Jr Quarterback Tyler
Clampitt returns to lead the Hornets Offense |
It's an unseasonably cool August morning as the Chillicothe
football team goes through a session of two-a-day practices.
"Good job! That's a good job!" shouts Hornets Hall of
Fame Coach Phil Willard to one of his players. His enthusiasm
over the play is accented by his pat on the helmet of one of
the players.
In the sea of confusion that is preseason practices,
Willard's eyes are everywhere: checking hand placements of his
players, correcting feet positions and making sure every
player understands where their eyes should be on the play.
With a team that has just eight Seniors and even fewer
returning starters, the coach knows there's work to be done.
Chillicothe, rich in football tradition, is searching
for a return to their glory days. A difficult 2011 campaign
received a much needed punch when the Hornets won their last
two regular season games and put themselves into the
play-offs, to finish 5-6.
"We saw some good things from some of our young players
that were very encouraging" said Willard of the final games of
the 2011 season. One of those encouraging things was QB Tyler
Clampitt, who returns for his Junior season after being pushed
into a starting roll last year due to a season ending injury
to starter Jacob Lewis.
Willard says by the end of the 2011 campaign, Clampitt
was starting to come into his own and run the ball club. "I
feel like he's going to be able to lead us again. He has a
good head for the game and throws the ball well."
"Tyler has a very strong arm and can get the ball
down the field when it's needed and he can make a lot of the
throws you need him to make." Willard |
hopes a renewed passing attack can help
balance out the offense and keep opposing defenses on their heels.
Clampitt isn't the only underclassman that the Hornets
will rely on. With small numbers in the Senior class, there are
opportunities for Juniors and Sophomores to fill starting rolls.
"There's going to have to be some young kids
really step up and do the job to be successful this year" stated
Willard. "Our kids are working hard and I couldn't be more pleased
with the coaching they're taking".
The Hornets offensive line will be
anchored by Senior Alec Whiteside, who will be starting for
the third straight year. The Senior leader has been switched
from Guard to Tackle for this year.
"Alec has been a two year starter for us" commented the
Hornets head coach. "We expect him to lead us up front in the
offensive and defensive lines" The coaches are evaluating a
number of players to fill positions on the line.
One tradition Willard hopes to stop is the recent
tradition of player injuries. He hopes increased attendance in
the weight room will help solve the injury problems. "This
summer we felt like we made some strides in the weight lifting
area. We're also getting some weight classes back into the
school curriculum. I think you'll see a difference in a year
and two years and three years down the road.
Varsity numbers are about normal, according to Willard, |
Senior Alec Whiteside
returns for his third year as a starter on the line, |
with 44 sophomores through seniors out
for football. Other returning starters in addition to Clampitt and
Whiteside include DJ Gannan at Fullback and Safety, Junior Cole
Nichols at Linebacker, Senior Blake Rasmussen who started one game
on the offensive line, and Senior Drew Wilkison, who is trying to
battle back from a torn ACL injury he sustained in the LeBlond game
last year.
The future looks promising for Hornets football with 37
freshmen out including an offensive line that will likely weigh more
than the varsity line. Also new this year is a 7th grade football
program that will be coached by former Hornet star Reid Stephens Sr
along with the new head wrestling coach, Drew Passley, who is a Webb
City graduate. Obviously the biggest addition to the Hornets
Football program is the new $4,000,000 Jerry Litton Memorial
Stadium, bringing an end to 80+ years at the former site.
As for the MEC, expect another black and blue division.
Willard notes that Maryville has most of their team returning,
Lafayette has a lot of "really good athletes" plus has a couple of
move ins that will help the Irish and Savannah is expected to be
tough again despite graduations and a new head coach. Willard also
points to Smithville, which returns a lot of linemen and St Joe
LeBlond, which Willard says will win some games and could pick up
their first MEC win since re-joining the conference in 2008
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