GORDON LEE
“We want the strength of our offense to be up front,” Groce said. “They have to gel, be physical, play downhill and attack and we have to be good up front for us to have any success. But we have good skill kids and we have good team speed. We’re not big by any means, so we have to be able to attack the angles.”
Groce, who previously served as the team’s defensive coordinator before being promoted, says the Trojans will be in an even front on defense most of the time.
Crowley (44 tackles, two for loss), along with Akins, Ball and Kirkendoll, will look to stop the run at tackle, while Walker and Moore will look to get pressure on the quarterback from their defensive end spots. Thomas will line up at the Mike linebacker spot. Peterson will play on the weak side, while Oliver and Hartman will offer depth. Cobb is penciled in at the rover position. Casteel will take on the free safety role, while corners will include Neal, Groce and Ryan Eldridge.
Like the offense, Groce said that the success of the defense will all depend on how much improvement is made along the defensive line, as the front four will be needed to clog up running lanes for the linebackers to be able to penetrate and make stops at the line of scrimmage.
“We should have very good team speed and we’ve also been preaching communication like crazy on the defensive side,” the coach added.
On special teams, Montgomery Kephart, along with Peterson, will share the kicking and punting duties this year. Neal and Casteel will handle the returns. Moore is the team’s long snapper, while Neal will also do the holding on field goals and PAT’s.
In addition to the season opener with the Wolverines, the Trojans will once again be tested by local rivals LFO and LaFayette before beginning the 6-A North slate against Darlington and Trion. And while Groce says the ultimate goal is to get in the playoffs, he adds that his team can’t afford to look too far ahead.
“We’re preaching about taking it game by game,” he explained. “I don’t preach about wins and losses. I preach about doing the little things correctly. If we can get those little things corrected and get them going in the right way — playing physical, playing hard and executing — the wins and losses will take care of themselves. The main thing is learning to play as a football team and not as individuals. If we do that, then I think this team can be very successful. We have the right makeup to be a successful football team, but we have to find ways to win ballgames.
“It has to be the team over the individual and that’s something we have to accomplish before this thing is successful. We have to learn to play as a team and get consistent at building each other up. Our slogan this year is ‘Big GL, Little Me’. I put that sign up all over the locker room because we’re really hanging our hat on that this year.”