Western soccer followers will see a decidedly totally different offense when the Panthers take the sector this fall.
Interim coach Blake Conklin has scrapped the Panthers’ ground-and-pound method of earlier coach Alex Stewart and has put in an offense that he believes fits the Panthers’ present deep crop of talent gamers.
“Clearly, with the all-state tailback [Matthew McKitrick] that we now have, we’re nonetheless going to run the ball,” Conklin mentioned. “However no extra single wing. We’re going to be unfold out. There’s going to be a number of three- and four-receiver units. We need to give our playmakers more room to make performs.”
Senior Kyler Norman (5-foot-10, 170 kilos) is transferring to quarterback in Western’s new offense. He beforehand labored as a wingback.
“He matches the offense to a T,” Conklin mentioned. “He throws the ball nice and he’s a weapon out of the backfield carrying the ball.”
In McKitrick, a 5-11, 195-pound junior, the Panthers have a big-play risk within the floor sport. He rushed for 1,645 yards and 13 touchdowns final season. He had a 305-yard sport towards Northwestern and three different video games with 200-plus yards.
“I consider he’s the most effective tailback in our convention,” Conklin mentioned.
Junior Levi Shoemaker (6-4, 225) is the H-back/tight finish. He primarily labored as a quarterback final season.
“With what we’re doing with this sort of offense, the H-back type of makes it go. He opens up lots for us together with his capacity to dam and as a downfield receiver,” Conklin mentioned.
Seniors Cameron Hobensack (5-11, 185) and Mason Tedder (6-0, 190) present depth behind McKitrick and Shoemaker. Senior Brady Comer (5-10, 160) is the slot receiver and junior Brycen Rucker (6-4, 200), sophomore Maddox Williams (6-1, 185) and seniors Peyton Kauble (6-3, 205) and Shane Paulison (6-0, 150) are exterior receivers.
“Now we have an amazing group of talent gamers, among the many deepest on the talent positions that we’ve had in plenty of years,” Conklin mentioned. “We knew we had talent gamers and we wished to design an offense to suit their skillset as an alternative of making an attempt to suit a sq. peg via a spherical gap.”
Conklin is equally bullish about his offensive line which is anchored by middle Garrett Heady, a 6-2, 285-pound senior and a three-year starter. The tackles are juniors Devin Frazier (6-2, 240) and Owen Mashino (6-2, 250) and junior Jace Smith (5-11, 250) and senior Noah Watson (5-11, 235) are the guards.
“The very nice factor concerning the offensive line this 12 months is none of them are beginning on protection. A few of them will rotate in on the line of defense, however these essential 5 guys are collectively on a regular basis. That’s nice for the cohesiveness of the road. They’re speaking splendidly,” Conklin mentioned.
Whereas the Panthers’ offense is all new, their protection has mainly stayed the identical below veteran defensive coordinator Derek Tuggle. Conklin mentioned he has given Tuggle free rein to form and run the protection how he sees match.
“We predict we’re going to have a strong protection from the D-line via the linebackers and into the secondary,” Conklin mentioned.
Up entrance, Hobensack and junior Mason Conner (6-0, 215) are ends and senior Carson Vail (6-1, 250) and junior Hayden Dillinger (5-9, 280) will see time at nostril.
Tedder anchors the linebacker corps after recording a team-high 144 tackles final season.
“Whenever you have a look at him, he doesn’t essentially look bodily imposing, however he’s so sensible, understands soccer, and will get his reads in. The dude is only a tackling machine that’s at all times across the ball,” Conklin mentioned.
Tedder and junior Sean Devine (5-9, 190) are the within ‘backers and McKitrick and Shoemaker are the skin ‘backers.
Norman and Comer are returning starters within the secondary. Norman and junior Chase Sullivan (6-0, 165) are cornerbacks, Comer is at one security place and sophomore Evan Dinn (5-10, 165) and freshman Daniel Ousley (5-10, 165) are vying for the opposite security spot.
The particular groups are set with McKitrick as punter and the return of senior Bridgely Seekri as kicker. Conklin mentioned he plans to make use of Seekri in some fourth-down conditions the place up to now the Panthers may need gone for it.
Western chosen Conklin to switch Stewart, who left the Panthers to educate at East Noble. Stewart went 44-29 in seven seasons at Western, capped by a 4-6 report in 2023.
Conklin is the tenth coach in Western’s historical past.
Western opens with non-conference video games towards Tri-West, Western Boone, Linton-Stockton and Tipton earlier than embarking on Hoosier Convention play. The convention has shifted to big-school and small-school divisions this 12 months. Western is within the big-school division with Hamilton Heights, West Lafayette, HC newcomer Logansport and Twin Lakes.
Western has a non-conference sport towards Tippecanoe Valley (9-1) in Week 7 to spherical out its schedule.
Tri-West and Hamilton Heights gained 11 video games apiece final season, Linton-Stockton gained 10 and West Lafayette and Tippecanoe Valley gained 9 apiece.
“You lookup and down our schedule, it’s robust. There’s not a breather and we’re OK with that, We’d relatively play robust groups as a result of we firmly consider that when you play robust groups in your schedule, that will get you prepared for the event,” Conklin mentioned.
After a nine-year stretch in Class 4A, Western is again in Class 3A. Sectional 27 gives loads of acquainted opponents together with Northwestern, Twin Lakes and West Lafayette.
