By Craig Dunn
Logan Daily News

LOGAN — Here’s a revelation that should strike fear into the hearts of defenses around and beyond the Southeastern Ohio Athletic League.

“This is our second year running this (spread) offense. I think we know how to run it now and we know what we want to do with it,” says Logan football coach Dale Amyx.

Wow. If the Chieftains didn’t know how to run the spread in 2008, what can we expect for an encore this fall?
While the preceding paragraph is written tongue-in-cheek, the Purple & White did make a major adjustment to their offense last fall: they abandoned their patented, bruising running game for the all-out air attack of a spread offense.

“Last year (as the season began) we were still experimenting with it. It was a package we were working on; both scrimmages we ran it some, but we didn’t run it full time,” Amyx recalled. “Obviously it was our game plan going into (the season opener against) Lancaster, and we ran it the whole game. It worked well enough that we thought ‘this was us, this was our personality,’ and we still feel that way.”

The Chieftains thus built an offense that best suited their personnel.

“The big key to that, obviously, is the guy pulling the trigger,” Amyx continued. “You have to have the kind of kid who can throw the ball and run the ball. He’s a dual threat, and when you spread (defenses) out that’s another guy who has to be accounted for. It’s tough to defense.”

Of course, Amyx is talking about first-team Division II All-Ohio quarterback Patrick Angle, ranked as one of the top players in the state this fall by several publications.

And good grief, that offense was — and is — awfully tough to defense.

The 2008 Chiefs averaged 31.4 points per game (and that’s even after being shut out 7-0 by Louisville in a windy, rainy playoff game in Zanesville) as well as 212 yards passing, 154 yards rushing and 366 total yards per contest.

Angle (6-foot-1, 210 pounds, senior) set single-season records for completions (177), attempts (286), yards (2,496) and touchdown passes (25) and was the team’s second-leading rusher with 557 yards.

Second-team DII All-Ohio Mason Mays (6-0, 175, senior) caught a single-season record 57 passes from his step-brother for 852 yards and tied a school record with 13 touchdown receptions.

“On the offensive side, we should be able to take up right where we left off,” Amyx said. “We have three starters from our offensive line back, our quarterback is back (and) two of our best receivers are back, so the sky’s the limit.

“We feel our skill positions are the strengths of our football team, on both sides of the ball, there’s no doubt about it,” he added. “We’re excited about that.”

It’s on defense where the Chiefs admittedly have some question marks.

“Defensively is where we really have to get after it. We know we have to get it done on the line,” Amyx revealed. “That’s the area where we have the most work to do. We’re making some strides, but we still have a long way to go.”

Despite losing seven starters on defense, four on offense and 18 seniors, there’s little doubt the Chiefs are still the team to beat in the SEOAL.

Yes, a lot of teams will be gunning for them. As Amyx says, everyone will bring their “A” games when lining up opposite the Chieftains.

“I think everybody we play this year will be improved,” he said. “How much I don’t know — some of those teams I think a lot — but hopefully we get better, too.”

Russell leads the O-line

The three returning starting offensive linemen are center Bobby Russell (6-2, 250, senior), left guard Jeff Murphy (6-0, 220, senior) and left tackle Tim King (6-1, 225, junior).

“Bobby Russell is the guy to start with,” Amyx said. “He’s a three-year starter and anchors the line at center. He makes a lot of our defensive calls and calls out adjustments.

“Jeff Murphy is a two-year starter now,” he added. “He had a nice season last year and it’s nice having that experience back. Tim King at left tackle is another starter coming back as a junior, another kid we’re expecting improvement and big things from.”

Ralph Robinson (6-0, 200, senior) is set at right guard while seniors Brock Thompson (6-1, 230) and Kevin Smith (also 6-1, 230) are battling at right tackle.

The spread offense means there is no longer a tight end in Logan’s offense.

“We moved Ralph Robinson from tight end. He gives us more athleticism at the right guard position,” Amyx revealed. “He’s a smart kid and he’s aggressive. And to be quite honest, a lot of it (playing guard) was his idea because he wants to play offense.

“It wasn’t like we told him he had to move to guard — we had been thinking about it — but he approached me about it,” he added. “He felt he could play some offense and help the team out. He wasn’t happy about not having an offensive position like tight end — and he’s a pretty good tight end — but I think he’ll do really well for us there.”

Amyx said Thompson appears to have the edge on Smith at right guard, but Smith will be Logan’s long and short center snapper on extra points and field goals.

The Chiefs will thus average 6-1, 225 along the front line — not huge by past Chieftain standards, but more than adequate for what they want to accomplish.

“You always want to be bigger, but with the offense we run you don’t need to have big brutes up there. It’s not like we’re lining up toe-to-toe and knocking people over three yards and a cloud of dust,” Amyx noted. “We’re running wide splits and option and we do run some traps and leads up inside, but we’re more of a perimeter team, getting the ball outside on option, reverses and throwing the ball.

“But when we run the ball up inside, those kids have enough size and aggressive ability to do it,” he added.

A one-back set

Last season marked just the second time in the last 15 years the Chiefs didn’t have a 1,000-yard rusher.

The now-graduated Clay Morgan led the Chiefs with 703 yards and 11 touchdowns… very impressive numbers considering Logan’s offensive scheme and that Morgan missed two games with an injury.

Still, the Chiefs can — and will — run the ball out of the spread. Just not always in conventional ways.

“We’ve taken our old fullback and moved him to running back,” Amyx revealed.

“He’s still doing what he did at fullback — he’s blocking a lot — (but) he’s the lead blocker for Patrick Angle” who rushed for 557 yards and seven touchdowns last season.

“The other two kids we’re looking at (as) tailback-types are both receivers, Mason Mays and Zach McDaniel (5-11, 170, senior),” he added. “We’ll bring them in, put them in motion (and) they’ll be option guys on the pitch, or we’ll hand it to them or pitch it to them (on sweeps).”

Michael Snider (6-0, 190, senior) is the one back in Logan’s one-back set.

“We’re not calling it a fullback, we’re calling it a back,” Amyx noted. “Last year Clay Morgan was our tailback from the year before. He was big and strong, not just quick. Mason and Zach are more on the smaller side. Michael is more of a lead blocker like a fullback from our old offense.”

Well-armed at QB

So more often than not, you’ll see just two people in the Logan offensive backfield. There will also be times when Angle is back there all by his lonesome — and that might be when he’s at his most dangerous.

There was some question as to his health over the summer. Angle missed a lot of summer activities with a slight separation to his throwing shoulder, but doctors advised him and Amyx that rest was the best medicine.

“He’s fine,” Amyx said. “I was told it never was serious. It was more of a thing that needed rest, and we gave it to him.”

It was quite apparent Angle’s shoulder was okay in last Friday’s OHSAA “Jamboree” scrimmage against Sheridan. He was 17-of-26 for 251 yards and a touchdown — all in just one half of play — and completed 10 straight passes at one point.

You always need to have backups ready, even for an All-Ohioan, and that’s what the Chiefs did this summer in his absence behind center.

“We were able to get Jordan Jurgensmier (6-1, 160, junior), Zach McDaniel and Kelly Long (5-10, 165, sophomore) extra reps during the summer, because most of that rest came when our 7-on-7 (scrimmages) were scheduled,” Amyx revealed. “Pat’s throwing the ball real well and his arm feels great.”

Angle concurred after a practice late last week as he iced down his right shoulder.

“My shoulder’s good now,” he said.

Talented receivers and specialists galore

Running a spread offense means you have to have a lot of talented guys who can catch the ball just as effectively as someone throws it. And that’s exactly what the Chieftains have in Mays, McDaniel and Jordan Rutter (6-0, 165, senior), who combined to catch 91 passes last fall.

“We have Zach McDaniel, Mason Mays and Jordan Rutter returning from last year,” Amyx noted. “Mason caught most of our passes last year and made most of our big runs, and Ryan Sigler (6-3, 190, senior) can come in and play. He’s another kind of tight end who got moved to another position who has good hands and good feet.

“We definitely feel we have a strong group of receivers on this football team… and we plan to use them,” he added.

And not only on the receiving end of passes. As mentioned, you’ll also see Mays and McDaniel getting the ball on running plays, and Mays, McDaniel and Rutter will return punts and kickoffs.

The trio combined for 2,393 all-purpose yards (1,322 receiving, 295 rushing and 776 on kickoff and punt returns) last season. McDaniel and Rutter both returned a punt for a touchdown and Mays ate up 12.4 yards per punt return.

All three are capable of scoring six points any time they touch the ball. Last fall they scored a combined 19 touchdowns and made several highlight-reel plays.

“When you put them all on the field you can run a lot of different formations. It gives you options, and people have to cover them,” Amyx said. “We have kids who are capable of catching it and going the distance.”

Brandon Graham (6-1, 195, junior) is also rotating in as a receiver and fellow junior Dylan Cavinee (5-11, 160) “will be in there in that one-back position,” Amyx noted. “Graham is another outstanding athlete with good speed.”

Getting in their kicks

Angle returns to do the punting and Derek Montgomery (6-0, 210, junior), the goal keeper for the LHS boys soccer team, steps in as the new placekicker. John Teal (6-1, 230, junior) backs up Montgomery.

“Derek’s going to do it all (placekicking-wise),” Amyx said. “He’s got a pretty strong leg. He’s going to kick off, field goals and extra points.”

That strength was quite obvious last Friday when he boomed a 45-yard field goal that would have been good from about 10 yards further out. He also nailed a long kick during pre-game warmups that sailed over the track and hit the Logan Chieftain Stadium scoreboard.

“(With Angle) we can run some keeps and fakes,” Amyx noted. “When you have a quarterback (doing the punting) it makes you a little more versatile. That always worries me as a coach when the other team’s quarterback is the punter.”

Replacing the D-line

The Chiefs have to replace almost their entire defensive line from a year ago. Jon Neff, Stephen Miller, Seth Sigler and Cary Maclaughlin, all of whom earned several post-season awards, have graduated.

“Ralph (Robinson) is the only starter back, at end, and Ryan Sigler (the other DE) has a lot of game experience,” Amyx said. “The guys we graduated there last year will be tough to replace.

“We’re putting kids in there now who have to learn how to play in a varsity situation,” he added. “That’s an ongoing situation, so we’re going to be a little bit behind the 8-ball defensively starting the season. Hopefully we can catch up as the season goes along.”

The Chiefs struggled on the line in their first two scrimmages against Logan Elm and Circleville, but looked better against Sheridan.

“We’re still learning how to play the defensive line, playing on the line of scrimmage, not getting upfield too far, not drifting back, being physical… those are things we’re working on in practice and trying to improve upon,” Amyx said. “That will improve our overall defense because it will help keep guys off the linebackers so they can do their job. We still have a ways to go defensively.”

There are several options along the defensive line.

“T.J. McCray (5-11, 280, senior) at a tackle; Kyle Andy (5-11, 200, senior) and Tyler Dement (5-7, 210, junior) are battling out for nose (tackle), and the other tackle position we’re looking at Bobby Russell, Nathan Chandler (6-2, 215, junior), possibly Jeff Murphy,” Amyx pointed out.

“I think this year it will be one line will come in and then, when they need a rest, we’ll send a whole new line in,” he continued. “I don’t see a separation between them right now, so we can’t say ‘these guys are better than those guys and they’re going to stay out there.’ I’m hoping they all improve together.”

Good, athletic linebackers

Linebacker has traditionally been a Chieftain strength. While it’s also a position in flux this fall, with having lost Morgan and Zach Adams to graduation, the Chiefs still have several solid athletes from which to choose.

“This will be Michael Snider’s second year starting at linebacker,” Amyx said. “Outside is Mason Mays, and the other side Dylan Cavinee and Brandon Graham are battling it out. Patrick Angle will obviously be there some, too. I think we have a pretty good linebacking corps, real athletic.

“We’re kind of struggling right now as far as learning keys,” Amyx added. “Mason and Dylan and Brandon are learning their reads. They have a ways to go, but they’re getting there.”

Angle will be out there in key situations as well.

“Patrick’s going to play some outside linebacker,” Amyx pointed out. “He’s not going to play there a lot, but he’s play some special (defense) when we’re in nickel.

“If we were to play him (full time) on defense he’d probably be one of our best defensive players, there’s no doubt about it,” Amyx said. “But I feel we have enough kids… he can still come in and play safety or defensive end if we need him. Right now we’re looking at him as more of a nickel. If it’s a spread team, he’s going to be on the field a lot.”

Caleb Valkinburg (5-11, 175, senior) would be the next middle linebacker and Brian Cook (6-0, 165, junior) will see some time at outside linebacker.

Athletic DBs as well

Athleticism is the key in the defensive backfield as well.

“Korey Swaim (5-11, 170, senior) will be at one corner, Jordan Rutter at safety and Zach McDaniel at the other corner,” said Amyx, noting Jurgensmier would be the next cornerback and Angle the next safety.

Last fall Mays was a cornerback, where he was second on the team with three interceptions. Angle was the starting free safety and picked off a pair of passes as well.

Swaim replaces the graduated Jaushua Huntsberger, who led the team with four interceptions.

Senior dominance

No less than 15 of the Chiefs’ 19 seniors will play key to major roles this fall. But Amyx expects several underclassmen to see enough game competition to both help out this year and gain valuable experience for 2010.

“Anytime you’re a senior-oriented team, or you have a lot of seniors returning who have experience, it kind of puts you in a comfort zone as a coach,” Amyx said. “I felt that way last year too, when we had a real good senior group. To have that kind of experience again, offensively and defensively — especially at all positions, line and skill — it’s good for leadership and it’s good for experience.

“We’re always playing younger kids,” he added. “A lot of them will be on special teams or rotating in to build for the future.”