Goblins ‘fired’ by Coach

Chris Keylon may have put Harrison’s football team in shock with his announcement during the Goblins’ first team meeting with their new head Coach.

“I told all the players they had lost their jobs,” Keylon said. “I said everybody was fired, and all of them and had to come back and earn their job. It was just fair to all the kids. That being said, we still have July and August to work on some things.”

The biggest jobs up for grabs lie in Harrison’s secondary and linebacker corps as Keylon stressed the need to develop depth in those positions. Junior Tristan Thompson appears ready to man one inside linebacker position, as does sophomore Braden Long at another inside linebacker and junior Talon Stephens at a safety slot.

“The rest of up for grabs right now,” Keylon said. “We have some good competition at the outside linebacker positions. Elijiah Lambert could see some time at defensive end, but it’s going to depend on the other positions. A lot of still up in the air.”

Offensively, the Goblins have inexperience at quarterbacks, and Keylon said the focus is getting them as good as possible. There is plenty of depth at running back as Beck Jones, Thompson and Long will all see time in the backfield, and Jhenry Brandt has caught some attention at wide receiver with his route running and his size (6-2, 175).

In the meantime, Harrison is counting on the offensive line — one of the team’s strengths — to rise to the occasion.

“I’ve told some of them we need them to come on and do more,” Keylon said. “We’re being tough on those guys. I know Jonathan Schaffer will be the starter at center, but I don’t know about the rest right now.”