says the coaching staff has players focused on team goals.
无毛视频淲e don无毛视频檛 want players focusing on individual goals and trying to do more than what they are capable of,无毛视频� said Brown. 无毛视频淲e can无毛视频檛 have guys going off the beaten path and that would leave a teammate out to dry.
无毛视频淲e want to have a cohesive unit.无毛视频�
When asked about the favorites in the conference, Brown did not hesitate to answer.
无毛视频淓very team will be tough, and that is how I feel,无毛视频� explained Brown. 无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 not sure what all teams have coming back. I would think us and Cal, but it is hard to say.
无毛视频淲e haven无毛视频檛 beaten Mapletown since I have been here, nor have we beaten Carmichaels.无毛视频�
Other teams in the Tri-County South Conference, besides those Brown mentioned, include Bentworth, Beth-Center, Jefferson-Morgan and West Greene.
Monessen returns four All-Conference players with sophomore running back/safety Ty Kershaw, senior running back/linebacker Daevon Burke, senior tackle/linebacker Gemere Majors and sophomore tight end/fullback/defensive lineman Rodney Johnson. Majors will move to tackle from fullback.
The Greyhounds have a plethora of returning starters, or key reserves, on both sides of the ball.
Offensively, in addition to the returning All-Conference starters, starters include junior wide receiver/cornerback Tim Kershaw, senior wide receiver/linebacker Lorenzo Gardner, junior two-way lineman Matt Moore, who returns from a knee injury, junior center/defensive lineman TJ Taylor, and junior quarterback/linebacker Dan Dozier.
Another returning defensive starter includes junior cornerback Devantae Robinson, who also played wide receiver. Brown also pointed out sophomore Theo Moore, a 6-5, 290-pound two-way lineman as a key.
Freshman Dennis Hopkins Jr. will play linebacker and will be the backup quarterback.
无毛视频淗e is a person we are looking to have a big impact coming into the season,无毛视频� Brown said.
The coaching staff is looking to Majors, Burke and Gardner for leadership, and Brown is excited to see what Burke and Ty Kershaw can do in the backfield.
无毛视频淲e are looking for big things from them,无毛视频� said Brown. 无毛视频淜ershaw rushed for over 1,300 yards and had over 20 total touchdowns, while Burke had almost 800 yards rushing and 17 total touchdowns.无毛视频�
Brown said having both back on special teams is huge, as well.
无毛视频淲e are looking for big things from them on special teams,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淪pecial teams are a third of the game, and we really have to try and score that way, too.无毛视频�
Burke returned five kickoffs for touchdowns a year ago and added a pair of scores on punt returns, while Ty Kershaw added a punt return for a touchdown.
Brown noted what needs to happen for the season to be a success.
无毛视频淲e have to stay injury free, and the players have to buy into what we are preaching,无毛视频� added Brown.
Monessen hosts Washington in a Week 0 game.