Running the ball and stopping the run.
That has been two major points of emphasis for the Beechwood football team early on in practice as they ramp up preparations for the upcoming season. In order to get state title No. 18, the Tigers know they must improve in those two areas. They had an electric offense thanks to Clay Hayden and company in 2023, but a lot of their damage was done through the air.
“You look back at the Mayfield game and they made us completely one-dimensional,” Tigers coach Jay Volker said. “Guys look at it and know we have to run the ball. If we faced a team that can control the clock, we know that’s how we can get beat.”
Volker feels the team understands they can sacrifice some of those big numbers in the passing game for what matters most come November and December, winning in the trenches.
This is an ongoing series, we’ll add a team every day over a three-week span.
LINK nky is previewing all 22 area high school football teams with our “four downs” series. Click to see more below.
FIRST DOWN — RECAP
Rewind back to the Class 2A playoff semifinals and Mayfield gashed Beechwood for 214 rushing yards compared to just 81 for the Tigers. A 31-28 Cardinals victory that ended the Tigers season at 12-2.
Like any team in the offseason, the weight room was a big focus and it’s really shown for the Tigers.
“Last year we were looking at roughly 200-215 pounds on the line, going into this season we’re looking at 240, 250, 260-plus weight wise which really helps at the high school level,” Volker said.
RPI was a big talking point in Fort Mitchell come late October, early November last season. Despite the Tigers beefed up schedule against the likes of bigger schools Covington Catholic, Dixie Heights, Simon Kenton and Campbell County, going 3-1 in those contests and 9-1 in the regular season, it was a game against Archbishop McNicholas in Ohio that ultimately had them have to hit the road in the state semifinals, making the near five-hour bus ride to Mayfield.
Beechwood understands the way the RPI formula works, it’s better to play in-state opponents out of district when it comes to playoff seeding. They’ve dropped the McNicholas game and added Pulaski County in their season opener, meaning every team they play out of district will be Class 4A-6A. They win all or go at least 4-1 in those games, they’ll be sitting much prettier this season once postseason comes around and may not have to leave Fort Mitchell if they want to carve out a path to Kroger Field in Lexington the first weekend of December to play for a state championship.
SECOND DOWN — OFFENSE
The Tigers put up at least 28 points in every game played last season, averaging 47.5 points per contest.
Clay Hayden was fourth in the entire state with 3,910 passing yards and 48 touchdowns. A season similar to that would put him near 10,000 passing yards for his career as he enters his senior season with 5,901 career passing yards. Four of his top five receiving targets from a year ago are back, featured by Luke Erdman (50 receptions, 1,133 yards, 16 TD), Tyler Fryman (47 receptions, 1,052 yards, 10 TD) and James Cusick (46 receptions, 706 yards, 12 TD).
“They take the pressure off me,” Hayden said. “All three are my go-to guys and to have that is awesome.”
Chase Flaherty will be the feature back, coming off a junior season in which he rushed for 676 yards and 16 touchdowns. Volker said the goal is to primarily play him offensively compared to last year when he went both ways to keep him fresh.
Along the line is where the biggest improvements should be made with the contunity. Chance Baugh, Mattox Kelly, Jack Meier, Brody Waddell and Cole Howard will make up the starting unit. Baugh, Kelly, Meier and Waddell played in 14 games last year while Howard is a transfer from Moeller in Cincinnati, bringing his 6-foot-4, 260-plus pound frame with him.
“We just feel way more comfortable,” Kelly said, who picked up a couple offers in the offseason. “We’ve figured out what works and what doesn’t and we’re going to dominate with what works.”
Some under the radar guys to look out for this season will be Austin Flesch at wide receiver and defensive back, Kaleb Arrasmith at receiver and safety, Jordan Wagner on the offensive and defensive lines and Carson Eshelman also along both fronts.
THIRD DOWN — DEFENSE
While they put up 47.5 points per game offensively, the defense surrendered 137 points in a three-game stretch against Dixie Heights, Simon Kenton and Covington Catholic. They were able to escape two of those games with a victory, but a bolstered defensive front should help the unit improve immensely.
Many of the names mentioned along the offensive line will play along the defensive front, Meier and Waddell getting moved around a little more this season to offset the losses of Xavier Campbell and Nick Alexander to graduation.
Fryman, Cusick and Arrasmith will be the leaders in the defensive backfield.
“Defensively I feel these guys will have a better concept of what we’re trying to do,” Volker said. “They had the same concept with Coach Rash for so long, we changed things a little defensively last year. Year two as a coaching staff, the players are putting it together.”
Helping the defensive cause will be kicker Colson Lair. He’s increased his strength on kickoffs and Volker feels they can get an extra advantage of another 15-20 yards for start of possession from the opponent. Last year teams were getting their offense started near the 40-yard line where this season he thinks it can be around the 20-25 yard line.
Lair was also on point in extra points, hitting 81-of-82 attempts last season.
FOURTH DOWN — GOALS/OUTLOOK
The expectation is to be playing at Kroger Field the first weekend in December and a shot at No. 18. Volker knows the preparation for that is now and getting the team to understand that.
“Ending in Week 14 last year means we could have done more in July and August,” Volker said. “The team needs to know what we do now leads into those times. We need to remember we still have to get better every day.”
The Tigers are heavy favorites to win the Class 2A, 5th District again, outscoring the five district opponents 273-3 last season.
The first five games of the schedule will have them tested in seeing diverse offenses, physicality and teams that will feature a lot of depth. That should have them prepared for anything that comes their way the rest of the year.
With pretty much all their skill players back, beefed up lines and the team understanding what identity then need to take on in order to reach their ultimate goal, the Tigers are optimistic No. 18 could be coming back to Fort Mitchell this season.
SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT SITE TIME HISTORY Aug 23 Pulaski County at Campbell Field 5:45 PM ⇄ Aug 30 Campbell County home 7:30 PM ⇄ Sep 6 Dixie Heights home 7:30 PM ⇄ Sep 13 Simon Kenton away 7:00 PM ⇄ Sep 20 Covington Catholic away 7:00 PM ⇄ Sep 27 Gallatin County home
7:30 PM⇄ Oct 4 Walton-Verona at Walton Verona Sports Complex
7:30 PM
⇄Oct 11 Owen County away
7:30 PM
⇄Oct 18 Carroll County home
7:30 PM⇄ Oct 25 Bracken County away
7:30 PM⇄