'13 Team Preview: Chillicothe Cavaliers
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
There are many new beginnings for the Chillicothe Cavaliers' football program in '13.
First off, they are now members of the South Central Ohio League, as they've departed from the SEOAL after a number of seasons. Plus, the Cavs will have a new field this season as they've converted the field to turf and the stadium itself, and they've switched divisions from II to III.
Now, there is just one thing left for the Cavs to do in '13 … and that is to win football games.
Enter head coach Ron Hinton, who has 293 career wins. The head coach is beginning his fourth season at CHS and his 33rd year overall, as he was a state champion coach at Amanda Clearcreek.
Hinton said they had and will have a four-prong project at CHS for this football season.
"We have to expand our defense and become more dominant," Hinton said of the first prong of the project. "We also must develop depth at all positions, become stronger and more physical and the final thing is to develop more and better leadership, because I've never had a team win without leadership."
CHS will have 17 seniors this year, along with 16 juniors, 18 sophomores and 13 freshmen.
"We aren't quite where I want to be … we haven't developed the exact numbers yet," Hinton said. "One thing I'm pleased with is we have a quarterback in all four grades, which is the first time I've had that happen here."
As for the leadership role, Hinton looks to the senior class, as most of them have started since their sophomore season.
"I look at the seniors as a total group," he said. "We expect each senior to be a leader, step up and take charge. This has been the best total that we've had. The first year I was here, that group was very good."
One of the big priorities for CHS this season, coming off a '12 year where they finished 4-6, is the defense, which is led by defensive coordinator and co-head coach Jeff Arndt, as the two have been coaching together for 30-plus seasons. Arndt also runs the offseason conditioning program.
"We're having high expectations for the defense," Arndt said. "We have just about everybody back. We have to make sure we have gotten better than we were last year. We have a lot of room for improvement.
"I like the kids' attitude and work ethic. It's the best we've had since I've been here. We've made a few changes, changed a few techniques because they didn't work well for us last year, so we had to find something new."
Both coaches agreed each team has their own identity from year to year.
"We have to establish that identity, and it is a work in progress, but we better have that identity by the first ball game," Arndt said.
The defense last season allowed 239 points (23 points per game) with a +5 turnover differential. Also in '12, the team collected 13 sacks, eight interceptions and forced eight fumbles.
As for last season, their four wins came against Portsmouth West (24-7), Warren (38-7), Jackson (14-13) and Portsmouth (63-0), winning three of their final four games.
The strength of the defense this season will be the defensive line, but the entire defense is important to Hinton.
"Great teams win by playing great defense," he said. "If your opponents score very little, you are in every ball game. I tell the kids all the time, 'we're takers, not givers.' If you give us a yard, we'll take five.
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"We work very hard on being a defensive unit as we work hard on making tackles by numbers, not individuals. Over the years, we've won because numbers around the football win."
For the offense (23 returning lettermen), the line of the Cavs is where they are looking to build depth this season. On the right side of the line, they have returning two-year starter Josh Leonard, along with Jayson Howard, Malachi Callender, Caylib Holt and Austin Mathis.
The rest of the o-line consists of two-year starter Ryan Milliken, Austin Hamilton, Jon Berry and two-year starter Tyler Howard at left tackle. The tight ends for CHS are returning starter Christian Collins, and two players converting from guard to tight end are Devin Zehner and Jalen Mischal.
"We ask our linemen to play a five-yard game," Hinton said. "I want them to be as fast as anyone we have on the first three steps. I expect my linemen to be as explosive on their first three steps as any back we have. If we can get to there, then we're going to be pretty successful."
Senior Ryan Mathis returns for his third year as the Cavs' starting quarterback (he's also the punter). Last season, as a junior, Mathis was 67-for-140 (49 percent) for 1,037 yards, eight touchdowns and nine interceptions.
"Having a three-year starter at quarterback is a luxury," Hinton said. "It is something that is greatly needed. Ryan stands in the pocket really well and has taken some shots, but he keeps on getting back up and battling.
"Ryan might be our best running back (he rushed for 373 yards and eight touchdowns on 90 rushes in '12). The one thing he does really well is the fact he falls forward for the extra yard. He's always moving forward. He has a strong arm and is a smart young man. We have a lot of intelligent young men on this team."
Hinton continued to speak about his QB.
"Ryan gives us the character, the background and the experience at a key position offensively," Hinton said. "He makes good reads, and we are working every day to make him a stronger leader.
"He's a quiet young man, but he has to be the coach on the field for me. He has to be."
Also at QB are junior Caleb Price and sophomore Jack Bush.
At running back, the Cavs could be six deep at the position, including returning starter Julius Lee (50-271-3), Isaiah Johnson, Markel Cain (96-686-5), Nathan Rosenbauer, Carl Harris and Daiquan Hall.
"We have some explosive speed, but not the sheer speed where we'll run away from you," Hinton said. "There is a way you can be slow, but play fast. If you know your assignment and play aggressively, you can play fast."
The wide receivers for CHS are Steve Bayless, George Beard, Michael Beard, D.J. Vincent, Eddy Wells, Kyle May and Austin Elliott.
The kicker this season is Jacob Weber.
Hinton wants his players to play with aggression and play fast.
"We have the experience back, and we want this team to play aggressively off the ball," he said. "I watched Clinton-Massie last year, and that's the way my teams have played for years and years and years, and I'm trying to get our players like that.
"Take Massie, they are aggressive off the ball and they don't seem to stop coming, and that's the thing we're trying to get our kids in tune with … it's about playing fast."
When the SCOL began in 1923, the Cavaliers were a charter member.
"We are excited about joining the SCOL," Hinton said. "It is a competitive league, and we are looking forward to being in the league. We'll face some schools with football traditions and good athletes."
First off, they are now members of the South Central Ohio League, as they've departed from the SEOAL after a number of seasons. Plus, the Cavs will have a new field this season as they've converted the field to turf and the stadium itself, and they've switched divisions from II to III.
Now, there is just one thing left for the Cavs to do in '13 … and that is to win football games.
Enter head coach Ron Hinton, who has 293 career wins. The head coach is beginning his fourth season at CHS and his 33rd year overall, as he was a state champion coach at Amanda Clearcreek.
Hinton said they had and will have a four-prong project at CHS for this football season.
"We have to expand our defense and become more dominant," Hinton said of the first prong of the project. "We also must develop depth at all positions, become stronger and more physical and the final thing is to develop more and better leadership, because I've never had a team win without leadership."
CHS will have 17 seniors this year, along with 16 juniors, 18 sophomores and 13 freshmen.
"We aren't quite where I want to be … we haven't developed the exact numbers yet," Hinton said. "One thing I'm pleased with is we have a quarterback in all four grades, which is the first time I've had that happen here."
As for the leadership role, Hinton looks to the senior class, as most of them have started since their sophomore season.
"I look at the seniors as a total group," he said. "We expect each senior to be a leader, step up and take charge. This has been the best total that we've had. The first year I was here, that group was very good."
One of the big priorities for CHS this season, coming off a '12 year where they finished 4-6, is the defense, which is led by defensive coordinator and co-head coach Jeff Arndt, as the two have been coaching together for 30-plus seasons. Arndt also runs the offseason conditioning program.
"We're having high expectations for the defense," Arndt said. "We have just about everybody back. We have to make sure we have gotten better than we were last year. We have a lot of room for improvement.
"I like the kids' attitude and work ethic. It's the best we've had since I've been here. We've made a few changes, changed a few techniques because they didn't work well for us last year, so we had to find something new."
Both coaches agreed each team has their own identity from year to year.
"We have to establish that identity, and it is a work in progress, but we better have that identity by the first ball game," Arndt said.
The defense last season allowed 239 points (23 points per game) with a +5 turnover differential. Also in '12, the team collected 13 sacks, eight interceptions and forced eight fumbles.
As for last season, their four wins came against Portsmouth West (24-7), Warren (38-7), Jackson (14-13) and Portsmouth (63-0), winning three of their final four games.
The strength of the defense this season will be the defensive line, but the entire defense is important to Hinton.
"Great teams win by playing great defense," he said. "If your opponents score very little, you are in every ball game. I tell the kids all the time, 'we're takers, not givers.' If you give us a yard, we'll take five.
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"We work very hard on being a defensive unit as we work hard on making tackles by numbers, not individuals. Over the years, we've won because numbers around the football win."
For the offense (23 returning lettermen), the line of the Cavs is where they are looking to build depth this season. On the right side of the line, they have returning two-year starter Josh Leonard, along with Jayson Howard, Malachi Callender, Caylib Holt and Austin Mathis.
The rest of the o-line consists of two-year starter Ryan Milliken, Austin Hamilton, Jon Berry and two-year starter Tyler Howard at left tackle. The tight ends for CHS are returning starter Christian Collins, and two players converting from guard to tight end are Devin Zehner and Jalen Mischal.
"We ask our linemen to play a five-yard game," Hinton said. "I want them to be as fast as anyone we have on the first three steps. I expect my linemen to be as explosive on their first three steps as any back we have. If we can get to there, then we're going to be pretty successful."
Senior Ryan Mathis returns for his third year as the Cavs' starting quarterback (he's also the punter). Last season, as a junior, Mathis was 67-for-140 (49 percent) for 1,037 yards, eight touchdowns and nine interceptions.
"Having a three-year starter at quarterback is a luxury," Hinton said. "It is something that is greatly needed. Ryan stands in the pocket really well and has taken some shots, but he keeps on getting back up and battling.
"Ryan might be our best running back (he rushed for 373 yards and eight touchdowns on 90 rushes in '12). The one thing he does really well is the fact he falls forward for the extra yard. He's always moving forward. He has a strong arm and is a smart young man. We have a lot of intelligent young men on this team."
Hinton continued to speak about his QB.
"Ryan gives us the character, the background and the experience at a key position offensively," Hinton said. "He makes good reads, and we are working every day to make him a stronger leader.
"He's a quiet young man, but he has to be the coach on the field for me. He has to be."
Also at QB are junior Caleb Price and sophomore Jack Bush.
At running back, the Cavs could be six deep at the position, including returning starter Julius Lee (50-271-3), Isaiah Johnson, Markel Cain (96-686-5), Nathan Rosenbauer, Carl Harris and Daiquan Hall.
"We have some explosive speed, but not the sheer speed where we'll run away from you," Hinton said. "There is a way you can be slow, but play fast. If you know your assignment and play aggressively, you can play fast."
The wide receivers for CHS are Steve Bayless, George Beard, Michael Beard, D.J. Vincent, Eddy Wells, Kyle May and Austin Elliott.
The kicker this season is Jacob Weber.
Hinton wants his players to play with aggression and play fast.
"We have the experience back, and we want this team to play aggressively off the ball," he said. "I watched Clinton-Massie last year, and that's the way my teams have played for years and years and years, and I'm trying to get our players like that.
"Take Massie, they are aggressive off the ball and they don't seem to stop coming, and that's the thing we're trying to get our kids in tune with … it's about playing fast."
When the SCOL began in 1923, the Cavaliers were a charter member.
"We are excited about joining the SCOL," Hinton said. "It is a competitive league, and we are looking forward to being in the league. We'll face some schools with football traditions and good athletes."