IAC FOOTBALL: WAVERLY'S MILLER STRESSING 'ONE WEEK AT A TIME' FOR TRUNCATED 2021 SEASON (2021-03-19)
BY TIM BIRNEYValley Sports ReportWAVERLY "” More so than ever before, longtime Waverly football coach Jason Miller said the Wolverines will be taking the 2021 spring season one week at a time.
The truncated season will feature just six games, and no postseason. Waverly opens its season tonight at home against Tioga.
"We're trying to get ourselves in a playoff mindset, a postseason mentality because the reality is: win or lose, next week may not happen; this may be our last game," said Miller. "How do you know? It's been taken away once, it could be taken away again.
"The thought is: you better put all your effort into this one because you don't know if the next one is going to happen," continued Miller. "It's all in. You're asked to give everything you've got, one week at a time.
"That's kind of the good part to this, we're not thinking ahead to anybody else, we're not thinking ahead to the playoffs, we're not trying to preserve anything," added Miller.
Another positive is the timing of the season, says Miller.
"Obviously I wish we had played in the fall, and had a full season in the fall, but for where we're at as a team this could not have worked out better for us.
"This will not stop for us," said Miller. "We typically start our preseason in April, and I won't delay that ... we will just continue right through the fall.
"As an alternative for the fall, this is great for us because we're going to be back in Class C in the fall with Chenango Forks and Susquehanna Valley - nothing changes in Class C in Section IV.
"All the work we can get in, the continuity and continuation from what we gain from this season is just a bonus," noted Miller.
"That's important to our program, but I'm ecstatic for this group of seniors to get an opportunity to play these games," added Miller.
Offensively, the Wolverines return freshman QB Joey Tomasso, and senior tailback David Hallett, along with seniors Aidan Westbrook and Caden Wheeler at receivers.
Sophomore Gage Tedesco, when the Wolverines use a personnel grouping that includes a fullback, will start at fullback, and junior D.J. Shaw will also see time there. Senior Alex Gadow and sophomore Nate DeLill will see time when the Wolverines use tight ends in a personnel grouping.
Joining Westbrook at wide receiver will be sophomore Isaiah Bretz, with juniors Brady Blauvelt and Tyler Talada also vying for time. Joining Wheeler at inside receiver will be senior Gaven Anthony, with freshman Jay Pipher and junior Thomas Hand also vying for time.
Sophomore Ty Beeman will anchor the offensive line at center, with junior Cayden Turcsik and senior Logan Shipman flanking him at the guard spots, and sophomore Zach Vanderpool and senior Hunter Rando starting at the tackle positions. Senior Kam Peters will back up at center, while junior Jacob Forest provides depth at guard, and sophomore Jacob Benjamin could see time at guard or tackle.
While the Wolverines are well-known for throwing the ball, Miller said he'd like to run it a little more in 2021, but it depends on the defenses they see.
"I'd like to be able to run the ball a little bit more effectively," he said. "David (Hallett) looks great. He's put a lot of work in. And, Gage (Tedesco) is a tough runner.
"I'd like to establish the run a little more, but we're in a position where if you give us the pass, we're going to take it," noted Miller. "If you take away the pass, and drop eight in the secondary, we're going to run the ball."
Despite the shortened season, Miller said the Wolverines have not simplified their offense.
"I don't know if it's anything different, but we're going to try to play as many different personnel groupings as we possibly can," he said. "Getting people on the field in the right formations, and in the right personnel groupings has been a big task for us.
"For us, that's taking a bunch of young people that don't have a lot of football experience, throwing everything we possibly can at them, with an expectation they're going to pick it up in two weeks; and that's where we're at.
"There are going to be some ugly moments. I think the kids have handled it really well," noted Miller. "We're going to make mistakes, but the reality is in a short period of time I'm very optimistic about where we're going to end up by week six.
"Not to contradict myself, but one week at a time you're going to see great improvement from this football team," Miller added.
One strength for the Wolverines are the number of skill-position athletes they have on their roster.
"We have a group of multi-sport athletes that we're excited about for the long term.
"There aren't many hybrids among them, though," said Miller. "If they're a fullback, they're a fullback. If they're a tight end, they're a tight end. We don't have tight ends going out to play slot receiver, so it's up to (the coaches) to mix up these groupings and take advantage of what the defense gives us.
"I think the numbers we have in those positions give us an advantage over the long haul," he added.
Miller's one concern is the offensive line.
"We have two seniors and three under classmen starting, but neither one of the seniors played offense last year," said Miller. "We're young and inexperienced up front, and we're not very deep; that's an issue.
"We're not going to get better up front until we start playing games.
"This is not uncommon for us," noted Miller. "We typically have guys on the offensive line as seniors who did not start as juniors. We deal with that every single year.
"Our linemen are asked to do a lot," added Miller. "It's not just three yards and a cloud of dust. These guys are asked to pass protect, they're asked to pull, and they're asked to understand a lot of other things that are going on. It's not simple, and we will get better as the year goes on."
On the defensive side of the ball, Shipman and Forest will start at tackles, with Tedesco and Rando at defensive ends.
Westbrook and Hallett will get the nod at outside linebackers, with Pipher, Talada, junior Kaden Wheeler, and sophomore Treyton Moore also vying for time.
Turcsik and Shaw will start at inside linebacker, with DeLill, Bretz and Beeman also vying for time.
Gadow, Caden Wheeler, and Anthony will start in the defensive backfield.
Miller is confident his defense will get the job done.
"I think we're going to be pretty good on defense," he said. "We have seven starters returning.
"Up front, we're pretty athletic and very strong at defensive end," noted Miller. "This is Hunter Rando's third year starting, so we're expecting a lot out of him. And Gage (Tedesco) is coming up from the JV ranks - he's a rugged, physical kids and plays with a real high motor.
"Inside, Logan (Shipman) is a returning starter at tackle. The other tackle is a question, but we have good depth there and I like what I've seen so far.
"Cayden Turscik is a returning starter at inside linebacker, and we have four guys working at the other spot, so we have depth there.
"In the secondary is where we're experienced," added Miller. "Of the five positions, we have four returning starters."
SCHEDULE"We open up with Tioga, and I don't care when you play them, that's a great game," said Miller. "They're tough, how many state semifinals in a row for them?
"I don't know anything about Groton, but all of the other teams on our schedule, because I saw them in the fall or I know who coaches them, are going to be challenges for us," noted Miller.
"I think we're in good shape with the schedule we have. I think we're going to match up well with our schedule," Miller added. "It's a good schedule for a team that I feel is green. We have to get game experience."
March 19 vs. Tioga, 6 p.m.March 27 at Owego, 6 p.m.
April 2 vs. Newark Valley, 6 p.m.April 9 vs. Dryden, 6 p.m.April 16 at Groton, 7 p.m.
April 24 at Horseheads, 1:30 p.m.
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Home games in bold.)
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IN PHOTO: Waverly freshman QB Joey Tomasso.
