Head coach Tom Eanes heard the whispers last season — and paid them no mind.
“How can he win? He’s too nice,” East Rowan
football fans wondered in hushed tones.
He was certainly no Jeff Safrit, the
sergeant-at-arms he replaced two months before opening night. But Eanes had some
fresh ideas, a winning attitude and a disposition smoother than a Sunday drive.
“A lot of people have told me that,” he said.
“But for me to go out and holler and scream for no apparent reason, that just
isn’t the right thing to do. That’s not me. I mean, I want to win as much as
anybody, but I won’t tear down a young man’s character and pride to do it.”
Especially following a dreadful 3-8 season. Eanes
did more sinking than swimming as a rookie boss, but all was not lost.
“I feel like I know these kids,” he explained.
“And right now they need someone to be positive. If you can get your point
across, and get things done the right way, you don’t have to be a ranter and
raver.”
QB OR NOT QB: With the season opener 17 days away,
the Mustangs have yet to determine their starting quarterback.
“It’s a crucial position in the wishbone
(offense),” said Eanes. “We’ve got some guys in here working hard, and
some others we’d like to get a look at.”
Rumor has it that senior Drew Davis — who racked
up 821 passing and rushing yards as the 2000 signal-caller — doesn’t want
the job, choosing instead to concentrate on his baseball career.
That left Drew Eanes, the coach’s son, and Jesse
Parnell, last year’s jayvee starter, to pilot the offense in last week’s
drills.
The other QB candidate is senior Cal Hayes Jr., the
standout American Legion shortstop who has yet to practice with the team. He
rushed for 832 yards and 10 touchdowns last fall, caught 15 passes and even
threw a pair of TD balls off the option play.
“Cal’s such a great athlete,” said Eanes. “If
I were starting a hockey team, he’d be the first guy I’d take.”
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ALL THE RIGHT MOVES: At least one Mustang needed a
moving van to follow Eanes to Granite Quarry. Defensive end Julian Scott, a
chiseled 190-pounder, played for the coach as an East Surry freshman in 1998 and
moved to Rowan County last summer.
“His mother really wanted him to play for me,”
said Eanes. “And he wanted to as well. So they packed up and moved.”
It’s a good thing Eanes didn’t take a job in
Hong Kong.
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TWO-WAY ROAD: An important change is taking place in
the East preseason camp. No matter where they’ve played in the past, every
Mustang is learning to go both ways.
“Last year we solely two-platooned and it hurt us,”
said Eanes. “Everyone only learned an offensive position or a defensive
position. This year we’re back to one-platooning. It’ll give us a little
more depth.”
According to the plan, every player must learn every
play. They’ll also have the opportunity to shake hands more often. “Last
year the offense and defense weren’t on the same page,” said
fullback/linebacker Adam Trexler. “The coaches separated us. We’d go to
practice all week and not even see some guys until Friday night.”
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THE LIGHTS ARE ON: Eanes identified several
early-season bright spots, including junior cornerback Travis Siegle, a transfer
from North Gaston.
“He’s one we didn’t count on,” said Eanes.
“But he’ll probably wind up starting. He’s got good feet and doesn’t
mind getting after it. I went over there myself the other day and threw a few
balls against him. I really like the way he breaks on the ball. You can tell he’s
played football before.”
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THE BIG PICTURE: East fans who want to see the big
picture need look no farther than at two-way lineman Ben Weisensel. The
sophomore guard/tackle has benefited from an offseason weight-lifting program
that helped him add 15 pounds to his 6-3, 260-pound frame.
“I got to like it in there,” said Weisensel, a
starter at OG each of the last nine games in 2000. “Just hanging around with
friends all summer was good for team unity. We need that as much as we need to
get stronger and faster.”
Eanes is looking for a big contribution from his big
man this fall. “He’s already a leader, an important player, and just a
sophomore,” the coach says. “But we’re gonna have between 8-10
10th-graders on varsity just to make our depth.”
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STRONG FINISH: East saved its best for last a year
ago, when it blasted Sun Valley 58-22 in its season finale. “That was the best
feeling we had all season,” recalled senior Matt Baker. “That was just the
way they drew it up.”
Added Trexler: “It’s too bad that had to be our
last game. Last year was horrible. That’s our motivation this year. We don’t
ever want to feel like that again.”
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Contact David Shaw at sports@salisburypost.com
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