Tony Pisoni’s graduation in spring 2017 left the Fox football team in need of a playmaker last fall.
The Warriors got one, but not in the form of another star quarterback. Safety Cole Elwood gave Fox 11 extra offensive possessions last year after he intercepted nine passes and recovered two fumbles.
A senior this fall, Elwood started last season at cornerback, but he was later moved into a position where he could impact the play on both offense and defense.
“He does an amazing job of putting himself into position to make the play,” Fox head coach Brent Tinker said. “Our defensive coordinator, Dennis Sander, and defensive backs coach, Phillip Lashley, have done a great job putting Cole in the right spot to succeed, but most of the credit has to go to Cole for making great plays. He has great vision and he naturally high-points the ball. By default, he’s a competitor.”
Elwood caught 10 passes for 195 yards and a pair of touchdowns on offense last year for the Warriors, who finished 5-5 and fell 41-13 to Lafayette in the first round of the Class 6 District 1 playoffs.
After intercepting just one pass as a sophomore, Elwood’s theft ring started early in 2017 when he was moved from cornerback to safety.
“It gave me a better chance at seeing everything,” Elwood said of the switch. “I love going after the ball. I’ve gotten better this summer and can’t wait to go against my competition.”
Being able to pick off nine passes in 10 games takes a sturdy defensive structure.
“It mainly had to do with the formation we were in and I was in the right spot at the right time,” Elwood said. “I’d peek at the quarterback and ran at where he threw. Yeah, I got better at high-pointing the ball.”
Elwood is one of 15 seniors on Fox this season. Tinker said most of them have played football since they were in elementary school.
“We’ve got a good amount of on-field leadership and experience and I feel like we’re headed toward being a mature team,” Tinker said.
Having a senior run the show at quarterback will make any coach happy. Tinker has challenged Gavin McGinness the past two seasons by throwing senior Chase Waters and junior Jake Pisoni into a QB derby, but McGinness took it in stride and will start for the second straight year.
Running the triple option, McGinness was a passable passer (37 percent completion rate with six TDs and the same number of interceptions) but an excellent runner (771 yards on 81 carries for a 9.2-yard-per-carry average and 11 TDs).
“Chase has won the job the last two years and he is the right fit for our team,” Tinker said. “We moved Pisoni and Brock Inman to load the position up again and Gavin flourished. He’s an enjoyable kid to have around and I think he’s going to have a good year.”
Senior fullback Bobby Neibert is a three-year starter and was the second-leading rusher last year with 971 yards and seven touchdowns. Neibert is joined in the backfield by Elwood and “super sophomore” Chase Maxey, who returned kicks and had five carries for 52 yards as a freshman.
A handful of players are trying to fill rotation spots on the offensive line. Depth has always been an issue for Fox there, and Tinker said if the team’s Nos. 2s can mature, that issue will be alleviated.
“I really feel like our first string is ready to play, but what I want to see is our (second string) and who is ready to step up,” Tinker said. “We have kids who are ready to fill bigger roles or first-time roles.”
Waters has played QB, tight end, linebacker and on the defensive line. His versatility gives Tinker many options, but this year he’s the starting left tackle.
“He’s an all-conference-level tight end, but he’s also one of the best blockers in the area,” Tinker said. “We had to (put Waters at tackle) because of depth. He’s been a champ about it.”
Left guard Austin Dearing, a junior, center Luke Joggerst (senior) and right guard Joey Johnson (senior) are all seasoned offensive linemen. Seniors Alex Bruns and J.C. Foran are battling for the right tackle spot.
Senior Cade Thomas, Krieger and Pisoni are the receivers. Thomas averaged 22.1 yards on eight catches.
“He had some huge catches for us last year,” Tinker said.
Krieger, Maxey, McGinnis and senior Nathan Wagner join Elwood in the secondary.
The Warriors have a solid group of linebackers led by senior Caden Hastings, who was leading the team in tackles until a spleen injury ended his season. Juniors Carson Elwood and Noah McGinness start at inside linebacker. Bruns and senior Cade Thomas line up outside.
Johnson, Dearing, Waters and Joggerst form the interior of the defensive line. Johnson had four sacks last year, then at the Class 4 state wrestling championships in February, he came in fourth place at 285 pounds.
Tinker said senior Jack Weis is capable of being a consistent kicker. Senior Brayden Williams is the punter, and Tinker said he will be a weapon this year because he’s worked hard to improve.
Fox opens the season in Arnold on Friday when it hosts Festus at 7 p.m.
“It’s going to be fun, I hope a big crowd shows up,” Tinker said. “Festus is pretty good, so it’s going to be an exciting game.”