Warriors Speak Own Language
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
SYRACUSE - Wawasee Warrior head football coach Joe Rietveld and offensive line coach Mike Campbell have been known to give marital advice to the Warrior offensive line.
"The No. 1 thing we stress with our offensive line is communication. We like to joke around with the guys and tell them they'll never have a successful marriage if they don't communicate," said Rietveld.
This group of linemen, tackles Nathan Lundy and Lee Gardner, guards Ryan Thornburgh and Creighton Kaiser and center Justin Crosby, has taken that advice to heart.
The group uses a series of nonsensical phrases to call out defensive shifts and blocking schemes that confuse opposing defenses and sometimes teammates.
"They're a different breed," said running back Jordan Swain of his line's foreign language.
Most offensive lines, especially the good ones, are known for being quirky. It springs from a bond that must form among the group that causes them to be as unbreakable as links in a chain.
"Our offensive line, we're like family," explained Gardner. "We can predict what each other is going to do."
One thing the Warriors can predict Saturday in the 4A state final against Indianapolis Roncalli is a heavy dose of Rebel free safety Jason Werner. Werner is headed to Purdue in the fall. Before he matriculates on the West Lafayette campus, he will have designs on causing this offensive line havoc. Werner is used liberally from coverage to blitzing.
Werner has drawn the attention of the Warriors.
"He's good," said receiver Ben Champoux, who attended the Purdue camp with Werner. "We're just going to do play action and work around (Werner)."
None of these linemen will be spending their future Saturdays blocking at Nebraska or Notre Dame. In fact, Lundy is the biggest lineman, listed at 6-foot-4, 255 pounds, the size of most college tight ends.
No one player stands out on the line but together this group is quite exceptional.
"They know as a unit they can be successful," said Campbell. "We just do a good job of communicating."
Campbell, a Jimtown high school grad, and Rietveld ask a lot of this group with a complex offense that involves audibles and as many as five different blocking schemes for the same play.
Despite the complexities, this group gets it. They've opened big holes for running back Swain, who has rushed for more than 2,500 yards this season and is on pace to become the state's leading rusher against Roncalli.
"There's no one else I'd run with," said Swain. "There's no better offensive line in the state."
Despite the fact that this group has no offensive statistics and is often overshadowed by such dynamic offensive firepower, they're starting to get their due.
As more and more media descend upon Syracuse and want a piece of Swain and Lantz, they are finding that they don't want to talk about themselves but rather this line.
"Our offensive line is the unsung hero of this whole offense," said Lantz. "They're so smart, they know other teams defenses. It's just too bad they don't have stats."
Despite lining up opposite the likes of Roncalli defensive lineman Patrick Kuntz, who is headed for Michigan State, this group isn't intimidated.
"It doesn't make much of a difference to us," said Lundy of Roncalli's D-1 talent on defense. "I think we'll be able to take them."
Thornburgh agrees with Lundy's assessment.
"They're pretty big, but Logansport was too. If we do our jobs, we'll be all right," said Thornburgh.
One thing this group doesn't have to worry about is being nervous, as Crosby illustrated before the team's pep rally Tuesday.
"It's just going to be another game," said Crosby. "Yeah, it's state, but we don't let that affect us. What have (Roncalli) won, two straight championships? We're not worried about them."
Crosby and Co. have gone against some of the biggest defensive lines that northern Indiana has to offer playing in the NLC, so don't confuse Crosby's sentiments as being cocky.
"They're not cocky by any means, but they are very confident in the system we run," said Campbell.
"We've played against good teams with bigger lines," said Kaiser. "We're not intimidated. As long as we use technique and are confident but not cocky, I think we'll win."
Most football games are won at the line of scrimmage. For Wawasee and Roncalli, the team that dominates the line and is able to assert its will on the other team will be hoisting a 4A state championship trophy.
This Warrior line has won that battle 13 times this season. They look to make it 14 Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in the RCA Dome. [[In-content Ad]]
SYRACUSE - Wawasee Warrior head football coach Joe Rietveld and offensive line coach Mike Campbell have been known to give marital advice to the Warrior offensive line.
"The No. 1 thing we stress with our offensive line is communication. We like to joke around with the guys and tell them they'll never have a successful marriage if they don't communicate," said Rietveld.
This group of linemen, tackles Nathan Lundy and Lee Gardner, guards Ryan Thornburgh and Creighton Kaiser and center Justin Crosby, has taken that advice to heart.
The group uses a series of nonsensical phrases to call out defensive shifts and blocking schemes that confuse opposing defenses and sometimes teammates.
"They're a different breed," said running back Jordan Swain of his line's foreign language.
Most offensive lines, especially the good ones, are known for being quirky. It springs from a bond that must form among the group that causes them to be as unbreakable as links in a chain.
"Our offensive line, we're like family," explained Gardner. "We can predict what each other is going to do."
One thing the Warriors can predict Saturday in the 4A state final against Indianapolis Roncalli is a heavy dose of Rebel free safety Jason Werner. Werner is headed to Purdue in the fall. Before he matriculates on the West Lafayette campus, he will have designs on causing this offensive line havoc. Werner is used liberally from coverage to blitzing.
Werner has drawn the attention of the Warriors.
"He's good," said receiver Ben Champoux, who attended the Purdue camp with Werner. "We're just going to do play action and work around (Werner)."
None of these linemen will be spending their future Saturdays blocking at Nebraska or Notre Dame. In fact, Lundy is the biggest lineman, listed at 6-foot-4, 255 pounds, the size of most college tight ends.
No one player stands out on the line but together this group is quite exceptional.
"They know as a unit they can be successful," said Campbell. "We just do a good job of communicating."
Campbell, a Jimtown high school grad, and Rietveld ask a lot of this group with a complex offense that involves audibles and as many as five different blocking schemes for the same play.
Despite the complexities, this group gets it. They've opened big holes for running back Swain, who has rushed for more than 2,500 yards this season and is on pace to become the state's leading rusher against Roncalli.
"There's no one else I'd run with," said Swain. "There's no better offensive line in the state."
Despite the fact that this group has no offensive statistics and is often overshadowed by such dynamic offensive firepower, they're starting to get their due.
As more and more media descend upon Syracuse and want a piece of Swain and Lantz, they are finding that they don't want to talk about themselves but rather this line.
"Our offensive line is the unsung hero of this whole offense," said Lantz. "They're so smart, they know other teams defenses. It's just too bad they don't have stats."
Despite lining up opposite the likes of Roncalli defensive lineman Patrick Kuntz, who is headed for Michigan State, this group isn't intimidated.
"It doesn't make much of a difference to us," said Lundy of Roncalli's D-1 talent on defense. "I think we'll be able to take them."
Thornburgh agrees with Lundy's assessment.
"They're pretty big, but Logansport was too. If we do our jobs, we'll be all right," said Thornburgh.
One thing this group doesn't have to worry about is being nervous, as Crosby illustrated before the team's pep rally Tuesday.
"It's just going to be another game," said Crosby. "Yeah, it's state, but we don't let that affect us. What have (Roncalli) won, two straight championships? We're not worried about them."
Crosby and Co. have gone against some of the biggest defensive lines that northern Indiana has to offer playing in the NLC, so don't confuse Crosby's sentiments as being cocky.
"They're not cocky by any means, but they are very confident in the system we run," said Campbell.
"We've played against good teams with bigger lines," said Kaiser. "We're not intimidated. As long as we use technique and are confident but not cocky, I think we'll win."
Most football games are won at the line of scrimmage. For Wawasee and Roncalli, the team that dominates the line and is able to assert its will on the other team will be hoisting a 4A state championship trophy.
This Warrior line has won that battle 13 times this season. They look to make it 14 Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in the RCA Dome. [[In-content Ad]]