AKRON - Potential is interesting, performance is everything.
Second-year Tippecanoe Valley head football coach Jeff Shriver has been using those words since his early days as an assistant, and he knows that they certainly apply to this year's team.Following his first season as Valley's head coach, a campaign in which the Vikings dominated the Three Rivers Conference with a 7-0 record, Shriver's group has the potential, size and numbers to have another highly successful season.
But Shriver remembers those words well, and he knows the difference between potential and performance.
"We've got a group of kids that are excited about playing Tippecanoe Valley football," said Shriver. "We fee like we've got a good group of upperclassman and a nice mix of younger players. We think we can have another successful season, but we know we can't just show up. We have to go out and work hard and execute. We're not going to have things handed to us."
In search of their fifth straight winning season, the Vikings open the 2007 campaign Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Culver Academy.
Valley currently has 69 players on it's varsity roster - 26 sophomores, 20 juniors and 23 seniors.
A bonus to the number of players is that a majority of them have varsity experience, having played for last year's Vikings squad that outscored conference opponents 258-65.
"Last year we didn't have a great deal of experience," said Shriver. "We needed to grow up early and we did that. This year, we have a lot of young men with experience. We've got depth at a number of positions, and that's created some great battles in practice, especially on the offensive and defensive lines."
Battling for time on the offensive line are centers Cody Long and Seth Howard, guards Matt Utter, Kevin Harris, Matt Koldyke, Aaron Peters and Andrew Coughenour and tackles Kyle Grossman, Trent Rutherford, Tyler French, Sam Kimmel and Jordan Littlejohn.
Ultra quick and athletic senior Chad Hoffer returns for his senior season at quarterback, while Kyle Ritchey and Kyle Brady will get help from Derek Leckrone, Tony Reed and Blake Moore at tailback.
They will have the daunting task of replacing the graduated Jerrod Parker, an All-Conference rusher a year ago.
"Parker is going to be tough to replace," said Shriver. "He's a great athlete. Players like him don't come along everyday."
Vying for time at fullback are Keith Koser and Derek Bruner.
Possible wing backs include Austin Prater, Travis Hedington and Justin Newsome.
Possible tight ends include Darren Beyers and Trent Boganwright.
At split end, seniors Brady Baugher, Ryan Roberts and Anthony Prater will see action on Friday nights.
"We're blessed with a lot of depth at split end," said Shriver.
Shriver also said his team has depth in the defensive secondary.
"In the secondary we've got great depth," said Shriver. "The last few years we've had a strong
defense, I think we can have that again this season. Over the years, we've taken pride in playing defense at Tippecanoe Valley."
Hoffer leads a group of experienced players in the secondary, as he returns to his spot at safety.
Joining him in the secondary could be Jared Baize, Devin Vogel and Leckrone.
Inside linebackers include Koldyke, Brady, Koser and Baugher, while Ritchey, Hedington and Austin Prater will see time at outside linebacker.
Kameron Akers, Reed and Moore will provide depth at outside linebacker.
On the defensive line, the Vikings will depend on a number of players, including Rutherford, Beyers, Peters, Howard, Grossman, Coughenour, Utter, Kimmel and Long.
After the Vikings open the season at Culver Academy, the Vikings will host non-conference opponent Bremen before opening a seven-game schedule in the TRC.
