Youth, inexperience, team attrition and injuries have plagued Southern Wayne this season, but the football team keeps playing hard on the gridiron every week. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
DUDLEY — Matt Hine is perplexed.
He expected the loss of 16 starters to graduation would factor into the season.
Youth-ladened talent stocked the cupboard.
Southern Wayne’s athletes dedicated themselves during offseason workouts and displayed the desire to turn around a struggling program mired in quicksand for more than a decade.
“I think they have really grabbed onto the idea that football season is a marathon, a grind [and] not something where you just flip a switch,” Hine said in the preseason. “You speak out loud that ‘we’re going to turn this program around, start winning more football games and turn ourselves into a playoff contender.’
“It’s one thing to say it, but something that requires a lot of work behind closed doors that people don’t see.”
The switch never flipped.
Producing positive results have been an obstacle.
Youth continues to mature against bigger, stronger and faster opponents.
Key injuries have depleted the depth chart.
Attrition has occurred within the program.
“We have rules and how we want the program to look going forward,” said Hine, whose team entertains South Johnston this Friday for homecoming. “We have a host of kids who are playing through things. Icing and taping … not quite as bad as it was last week, but is still a pretty significant number.
“We’ve had kids step up and into games showing the toughness and resiliency we’d like to build [this program] around.”
Hine said he had 11 injured players that he feared putting on the field against Hunt last week. Some saw action and didn’t sustain any further damage. They’ve appeared healthier in practice this week.
However, starting quarterback Brandon Lark and Jayden Moore remain on the sideline. They’re joined by running backs Monte Kornegay and Salik Council. A lineman remains on the injured list as well.
Running back Jayden Bowden Gaines returned despite an injury and picked up some significant yardage against Hunt. It was his best outing since the 14-8 victory over Goldsboro in week two.
Logan Denning has settled into the QB role.
“We’ve had to ramp back some of the contact in our practices, focus more on the mental aspect of the game, have the kids as healthy as they can be and excited as they can be on Friday nights,” Hine said. “We’re trying to win each day. As coaches, we’re coming up with a plan week to week that focuses on who we are going to have and what their skill set is.”
The coaches have leaned on the offensive and defensive lines in practice. They want the offense to become “cleaner” – create running lanes for the backs, which will help loosen up opposing defenses for Denning to display his ability.
Defensively, the Saints have failed to consistently attack the line of scrimmage and clog the running lanes. He wants to see “free yardage” reduced during the final four weeks of regular-season play.
Hine said positivity and fundamental work within the system have been focal points in practice.
“The camaraderie of the kids who are coming to practice every and being a part of what we’re doing, that group is getting better every day,” Hine said. “Overall, I’ve been pleased with where their minds are this week. We’ve got a good corps of kids that are committed to doing things the right way and I am hopeful for their future.”
You may reach sports writer Rudy Coggins at prepswriter2@gmail.com or call/text 919-709-9257.
