Numbers game: New John Paul II coach manages transition from 8-man football

In many ways, Kevin Wald’s first spring as John Paul II’s football coach wasn’t much different than any other incoming coach getting players to learn a new system.

There’s a new scheme, new playbook, new terminology. Perhaps some new drills to better emphasize the first three items. A few position shuffles to better match player skills to schemes.

And for the JP2 players, those additional X’s and O’s to understand.

The Golden Warriors are moving away from eight-man football, where the program took shape in SCISA’s smallest division, to the traditional 11-man game next fall.

Perhaps it’s a minor hurdle. Wald’s arrival from Hilton Head Prep means a new system to learn, even if the Golden Warriors were already playing the 11-man version. But it’s something Wald never had to worry about during his previous two coaching stops.

“There aren’t too many teams that transition from eight-man,” Wald said. “Usually when something like that happens, your enrollment is going up or going down (if going from 11-man to eight-man). Ours is going up, so it’s time to make that transition. And that’s a good thing.”

Eight-man football, with its roots in tiny Midwestern towns, is played on a field some 20 percent narrower than the standard layout. Offensive alignments feature just three down linemen; defenses also tend to trade size for speed.

Nonetheless, the additional open space creates plenty of opportunity for ballcarriers to make opponents miss. Last year, every Golden Warriors opponent went for at least 40 points.

“It’s easier to turn the corner, those type of things,” Wald said, quickly noting two elements remain the same.

“At the end of the day, it’s still blocking and tackling,” he said. “The team that does that is going to be successful.”

They’ll need stamina, too. The Golden Warriors had 18 players that went through spring drills, meaning several will have to play both ways.

At the same time, Wald noted that his first spring at Prep began with just 12 kids. The numbers were up to 18 by fall, and two years later the Dolphins’ roster had grown to just under 30. Last year’s playoff team had just 25 players.

“We hope that we pick up a few over the summer,” said Wald, whose four years at Prep ended in a pair of eight-win seasons and a 26-17 mark overall. “If we could get to at least 20 — that would be a nice little barrier to break.”

Wald also will have a largely veteran coaching staff to work with, including bringing Philip Rhodes back to the sideline. After a year away from the field, the longtime Thomas Heyward coach and athletics director will work with running backs and defensive ends.

“He’s coached basically every position on the field at some point,” Wald said.

Wald also will lean on Ryan Bishop, who coached Colleton Prep to the 2013 eight-man title game, and brought Matt Bex over from his Prep staff. Eric Notarus, last year’s head coach, also remains as an assistant.

“A very solid and strong coaching staff,” Wald said.

A younger generation is Wald’s focus this week, bringing his annual camp to the JP2 campus. The five-day program is open to any rising second- through eighth-grader able to come for one day or all five.

This story was originally published June 9, 2016 at 11:56 PM with the headline "Numbers game: New John Paul II coach manages transition from 8-man football."