KJAN Sports Director Asa Lucas’ weekly discussion with Atlantic Head Football Coach Joe Brummer. This week we talk about the Week 0 win against T.J. and look forward to second game of the year against Clarke.
KJAN
Trojan Preview – Week 1 – 08/30/2024
Welcome here to KJA in sports for week one of the Trojan preview a salucus here with the Atlantic Trojans Head football coach Joe Brummer coach Thanks very much for being here with us and how are you feeling after that when it gets TJ last week? Yeah, no, it's always a pleasure. I'm good. You know, I think we kind of talked a little bit that it's never as good as you feel It's never as bad when you watch the film, but overall I thought we played really well There are some things we could do better. I'm secure up secondary wise. We need to stir up some things It'll help this week having Kennik back Kennik Jewel got the clear Go ahead. So it'll be good to have him back there And then you know just some o-line stuff up front miss some blocks But Tyson Gavin Ethan kind of made us right at times that they had a really good game So overall some small things, but if we have to nitpick, that's a good problem and also congratulations on being perfect for your point after attempts I believe that is one of the first times. No, am I misremembering that snap. Oh Yes, that's right. That's right. That's right. So our kicker was perfect. Yeah. The kicker was perfect. Yes That's why we had one bad snap in there. Hopefully we can finish that for you this week Yeah, I would appreciate that but tell me defensively you talked a little bit about your secondary But what were some of the things you liked from the defensive side of the ball and the things you want to see and prove on? For this Friday. Yeah, you know, we did a really good job with effort and alignment Those are some things that we really hammered that the kids were in the right spot That in the secondary you know with Hunter Nelson Shelton Shelton got a little banged up so then Derek would had to come in. So our punter did make an appearance Derek is our punter So that did happen That we had some alignment things just with They were in the right spot, but then when the play went we had some communication breakdown. That is some stuff we need to work on Grant Petty being a sophomore back there Carter Hadley being a sophomore Hunter and Sawyer Terrell being juniors in their first time playing Varsity level football and like a meaningful start type of game that wasn't on special teams That they did a good job pre snap now. He's got to show up that post-nap thing With those guys the Wales brothers played really well at linebacker Jake and Waukeying did a good job for us We got Tyson O'Brien in there a little bit Tyson's probably our most consistent linebacker But you'd expect that being his third year starting at linebacker And Jake and Waukeying's first year that overall Jake and Waukeying played really well for being their first first You start very pleased with their effort their alignment getting the defensive line setup that they make all the calls That they did a phenomenal job out there. So Overall, you know, there's some things just post-nap wise communicating passing things off that we've worked on this week And then pre snap, I thought it was very good that overall We did a really good job with communicating and lining up properly And then on the offensive side of things you kind of alluded to you really wanted focus on the run game last week and you executed it phenomenally What else did you like from your offense last Friday? Yeah, no, the kids understood the game plan went on executed it saw some good things out of some young guys Jack Mueller was starting left tackle first first you start looked really good You know, we were running the ball behind him like pull him and Donnie on that side I mean, it's not a secret those two run really well Donam and Huntington looked really good out in space for us Very athletic kid Slightly undersized heart heart department Height department, but not heart department that Donnie does a really good job getting out there in space No, you can run a 4 7 4 8. We're running toss like that's huge for alignment to be able to get out in space and help us out there You know Gavin looked good blocking wise up front. We needed a little bit better Angles there on some of our full-back dive full-back trap stuff that we were kind of running into too many lineman There are some gaps that we were missing But you know when it's fourth and one we need a yard That's not what we're looking for we're looking for kit in the yard that he did a really good job there And Tyson O'Brien was a good surprise, you know, we knew Tyson could be a good running back He was a JV running back for us past couple years But not to that extent, you know 245 yards is a really good game Very impressive stat line for him 25 carries might be a little much I need to do a better job of kind of rotating there that I don't know if we can take 25 carries over 10 games Hopefully 10 plus if we can make a playoff run here that that's a lot of carries It's a lot of totes on the body that I'm trying to rotate him a little bit more with Ethan McNeil keep him fresh So that way, you know, we can have some longevity going forward Tristan Hey's have the start last Friday. What did you see from him as that starting quarterback position? What did you like? Yeah, you know Tristan did a phenomenal job of getting us in out of the huddle make sure everybody's lined up properly The three pass plays we had he made good decisions, you know We had a couple bootlegs and then a one-three step drop that he sailed a three step because we noticed They're outside linebacker did a great job of dropping in the window that then he held the ball a little bit And then kind of threw it away more than anything that only his guy could catch it in that spot So he did a really good job of making sure that the game was managed. We didn't have any turnovers We didn't have silly mistakes or penalties And trusting his guys to go make a play, you know We have deep posts of Jared Hanson over the middle that he made Jared made a phenomenal play passing her experiences on it But he caught the ball anyway and then brought good rich made another phenomenal catch over a defender of the very next play and Those guys did a great job of being in the right spot good timing good throws that Tristan did a phenomenal job of managing the game You know we envisioned him playing wide receivers start the year So he really does a great job of knowing the routes knowing where the guys go Zaden had an unfortunate accident and practice there that he'll be out the rest of the season But Tristan stepped up in a leadership role as a senior. He had a good summer He made our 75% goal for our weights, you know, he was there. He is consistent It's just a different role than what we envisioned and he's done a phenomenal job of stepping up for us Speaking of Jared Hanson had that massive kickoff return almost took it all the way back and scored to the house You know, what is impressed you about Jared Hanson this year? What have you seen from him from his time in Atlantic? Yeah, you know effort, you know, Jared's a great effort guy He's really turned it around off the field, you know, Jared's really involved in the church. Jared does a phenomenal job That he's a leader for us that he's been voted a captain by his peers. He's very heavily involved Wednesday night church group We missed him a little bit this summer that when he was gone He was out at church camp and then speaking at church camps telling his story Being very involved in his faith in the community and that's awesome to see in a young man So Jared's doing a phenomenal job of leading off the field as well as on the field. Like he said the big kickoff return Ethan McNeil was the other return guy on that side that Ethan They caught the ball in the 20 Ethan had a block like on the 15 on the opposite on the north side And then all the way back tried to lay another block on the 10 on the far south side So Jared was the first one to like high-five him give him a hug like tell him Thank you like that he notices the effort he notices what his teammates are doing And he's even had to sacrifice some stuff that we played him both ways last year that now He's kind of just on one side of the ball offensively for us and has done a phenomenal job of stepping in that role He hasn't complained. He hasn't said anything where I could do this. I could do that that he's done a great job Accepting his role doing the best side his role and being a leader on that side of the ball for us Looking towards this Friday. You got Clark you won last year against him on the road is 47 to 33 victory And what are your expectations about Clark in this matchup on Friday? Yeah, you know It's the same thing that we always want to do We want to run the ball want to limit turnovers and we want to have no silly penalties type of thing That's always our goal. That's always our mindset, but we got to show up some things up front We got to do a better job Get into the second level making sure that we get those guys back out in space And we probably need to throw the ball a little bit more Through passing attempts is great if you're a run heavy offense like we are But we got to be able to show some balance and some versatility that we need to work on us We need to make sure we get some timing and stuff down on that And then you know Clark's just dangerous because you don't know You know new head coach that he's done a phenomenal job coming in Changing the program changing the culture and he's getting some good buy-in some from younger guys in the program that You know, they're dangerous because we don't know what they're going to run on offense We don't know what they're going to line up on defense That it's a big mystery and they've seen us play a game so they know what to expect that they're going to probably be better prepared The first couple series than we are That it's all about making sure that we can make those in game adjustments make sure we can Adjust on the fly and communicate with the kids the best that we can to make sure that they're in the right position to make place 1/0 start to the years is always great. That's going to bring a lot of energy How do you sustain that for friday making sure kids aren't aren't going to get Depleted energy wise or lose some sort of motivation. Yeah, you know, we had you got to have the monday helmet check Make sure the helmets get back on their heads aren't getting too big that I think our kids are still hungry You know, we talk about our goals that one game doesn't define us positive or negative You know, it's a 10 game season for us that we got us to stay in that longevity and make sure Energy and practice is good. You know, our heads are screwed on straight. We know what time to be at things We know where to line up That you know, it's a bigger picture than just that one first game. It's a great first step. Don't get me wrong That's it's a positive thing. It's a great thing Um, but you know, the expectations are changing, you know Last year, I think I would have walked around the community and people would have said You know a great job excited this and that but we've gotten more Pushback and feedback where it's like now like yeah, you're supposed to win. Yeah, you're supposed to do this We're supposed to run the ball. Um that stuff that Um, you know that the expectations are changing. I think the kids notice that the kids are buying in on that Um, you know, the community is really, you know Raising that level if we need to win and we should win Um, so I think I don't have to do a whole lot because the kids know Um that they're doing a great job of coming to work every day positive attitudes and making sure that you know The work's never done until the final season is over Absolutely. Again, that's the Atlantic Trojan said football coach joe brummer joining us here on the Trojan preview. Good luck on friday coach. Appreciate it. Thank you