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Canon-McMillan banking on changes this season

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Canon McMillan offensive linemen snap to their stances during practice.

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Outside linebacker Mark Bowers takes a drink then cools off between workouts with the team.

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Jim McNutt/Observer-Reporter Canon McMillan head coach Ron Coder, left, joins the team for laps around the field at the beginning of practice Friday. Ron only ran to the sideline letting the team continue on their own.

As the former team chaplain at Pitt, Ron Coder mastered the art of preaching. Now, as the head football coach at Canon-McMillan, he is preaching again.

Patience. Perseverance. Persistence.

Entering his second season at Canon-McMillan, Coder is attempting to resuscitate a down-on-its-luck program, one that has gone 3-34 since 2011. His inaugural campaign proved challenging. The Big Macs finished 1-8 overall, 1-7 in the Class AAAA Southeastern Conference, and lost by an average score of 40-7.

It made for a lot of long Friday nights and Saturday mornings for Coder, yet he is undeterred. He took inventory of his program and decided mass changes were necessary. Consequently, he revamped his coaching staff, adding new coordinators, upgraded summer workouts and recruited more students to join the team.

What’s next? Better results on the field, Coder believes.

“We’re trying to teach guys how to win, and it is a process,” said Coder, a former player at Penn State and the chaplain with the Pitt football team from 2000-08. “It didn’t help our cause last season that we had a lot of injuries. I think, if healthy, we can win some games this year and hopefully make the playoffs.”

At some point, Coder would like the football team to emulate the highly regarded Canon-McMillan wrestling program. He realizes it can’t happen overnight, which is where patience, perseverance and persistence come into play.

“The kids see the wrestling team’s success, and they want to be a part of that,” he said. “We want them to get excited about football the same way.”

If the old football axiom of winning in the trenches holds true, Canon-McMillan could see improvement. The offensive and defensive fronts are experienced and the strength of the team. The leader is Pitt recruit Alex Paulina, a 6-4, 300-pound tackle who offers a blend of athleticism and size up front. He is expected to be a tone-setter.

“He should be dominant, no question,” Coder said. “He should be one of the best tackles in the state, certainly in the western half of the state.”

Paulina will work alongside fellow seniors in center George Carson, guard Jared Hladycz and guard Tyler Dille on the offensive line. Hladycz was an honorable-mention all-conference pick and Dille returns after missing last season with an ACL tear. Coder said several players will vie for playing time at the remaining tackle spot. Junior Shane Danyo and senior Connor Helinsky will share time at tight end.

A potential beneficiary of the solid offensive line is returning junior quarterback Jordan Smith. He’ll spearhead new coordinator Terry George’s spread formation, a new look for an offense that endured four shutouts last season. At 6-5, Smith has solid command on the field, in addition to improved arm strength, Coder says.

“He’s athletic and very smart, too,” Coder said. “He’s a quiet leader for us, but he’s getting more forceful.”

At running back, the leading rusher from last season, senior Justin Mattola, returns. He’ll share carries with sophomore Bryan Milligan, whom Coder described as “speedy with nice maneuverability.”

Coder added that a number of players are battling for playing time at wideout, but no one has emerged as a starter.

“We’re going to wait on that position, make them work for the job,” he said.

Defensively, Canon-McMillan is switching from a 3-5 alignment to a 4-3. The goal is to improve a unit that surrendered point totals of 56, 49, 49, 48 and 47 to Central Catholic, Mt. Lebanon, Baldwin, Peters Township and Upper St. Clair in the challenging Southeastern Conference. Chris Kessler is the new coordinator.

The defensive line will comprise several of the offensive linemen, notably Hladycz, a playmaker at defensive end. An intriguing prospect is senior Evan Eckert, who missed last season with an injury. Coder believes Eckert will be a force because of his power and quickness.

At linebacker, Danyo and Helinsky will be joined by junior Nick Konyk and senior returner Jake Spencer. Mattola, a blossoming star on defense, will lead the secondary at cornerback.

Coder, meantime, eagerly awaits Year No. 2 on the job.

“I love to win, but I also know the most important thing I can do for these young men is to help them succeed in life,” Coder said. “Winning or losing is a small blip on the radar when you look at the totality of their lives. But, while they’re in it, they need to do the very best they can do to make their parents, their school, and those around them proud.”

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