Coaching change, down in numbers, but Patriots have a plan

CLIMAX — After the initial shock of losing its head coach just after the start of the high school football season, it was back to work for the Providence Grove High School Patriots.

David Hayes resigned a few days after the start of preseason workouts and he was replaced by veteran coach Mark Heilig, who has more than 30 years in coaching. Now Heilig will hope to continue a streak that has seen the Patriots record five straight winning seasons.

PG was 6-5 last season, 2-3 in the Piedmont Athletic Conference and dropped a 42-13 decision to East Surry in the first round of the playoffs.

“The kids are buying into it, they're working hard and our coaching staff is working their tails off and I think we got it going in the right direction,” Heilig said. “It’s just going to take time.”

There are some very good reasons for that. Heilig is installing a new offensive system as the Patriots will go to a wishbone look. That offense relies on misdirection, fakes and timing, something that can’t be mastered overnight. 

“We’re running a completely different look than what Coach Hayes was doing because we are going to have to try and stall the game, slow it down,” Heilig said. “Ball control. We’re going to have to keep their offense off the field, all the stuff old school coaches used to say.”

Numbers may very well be another reason Heilig hopes to slow the game down. The Patriots will have around 20 players on the varsity roster with the possibility of some jayvee players being brought up for some games.

“I don’t think we can go fast this year,” Heilig said. “It will wear us out.”

In order to keep control of the ball, the offensive backfield and the line are going to have to get on the same page. Leading that offense will be junior quarterback Jackson Lawver. Lawver, who caught 13 passes last year as a wideout, threw just 10 passes from the QB slot as a sophomore.

“It’s going to be different for him because he’s going to be under center and I’m not sure if we were ever under center last year,” Heilig said. “He’s going to have to learn to take snaps under center because we can’t afford fumbled snaps.”

Lawver will be handing off to Walker Minton, Brady Collins, Jacob Flinchum and Jackson Rhyne. 

“It’s all about misdirection and fakes, but if we feel we can line up and run downhill at one spot, we will do that,” Heilig said. 

The key to sustaining drives as with any offense is the offensive line. The line will be a mix of returning players in different positions and players moving up from the jayvee level. Sam Routh will be the leader at center and Ashton Taylor and Jase Locke will be at guards. Bobby Gibson, Tyler Maher and Josh Fogelman will see time at the tackles.

The receivers will have to block as Andrew Thomas, an elite athlete, Malachi Combo, Jameson Summey and Ryan Frazier will line up outside. Heilig said he saw some good things in the Patriots’ scrimmage last week.

“Every mistake we made was correctable,” Heilig said. “A lot of it is timing and we’re not quite there yet. So as we progress, I think we’ll get a little better every week.”

The Patriots are going to simplify their defense in order for everyone to be on the same page. There have been a few tweaks from last year, although the Pats will still run the 3-4 set.

Collins, an all-league linebacker, will lead the defense with Minton, Taylor, Flinchum, Holden Swift and Tucker Layton also at linebacker.

Routh, Locke, Mahar and Fogelman will be on the defensive front with sophomore Charles Villaggio another option on defense.

Rhyne, Combo, Lawver, Thomas and Jameson Summey will head the defensive backfield.

The kicking chores are in great hands, er, feet, as junior Carson Jones takes over the role full time. He split time last year with Tucker Batten as PG was blessed with two of the top kickers in the area. 

The lack of overall numbers, however, could be problematic.

“That’s where we are going to have to rely on creativity with our jayvees and our core players,” Heilig said. “It’s a huge concern, but it’s almost like a workmanlike attitude. Gotta get down, go to work and get done what has to be done. We are what we are and we have who we have.”