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| G. Michael Graham Photo. Highlands Head Coach Brian Weinrich (right) gives instructions during a recent spring practice. The Bluebirds just concluded 10 days of spring ball. |
By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM
Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter
Aside from
the usual transition, not much changed in spring practice for the Blue and
White.
The only
noticeable change was the absence of the retired 20-year veteran Head Coach
Dale Mueller. Mueller retired after last year that saw Highlands go 13-2 and
finish Class 4A runner-up to Collins. The Bluebirds went 250-36 during
Mueller’s tenure, won 11 state championships and finished runner-up three
times.
Highlands
promoted 19-year assistant and veteran Defensive Coordinator Brian Weinrich to
Head Coach in January. Highlands welcomed new assistant Zach Deaton, a 2000
Highlands graduate, and promoted assistant Shelby Jones to Defensive
Coordinator. Weinrich said he’s been working with the offense about 99 percent
of the time.
Weinrich
said the approach to spring football has not changed. The Bluebirds try to get
better each and every day and keep things simple.
“We’ve had a good plan in place since spring ball
started,” Weinrich said. “We’re a little more physical than we are
during the season. But at the same time, we try to take care of the players and
not overdo them.”
Teams are
allowed 10 two-hour practices in a three-week window per Kentucky High School Athletic
Association rules. Highlands is experimenting with players going on both sides
of the ball. It’s been a few years since players have played on both offense
and defense.
For
instance, rising junior Bo Hebel worked out on the offensive line after
starting on the defensive line last year. Rising seniors Jensen Feggins and
Griffin Urlage worked out at defensive back and running back respectively after
playing wide receiver and defensive back respectively last year.
Feggins led
an explosive offense that averaged 50.6 points and 444.5 yards a contest.
Feggins recorded a team-high 51 catches for 1,100 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Urlage led Highlands with three interceptions.
“We’re still sold on completely two-platooning,” Jones said. “We
feel like there may be some guys that can help us in certain situations. It
might be silly to have guys sitting on the sidelines when they can help us in
certain spots.”
Highlands
only saw a few other teams that two-platoon such as Campbell County and
Lexington Catholic. Collins went to it during the season, but still had its
best players on the field at certain points of the game.
Hebel gives
Highlands another option on the offensive line will lose 12 players to
graduation. The only returning starter there will be rising senior Kyler
Dalton.
“I’m just giving them any tips as I can,” Dalton said. “With
this whole new offense, I’m starting off just as much as they are. We hope
everyone steps up and we put together a good offensive line this year. It’s not
going to be as fast-paced. But we hope to put together drives so we have to get
our stamina up among other things. We have to get out of our stances fast, keep
in front of our guy and get downfield.”
The
Bluebirds will be bringing up offensive linemen from the junior varsity squad
that finished 6-1 last year. Candidates to fill in the open offensive line
positions include rising juniors Evan Richardson, Carson Haas and Nathan
Raleigh.
“I think the biggest adjustment to varsity will be the
responsibility of the whole thing,”
Richardson said. “We have to keep up
with the pace and everyone’s expectations of what you’re supposed to do as an
offensive lineman. The seniors left with an intensity and culture we’re going
to have to match.”
The
Highlands defense yielded averages of 22.4 points and 323.1 yards per game. The
Bluebirds struggled in big games against balanced offenses. Weinrich said
injuries had a lot to do with that after the season.
“We’re just trying to stay as healthy as possible,
especially for the biggest games,”
said Andrew Abner, Highlands rising senior defensive back. “We will probably do more mental reps for the big games and not
practice as much. They won’t be as physical. We will go over things and make
sure we have them down.”
But Jones
said he liked what he’s saw in spring practice. Highlands returns a number of
key players such as rising senior linebacker Rocco Pangallo. Pangallo finished
second on the team last year with two fumble recoveries.
“So far, the guys have been running around with
excitement,” Jones said. “That’s kind of what we’re asking from them
now. We want every single one of them to run to the ball. That’s the ultimate
goal.”
Highlands
will continue to run the 3-4 defense. Rising senior linebacker Daniel Kremer
returns after recording three tackles for a loss last year. He is aware that
people are saying the Bluebirds will not be as dominant as they’ve been in
recent years with all the changes.
“It’s the same type of (Pittsburgh) Steelers defense,” Kremer said. “We
have the same concepts against the run. We’re working hard in the offseason
like we have for a while. We’ve been good for several decades so I don’t the
graduation of seniors is going to change anything.”
Highlands
opens the season on Aug. 29. The Bluebirds travel to Alexandria to face the
Campbell County Camels.