Changes ignite Chandler football
QB transfers in, Dad joins NFL great to coach O-line
Chandler’s first two spring football practices this week were without the most heralded quarterback, or player, for that matter, in the 2024 class in the country.
Dylan Raiola surely disappointed the Power 5 colleges coaches wanting to get a glimpse of him, but he was at home, fighting the flu.
But these were hardly the first steps toward regaining that Open Division state championship swagger for the Wolves, who have been at work since the 20-15 loss to Scottsdale Saguaro in December at Sun Devil Stadium.
“This thing started back in January; it didn’t start yesterday,” said Dominic Raiola, who has been an added bonus to the offensive line coaching staff, helping out another former NFL offensive line great, Leonard Davis. “It really started when they lost that game to Saguaro.
“We weren’t here last year, but what I heard is that they (offensive line) weren’t a very good group last year. That’s all they heard. So they wanted to get better and they’ve committed to the process.”
Raiola was in Burleson, Texas last year, where Dylan blew up among recruiting analysts and offers with the 6foot-3, 220-pound Raiola throwing for 3,341 yards and 42 touchdowns, leading his Burleson team to an 8-4 record, completing 228 of 350 passes and threw only five interceptions.
The Raiolas were in Phoenix when Dylan was an eighth grader, hoping he would play for Jon Kitna at Brophy Prep. But the former NFL quarterback left to become the quarterback coach for the Dallas Cowboys. and the Raiolas moved back to Texas, where last season as a sophomore Dylan emerged under Kitna as the head coach at Burleson.
Together, the offensive line coaching combo of Dominic Raiola and Davis figure to make this line better. Combined, they have 26 years of NFL experience, three Pro Bowls, a Rimington Award, and two consensus first-team All-Americans.
Raiola, the Rimington Award winner for Nebraska in 2000 for best college center in the country, played all 14 years of his NFL career at center for the Detroit Lions, where his quarterback, Matthew Stafford, still helps Dylan Raiola and his ascension to the top of his class.
Davis, 6-foot-6, 365-pound offensive guard, the No. 2 overall NFL draft pick by the Arizona Cardinals out of the University of Texas in 2001, earned three Pro Bowl berths with the Dallas Cowboys through his 12-year NFL career.
If they can’t bestow wisdom to the eager Wolves offensive linemen and get them recharged since the death of beloved offensive line coach/run-game coordinator/strength coach Chris Chick in late May of last year, then nobody can.
With Raiola’s help, the Wolves, hearing how the offensive line was the most vulnerable area that prevented a sixth consecutive state championship last season, are working relentlessly towards next season with a huge chip on their shoulder.
“Yeah, they should have a chip on their shoulder,” Dominic Raiola said. “They didn’t play to the standard that they’re used to. We’re just trying to recreate the standard of Chandler offensive line play.”
It’s the group that gets little recognition when things go great. Usually, the big back with his 2,000 yards and the quarterback with his 40 or so TDs, generate the attention. But when things go south, the linemen get called out.
That’s where the former NFL linemen step in to help.
Davis, along with Sam Mafua, was there last season to bring the line along, but it was a young line, mostly inexperienced.
Now Davis believes they’ll be back to reassert themselves, after the Wolves failed to have a 1,000-yard rusher since maybe before Shaun Aguano was the coach.
Players do their research on the two men, finding out on the Internet all of that football knowledge they soaked up in their playing days.
“They say, Coach, man, I went on Google and I didn’t know that,” Davis said.
Davis has no desire to coach beyond high school. He got 16- and 18-year-old daughters.
“The NFL, there is no job security,” Davis said. “In college, you’re on the road, traveling.”
Davis likes how he can mold young men at this age. He knew he would have his work cut out last year with so many young linemen.
“Last year, we had one senior who was returning and he had very little experience the year before,” Davis said. “We had a transfer. We were just kind of rolling guys through. I think this year we’re able to start with the core. Right after the season, we were able to get the work in.”
One of those guys back is 6-2, 320pound junior Lashown Ealim, who is athletic and powerful and has been working hard in the weight room. Matt Bass, 6-3, 310, is back at guard.
And Zarius Wells, 6-6, 290, is ready for a big senior season next year. He is long and athletic and can play both guard and tackle.
Chick was one of the reasons Wells wanted to play at Chandler, knowing the coach’s long college coaching contacts.
“Chandler is a winning school and I wanted to be a part of that program,” Wells said.
Now Wells wants to show that this line can continue its dominance and crank up the run game with Davis and Raiola leading the work.
“They’re putting it into us,” Wells said. “We’re going to have 2,000 yards this season.”
To help Dylan Raiola have time to throw and open up the passing game, they know they need to establish that vaunted Chandler rushing attack again.