Prep Football Preview: Back Again

He's Back.

Al Way, who left Harrisburg in 2005 after finishing with a 9-2 record, returns to his old stomping grounds for another go round.

Surrounded by many who served on his staff then and even some former players who are assistants now, the Bulldog head football coach doesn't feel like much has changed.

"Almost all of the assistants are guys that were assistants before and guys that I have coached, so it's not like it's a brand new experience and it's not like I've been out of coaching," Way said.

Last year, Way served as the freshmen football coach for Harrisburg and served as an assistant coach for Brandon Hampton's staff at Eldorado.

Way called Eldorado home for the past couple of years and prior to that worked with Mike Rude as the two helped groom the Vienna-Goreville football program.

"Perhaps, if I had been away from it for four or five years it might be a weird experience," he said. "It's just so much more demanding. With freshman you practice Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, play on Thursday and then you're done. At this level, it never ends. For nine weeks its day-after-day-after-day and that's tough to get used to."

Way is also getting used to the current crop of Bulldogs and is familiarizing himself with the ins and outs of the River-to-River Conference.

"I keep coming back to the fact that I haven't coached these kids and I've been away from the River-To-River competition for a while and so when I see stuff in practice, I have to get other people's opinion at times on is it good, is it bad, is it mediocre?

"I really like our attitude, we're working really hard and we're slowly getting people in the spots they need to be in."

If noting else, Way has experience on his side, not just in coaching, but player personnel as well.

Harrisburg returns nine players on offense with senior Noah Vallette once again assuming the quarterback role.

In addition to Vallette, fellow classmates and returners include, Walker Shavez, Corbin Crim-Harbison, Kane Carigan, Lucian Hicks, Tylar Marler, Jared Barger, Tyler Lightner and Aaron Stephens.

Shavez, who played tackle last year, will be making the move to center, while none of the other players will see much of a position change.

Crim-Harbison will return as an all-purpose type of player for Harrisburg, while Carrigan will be a fullback, Hicks at guard, Marler at halfback, Barger at tackle, Lightner at tight end and Stephens as a running back.

Also expected to figure into the offensive equation will be Matt Upchurch, a junior half back, Nick Foster, a junior lineman, Blake Drue, a sophomore wide out, J.D. Fugate, a senior guard and Blaine Satterfield, a senior tight end.

Vallette will make one position change after being named an All-Conference defensive back selection the last two years, will now play outside linebacker, in addition to safety.

Zach Stephens, a senior, along with Barger, Shavez and Foster, will be in the trenches on the defensive line. Payton Jackson, a junior, Jordan Bartok, a sophomore, along with Hicks and Vallette will plug the middle and Austin Hefner, a junior, Stephens, Crim-Harbison and Vallette will all play in the secondary.

Reece Owen, a senior, will once again be the team's kicker.

If there is one area that Way is excited about, it's the one area that he knows can't be coached: team speed.

"That's been the one thing that has caught my eye is we have four or five kids that really run well," he said. "The secret is can we find ways to get them in open space, can we give them room to run. I like the way Noah is throwing the ball. We seem to have caught the ball well, which is always a concern."

If there is a concern, Way said it's on defense, where the longtime skipper is still trying to plug some gaps.

"We still have a lot of question marks defensively. We still have some spots where we just aren't sure what we are going to do yet. We're just not sure personnel-wise what we're going to do. It's an issue of do we have them in the right spot, kids having to play a position or have different assignments than what they did last year?

"Our depth isn't terrible by any means," Way added. "When you play your first-team defense in practice, you might be going up against the backups on offense, but even if they are starters, they are running some one else's offense. You don't get the picture that you will in a game situation. You're evaluating and you're thinking that you're doing okay, but at the same time, it's not game speed."

Way knows this season will be a work in progress as he builds his base and foundation. He also knows competition is going to be just as good in his own conference as will the teams he plays outside of the River-to-River.

Way both gave a tip of the hat to Murphysboro and Herrin, whom he expects will duke it out for the top spot on the Ohio side.

"Not only was Murphysboro very good last year, but their sophomores were really good," Way claimed. "Herrin was really good last year and their lower levels are good. We know that both those teams are a load and that's not to disparage any of the other teams, but West Frankfort and Benton both have a ton of starters coming back. I don't know a lot about Massac. I know Du Quoin is really high on their junior class and think they are going to be better this year. Boonville and Carbondale have new coaches, so it's going to be interesting."

For Way, his goal early on is about as realistic as he can make it.

"Our goal has to be, can we win five games? If we win can five, get over the hump and back to a winning season, get back to the playoffs, that would be a good accomplishment.

Michael Dann covers prep and college sports for the Harrisburg Daily Register. Follow him on Twitter: @spydieshooter.