Winamac football preview: ‘Just get a little bit better:’ New coach Davis emphasizing conditioning

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

The Winamac football team won two games last year. Only once in school history (1975) have they won fewer games.

But where some coaches might find despair, first-year coach Eric Davis finds opportunity.

He has worked with the players to build up strength and conditioning. He has installed an offense that combined wing-T elements with some option.

Davis said that the biggest hurdle in June was implementing the new playbook. It forced the players to almost learn a new language. He also said he “married” the old terminology with the new terminology to make the transition less difficult and remove some of the “learning curve.”

“This summer was getting an overall step-back look at the big picture, particularly in June and then evaluating where we were at.” Davis said. “We came in two days a week. We mixed in football skill development and lifting. Lifting’s obviously a big part of it. We knew that conditioning had been a challenge in the past, and so that was something that as the summer wore on, particularly in the fall camp, we were much more interested in hitting that with some rigor.

“So how was our summer? June was a struggle, and July got a lot better to be real honest with you. And that’s a testament to our kids – whole new system, whole new way of doing things, whole different set of expectations. With that comes challenges and growing pains. As we grew through that, you could see the real progress in the month of July.”

Offense

And he has a returning two-way star in Tearson Wolford, an All-RTC4 selection. Wolford led the team with 559 yards rushing in 2024 and bumped that number up to 752 yards last year.

He is also the team’s leading returning tackler.

“Tearson’s kind of the guy that we need to be able to be that three-yard guy, that four-yard guy,” Davis said. “Obviously, you want to have those big plays, but our goal is three yards a play. And you go, ‘Well, wait, that’s not enough to get a first down.’ But the reality is we want to be able to go for it anywhere on the field, and we want to feel like our offense is competent enough that we can do that and be comfortable doing that. Obviously, we don’t want to live in a three-yard-per-play average, but we want to be consistently three yards, three yards and then bust off that five, 10, 15-yard run to stay ahead of the chains.”

Junior Xavier Adriano returns for his third season at quarterback. He threw for 669 yards and ran for 349 yards last year and accounted for nine touchdowns – six passing, three rushing.

“Xavier, he wants to be the guy,” Davis said. “And he’s done a really nice job of maneuvering the new system and learning the new system and being patient with the new system that puts a lot of responsibility in his hands. For Xavier, it’s about emerging as a leader that can motivate the masses, and that’s our primary initiative right now.”

Fellow seniors Ivan Cardenas and Louis Rugg III are the wingbacks and will join Wolford in the backfield. Jager Terry and Michael Shidler might also be in the mix.

Rugg had seven receptions for 223 yards and three touchdowns last year and is the team’s leading returning receiver after the graduation of Ethan Burgess. Xavier Stevenson, Peyton Burke and Hank Haschel are other possibilities at receiver.

“Is he a receiver? Is he a running back? The answer is yes,” Davis quipped when asked about Rugg.

On the offensive line, junior Walker Lovely will be the center, senior Cody Wheeler will play right guard, junior Layne Tetzloff will play left guard, junior Alex Stonebraker and sophomore Keegan Kough will play tackle.

“We are stature-wise physical in appearance,” Davis said. “We play physical. … I would say that moving forward though, this offense is about the ability to play in space and move to the second level. Teaching angles is such a big deal. We spend a lot of time doing that. That’s the next step in the emergence of our offensive line.”

Davis was asked if the offense is designed to get any particular player more touches.

“This is the ultimate unselfish offense,” Davis said. “If you’re a selfish player, this offense isn’t for you because the reality is we’re going to run plays that develop after the snap, and because of that, a lot of it is about utilizing angles, leverage and grass. So we’re always looking for numbers advantages. As you adjust to stop our base play, then that opens up another play.”

Defense

Braxton Shidler will play on the nose with Wheeler playing the “three-technique” tackle spot. Haschel and Kough will play defensive end.

“I think on your lines that you have great depth on both sides,” Davis said. “Defensive line’s real important because they’re in there fighting the battles and double teams and trap blocks. It’s just a physical, physical position.”

Wolford will play inside linebacker with sophomore Braden Hall and senior Michael Shidler also factoring in. Outside linebackers include Cardenas.

Rugg and Terry look to have the inside track at cornerback. Adriano and Parker Abbott will play safety.

“All of this is subject to change,” Davis said. “We’re still evaluating and ensuring we have the right people in the right spots.”

Davis was asked if he is an even man front coach or an odd man front coach.

“It depends on what I have, and some of it depends on what you do,” Davis said. “The ability to jump back and forth is important, but this year, we have even-front kids.”

Special teams

Davis said that Adriano has emerged as both the placekicker, kickoff man and punter.

“The two big ones we focus on are punt and kickoff,” Davis said. “Because if you’re going to screw up special teams, that’s where it’s going to hurt the most. We’ve been at that for about two weeks now, sorting out our kickoff and punt team, making sure we got exactly the right people in the right spots.”

Rugg is perhaps the area’s top kickoff returner after returning three for touchdowns last year.

“This year, that’s probably not exactly accurate,” Davis said about working on special teams from the first day of practice. “Because we had to sort through to see if there were any hidden gems as far as punters and kickers and that kind of thing. But as far as trying to get an idea, that started (on) day one – short snappers, holders, long snappers, all of that.”

Davis said that Rugg and Cardenas have emerged as leaders, and he also called Wheeler a “quiet leader.”

“Tearson Wolford is a leader, and the kids look up to him, but he’s not one of those guys that’s going to go out there and do a lot of talking,” Davis said. “And that’s kind of refreshing.”

Asked for team goals, Davis was succinct.

“Our team goal is just to get better every day,” Davis said. “Get better every day. Commit ourselves to living up to our expectations. … I think that’s a big deal. They just get better every day.

“We hit conditioning really, really hard, and that’s because we saw what we did in the second half last year. I think we were outscored 170-40 in the second half, and we attribute it partly to conditioning. So conditioning was a big emphasis. Even in that, just get better every day. Just get a little it better.”

Schedule

Winamac’s first three games are against West Central, Frontier and Pioneer, who went a combined 33-5 last year. Winamac moves back to Sectional 41, which also has Hoosier North rivals Culver, North Judson, South Central (Union Mills) and Triton.

Aug. 21 – vs. West Central, 7 p.m.

Aug. 28 – at Frontier, 7 p.m.

Sept. 4 – at Pioneer, 7 p.m.

Sept. 11 – vs. Culver, 7 p.m.

Sept. 18 – vs. Triton, 7 p.m.

Sept. 25 – at North Miami, 7 p.m.

Oct. 2 – at North Judson, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 9 – vs. South Central (Union Mills), 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 16 – at Caston, 7 p.m.

Oct. 23 – Class 1A, Sectional 41 quarterfinal

Class 1A, Sectional 41

Bowman Academy, Culver, North Judson, North Newton, South Central (Union Mills), Triton, West Central, WINAMAC