Gilleran returns home to lead Wolves
PEARCY — Tommy Gilleran’s longtime dream of coaching football at his high school alma mater finally comes true this year.
After 19 years as a head coach, Gilleran will lead Lake Hamilton onto the same field he played in the 1980s.
“I’m looking forward to this year,” Gilleran said. “It’s going to be an exciting year, especially coming home. I’m looking forward to having a chance to make a mark, my own mark, here. It took a long time because coach (Jerry) Clay was here for 28 of them. I’m looking to make my own mark, the way that coach Clay did, and do things properly, do things with excitement and get this program going where it’s always been. They’re always right there.”
Although 29 years removed from Lake Hamilton, Gilleran said he recognizes many of his players’ names.
“It’s pretty neat because I played on this field here. Of course, it was grass then,” he said. “The kids I’m coaching, I played with some of their dads. I knew that aspect would be a little different. I see a lot of old friends, some old teachers who are still here.”
The Wolves switch from the Flexbone to the Wing-T, Gilleran’s preferred offensive scheme while coaching at Fountain Lake.
“The offense is something that is new,” Gilleran said. “They’ve done a good job with understanding it and doing better every time. It’s a different terminology and some different techniques.”
One advantage for Wolves: 24 seniors.
“This is a good group of kids,” Gilleran said. “Most of (the starters) are seniors. That’s why we try to develop the younger kids, so when those kids are gone, there are the people to step up. This is a good group of seniors, and it’s going to be a privilege to coach them this year.”
Senior center Hunter Przytarski (6-3, 270) nails down the offensive line with several players rotating at both guard and tackle.
Seniors Ian Bishop (6-0,
205), Cameron Slone (5-8, 236) and Cole Speer (6-0, 206) rotate at guard while classmates Caleb House (6-4, 270) and Will Burgess (6-4, 340) move from guard to tackle and rotate with fellow senior Ashton Haygood (6-0, 240).
Burgess, an all-conference honoree last year, has offers from Central, Arkansas, Arkansas Tech, Missouri State and Ouachita Baptist.
Senior Nick Hammock
(6-0, 181) joins junior Kanaan Williams (6-3, 175) at tight end.
Planning an offense of 60 percent running, Gilleran has plenty of ground threats.
Sophomore Braden Braughton (5-9, 142) joins seniors Jackson Johnson (5-11, 165) and Cole Huneycutt (5-7, 150) at wingback while senior Randall Nichols (6-1, 205) and sophomore Malik Brewer (5-10, 174) line up at fullback.
Seniors Jackson Davis (5-8,
180) and Utah Aitken (5-9, 180) bring different approaches to the vacant quarterback slot, Davis a better runner and Aitken a more able passer.
Passing targets include seniors Keaton Hixon (6-1, 175) and Nathan Brown (6-2, 156) and junior receiver Justin Speer (6-0, 145).
Gilleran also brought a new defensive scheme to the Wolves, but his athletes haven’t balked. “They’ve done good” in the spring and summer, he said.
“The big thing is learning another defense. I guess it’s the third defense in three years for these seniors. Our defense is similar to when coach Clay was here, but that
2017 schedule
part was there.”
Juniors Braxton Koller (6-1,
212) and Ray Hamp (6-3, 177) flank the line on the defense while classmate Eli Vaughn
(5-11, 240) and senior Hunter Hughes (6-0, 245) on the interior.
Williams, in addition to playing tight end, will line up at outside linebacker while senior Jacob Nichols (5-10, 170) reprises his role at safety. Junior C.J. Reynolds (5-6, 170), Randall Nichols, Tisdale and Aitken will rotate at inside linebacker.
Junior Kadin Kemp (6-2,
170) and Huneycutt will each get time at free safety.
Rotating at cornerback will be juniors Blaine Merriott (60, 160) and Tre Darrough (5-9,
150) along with Johnson and Braughton each seeing time.
Senior Aaron Green (6-0,
190) is the punter while Johnson returns to kick field goals and placements. Sophomore Jordy Morales handles kickoffs.
The Wolves start off the season with cross-county rival Hot Springs before taking on
4A Malvern and 7A Bryant, the latter a Class 7A semifinalist last November.
“We get to play Hot Springs, which is real athletic,” Gilleran said. “Coach
(Chris) Vereen does a really good
Wolf facts
job, so that’s going to be tough. Then you play Malvern, which has traditionally been really good, and then you roll that back in with Bryant. We’ve got three good opponents to get us ready for conference. The 6A West is tough, so we need that type of competition to get our conference schedule.”
Gilleran feels that his experience coaching Fountain Lake in Class 4A-7 has prepared him for 6A-West, which produced state champion Russellville and runner-up Greenwood last year.
“I’m used to the type of competition I’m going to face,” he said. “I know that the biggest thing I’m going to face is the numbers. I’ve played some pretty good competition the last couple years with a lot less kids. I think our kids, as long as they continue to grow and learn the mentality that we want, we’ll have the chance to be really good.”