By Gaylen Duskey
realfang@citlink.net
Back in the day whenever Jerry Burch or Phil D'Orazio would throw a pass
there was a great temptation on the part of the Calhoun players to yell
"fumble."
That's because Calhoun just wasn't a passing team.
Over the years since then the Red Devils have tried passing a little more
often and guys like Matt McPhail and Matt Houchin rang up some pretty good
throwing numbers. Still Calhoun was a running team that threw the ball every
so often.
Well folks this ain't your granddaddy's Red Devils. It ain't even your
daddy's Devils.
No this year's Red Devils are going with a spread offense brought in by new
head coach Michael Fitzwater. It is a passing offense with the run added in
as the change of pace instead of the other way around.
"I wish we had more than three weeks to get it installed," Fitzwater said
after Thursday evening's practice session. "They have bought in and are
learning quickly but we still have a long way to go. It will be a lot better
later in the season and better still next year."
But for now the Red Devils are learning as they go and tonight will be part
of that learning experience as they play host to Paden City in a scrimmage
following the annual Meet The Team Night starting at 6 p.m. Teams from the
high school and middle school are scheduled to be introduced.
Following tonight's scrimmage the Red Devils have one more week to get ready
before starting the season in earnest at home against Gilmer County the
following Friday.
Calhoun scrimmaged at Clay County last Saturday and dropped a two touchdown
to nothing verdict to the Panthers.
"We dropped too many passes and fumbled the ball away too many times,"
Fitzwater said. "But Clay is a sold Class AA team that ought to win seven or
so games so I am not too disappointed."
Calhoun is very young this year with only five seniors. But that lack of
experience may not be a bad thing since the team is coming off a 1-9 season
and is getting a new coach and a new offense.
Calhoun's potential Achilles' heal is depth, or more correctly lack of depth
with only 24 players out for football. Last season injuries early on left
the Red Devils pretty much helpless after the first couple of games with
many two-way starters out for the year. At one point Calhoun played
Williamstown with only 16 players in uniform.
Two changes to the schedule will be noticed as Calhoun no longer plays Roane
County or Braxton County. The Red Devils picked up games at Buffalo and
Moorefield to replace to two Class AA opponents.
Schedule
8-26 Gilmer County
9-2 Ritchie County
9-9 at Doddridge County
9-16 Parkersburg Catholic
9-23 at Williamstown
9-30 at South Harrison
10-7 St. Marys
10-14 at Buffalo
10-21 Wirt County
11-4 at Moorefield
Roster
By number, position, name, grade, height and weight
1 - WR/DB - Samuel Brady - 9 - 6'0" - 134
2 - WR/DB - Cameron Litviak - 12 - 5'7" - 135
7 - RB/DB - Nathan Cosgrove - 12 - 5'9" - 155
10 - QB/DB - Shay Parrish - 10 - 6'2" - 143
11 - QB/DB - Logan Moore - 10 - 5'9" -130
12 - RB/DB - Kirkland Allen - 9 - 5'7" - 135
15 - WR/DB - Devon Toppings - 11 - 5'8" - 120
21 - WR/DB - Rick Allen - 11 - 5'7" - 148
23 - RB/DB - Paul Andrews - 9 - 5'7" - 130
36 - RB/DB - Lucas Wilson - 9 - 5'7" - 120
40 - WR/LB - Christopher Goad - 9 - 5'7" - 130
45 - RB/LB - Cory Metz - 12 - 6'3" - 195
52 - OL/LB - Nathaniel Hipp - 9 - 5'5" - 142
54 - OL/DB - Jason Boatright - 9 - 5'9" - 145
55 - OL/DL - Evan Mace - 12 - 5'11" - 210
65 - OL/LB - Trenton Phillips - 11 6'1" - 230
65 - OL/DL - Derek Dawson - 11 - 6'0" - 245
69 - OL/DL - Jacob Jett - 12 - 6'3" - 245
70 - OL/LB - David Overbay - 10 - 5'9" - 160
72 - OL/DL - Cameron Jones - 9 - 5'7" - 224
74 - OL/DL - Andrew Satterfield - 11 - 6'2" - 265
75 - OL/LB - Cody Starcher - 10 - 5'10" - 240
77 - OL/DL - Ricky Hall - 11 - 6'5" - 320
83 - WR/DB - Austin Satterfield - 11 - 6'1" - 163
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