The Gillett Secondary School football team took a big hit last year.
After going 1-7, there generally are not many bright spots going into the following season. However, with 15 returning starters back, the majority of those who were underclassmen in 2012, Tigers coach Rick Kamps is optimistic his team will rebound nicely this season.
“We’ve got a nice nucleus of juniors and sophomores that were sophomores and freshmen last year, so that’s one positive that came out of it,” Kamps said. “I don’t like to do this, I never have played freshmen on the varsity because there’s a physicality between a freshman and a senior – you’re taking a boy vs. a young man. However, the one thing we found out last year is that times are changing. Some of those freshmen that are coming in, they can play.
“When your safety the last three games of the year is a 5-foot-5, 120-pound freshman and he’s one of your best hitters, how can you keep that kid off the field? We just couldn’t justify doing that anymore.”
Gillett was outscored 324-90 and surrendered 62 or more points in three games. Offensively, the Tigers were shut out twice but exploded for 35 points in their lone victory of the season against Menominee Indian.
“We were so young and they knew going in we were going to struggle,” Kamps said. “We really felt like we should have won three ball games. We should have beat Lena, we should have beat White Lake/Elcho and we beat Menominee Indian.”
During the offseason, Kamps pondered what he needed to do differently with his team to ensure it is more competitive this season. One thing Kamps concluded was he had to revamp how practices are run. He implemented a system where his players are constantly moving for five- to 10-minutes increments before a horn is blown and players can take a breather.
Kamps said the response from the new format was very positive during the first week of practice. The players were competing with a lot of energy and were upbeat.
Offense
The Tigers struggled to score points last season, but the offense returns eight starters. The team will have to replace three players who graduated, including two big bodies up front in Clint Long and Shane Anderson, as well as tight end Kyle Kershek.
In order to increase his team’s offensive productivity, Kamps installed some new sets for his power-I and I formations. Kamps is hoping to utilize his team speed.
“We’re going to run the pistol this year,” Kamps said. “We’ve run a spread, but we’ve always been in the gun and all we’ve done is thrown out of it. Teams just teed off on us.”
After an injury, Alex Zeitler stepped in as a freshman at quarterback and played in the final four games. Kamps was impressed with Zeitler being thrust into action late in his team’s 13-0 loss to Lena/St. Thomas Academy.
“We put (Alex) in and he took us right down the field with like a minute to play and had us in scoring position,” Kamps said. “Poised, just making plays.”
Zeitler’s favorite target, Dylan Roberts, is back. Roberts earned all-Marinette & Oconto Conference honorable mention honors last season. In his first year out for football, he had 16 catches for 328 yards and one touchdown. His 20.5 yards per catch was tops in the conference.
With the Zeitler-Roberts tandem, Kamps is hoping his offense isn’t as one-dimensional this season.
“We’re the kind of offense where we run the ball first, we have to try and grind it out,” Kamps said. “We have to play a possessions game – keep their offense off the field, hopefully it’s close at the end of the game and we’ve got a chance to win. That’s my philosophy.”
The Tigers’ best running back from last season, Monte Noffke, returns for his junior season. Last year, Noffke missed three games due to a concussion but still amassed 76 carries for 432 yards and six touchdowns. The all-conference honorable mention selection also had nine catches for 121 yards and a score. When Noffke touched the ball, he gained an average of 6.5 yards.
Also looking to get time in the backfield this season will be fullback Brett Milhans, and running backs Matt Peterson and Bay Port transfer Akeem Bates, who Kamps said has a lot of speed.
“The skill kids I’m not worried about,” Kamps said. “To start the season, our line has taken a hit because we have about four ineligibles.”
Kamps is relying on Bryce Simpson and Korey Badeau to play solidly on the line.
Defense
The Tigers’ 4-2-5 defense implemented last season didn’t flourish, but with seven returning starters, Kamps knows his players are much more comfortable in the scheme entering this year.
“It allows me to get more of those speed kids on the field,” Kamps said. “We looked at our skill set and the kids we had (coming up through the program) and I just didn’t think we could stay in a traditional 4-3. We still play a 5-2 as a change-up.”
The 4-2-5 uses hybrid players – a combination safety/linebacker – who can cover the pass but also come up quickly to stuff the run. Zeitler, who led the team in interceptions last year, and Simpson will be two of the hybrids counted on to come up big on defense. Kamps said Peterson and Mitch Umentum will also get playing time in the secondary. Garrett Kohls is back after logging valuable experience at free safety in ’12 and newcomer Bates will also play in the back seven.
Returning starter Cody Pawlak will be the leader in the linebacker corps.
“I think we’ll be fine on the back side, but we’ll be a little green up front,” Kamps said. “There’s a bunch of question marks on the defensive line.”
Long, Anderson and Kershek anchored the line and will be missed. Kamps said there are a number of linemen competing for the open spots.
More starting roles will be determined when Gillett competes in a scrimmage at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh on Friday. The Tigers will face Wild Rose, St. Mary Central and Oshkosh North.
The scrimmage will be a good test for the Tigers, who will have another tough conference schedule. Peshtigo, which finished second last season to Suring, should be the front-runner to win the title, according to Kamps. The Bulldogs return almost their entire team after going 6-1 in conference. Kamps said Coleman should also be tough.
Kamps and his players have some lofty goals this year coming off a one-win season.
“I don’t want to see us getting blown out, teams scoring 40 points a night,” Kamps said. “I want us to be competitive. I want us to be in ball games. Record-wise we’d like to be 5-4. We want to be 4-3 in conference and qualify for the playoffs. The kids are talking about it. Playoffs is the goal. I think that’s a good goal to have.”
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