The California Pintos couldn't catch a break in 2017 under first-year head coach Mikel Gragg.
Before the season even begins, quarterback Jacob Wolken tears his ACL. An offense dedicated to their star quarterback left the coaching staff scrounging for answers, and quickly. The young group never could quite get it together offensively, leading to a 1-9 record.
Now it's Year 2 under Gragg, and the atmosphere is much more upbeat.
"They've bought in tremendously to what we're trying to do," Gragg said. "They came in and they worked extremely hard this summer. Every time we tried to throw something at them, they just said, 'Coach, what's next?' And they'd meet all of our challenges. They're moving into what we'd like to see for Year 2.
"They know last year's record and they know that it wasn't something that was very highly liked community-wise. They're out to kind of prove themselves, and prove that last year was a different year. I just can't express how hard this group has turned the switch. It's a lot of work to want to win."
The Pintos offense will have a new look this season, utilizing more players around the ball.
"It's more plug-and-play, so if we did have a situation like that happen again, we're not predicated on not having the guy that we based our offense around," Gragg said.
Alex Currens was one of the quarterbacks to fill in for Wolken last year, and the junior will be the starter behind center this season.
"Alex has really developed," Gragg said. "Last year as a sophomore, he got thrown into the fire. The role may have been too big for him in the moment.
"Having a year and having him being able to work with coach (Bobby) Sangster over the last year, he's really stepped up and grown into a very good starting quarterback."
Currens split time with Bryant Davis at quarterback last season. Davis, a sophomore, suffered an injury this summer, but when he returns, Gragg said he will move to tight end.
"He will be the backup quarterback, but he'll fill in at one of our tight end spots and help give us some depth there," Gragg said.
California's backfield was dominated by Cory Friedmeyer last season. This year, Gragg said, it will be a running-back-by-committee effort.
"We've got a bunch of running backs, because we don't really have 'that' guy, but we have a bunch of kids who can carry the load," Gragg said.
Junior Logan Parish and freshman Calen Kruger will be the speedy, get-to-the-outside backs, while sophomore Lucas Ash and freshman Tyler Patterson will be the downhill-running, bruising backs. Sophomore Tagen Higgins will be a mix of the two styles.
Senior Trystan Hees will play at tight end and provide the Pintos another blocker on the line, but he'll also be one of Currens' top targets, Gragg said. Senior Alex Meisenheimer will also play at wide receiver.
California will line up three seniors on the offensive line, with Emmanuel Ihenacho at left tackle, Nathan Pickering at left guard and Gabe Bailey at right tackle. Bailey was second-team all-conference last season in the Tri-County, one of two returning all-conference players for the Pintos.
"Gabe Bailey has stepped up tremendously and has kind of taken over the leadership role for that group," Gragg said. "He's really pushing that group forward."
Also starting on the line are sophomores Garrett Burger at center and Caleb McCumber at right guard.
"Burger started last year as a freshman and he's coming back, so you have three good starters returning from last year," Gragg said. "Caleb McCumber would've been a starter for us if he hadn't broken his wrist. He had to have surgery on it at the beginning of last year.
"That's a lot of talent there, and we're just going to see how they take it week by week and how they play together."
California was held to 9.2 points per game in 2017. In addition to putting more points on the board this season, Gragg said he wants his team to control the time of possession.
"Last year, it was a bunch of three-and-outs and punting the ball. Our defense was on the field a lot," he said. "One of the things we're really focusing on is sustaining drives, getting those 10-15 play drives and eating some clock up, helping our defense that way."
On the other side of the ball, Gragg said the Pintos are switching from a 4-3 defense to a 4-4 under new defensive coordinator Kenny Newman.
"I know it doesn't sound like much of a tweak, but for us it's huge," Gragg said.
Bailey and Hees will line up at defensive end and Burger and Ihenacho will be the two inside tackles.
"They're doing a great job stopping the run," Gragg said. "In the Jamboree, I don't know if there was a kid there who could block Gabe Bailey."
At linebacker, senior Nick Althoff and Ash are set to be the inside linebackers. On the outside are Meisenheimer and Parish.
Gragg said three of the four linebackers will be very quick, with the exception of Ash, who will be a "downhill thumper."
"Just like he is at a running back position, he's going to come downhill and hit you, he's not going to be anything flashy," Graggs said of Ash. "The other three linebackers have great speed, great athleticism. They're able to get through space and make tackles."
Junior Kaleb Keeran, California's other returning all-conference player, will be at defensive back. He will be joined by junior Clayton Winkler in the secondary and sophomore Dawson Gump will play cornerback.
"Last year across the board, the Tri-County was a huge test for anybody, just because of the level of competition week in and week out," said of facing a pass-heavy offense.
Gragg said Higgins will work in at outside linebacker after he picked up a pair of sacks last Friday against Helias in the Blair Oaks Jamboree. Patterson will back up the inside linebacker position.
Other defensive backups for the Pintos include Pickering and sophomore Chancellor McKenzie on the line, Kruger at linebacker and sophomores Trenten Irey and Johnny Garcia in the secondary.
"Last year, we started camp with 41 kids and ended the season with 32 healthy bodies," Gragg said. "Right now, we're sitting at 46, which is what we started with. So far, we're still healthy. For us, numbers are up and excitement is still growing."
As for special teams, Gragg said Gump will handle the punting duties, while Winkler will do kickoffs and extra points.
The Pintos open the season today at home against the Warrensburg Tigers, a Class 4 program that finished 5-5 in 2017. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
Gragg said being able to open the season against a bigger school gives the Pintos some experience right out of the gate, and it also gives players the mindset there is no easy game.
"Year 2 for us is going to be able to finish football games and leave everything out on the field," Gragg said. "Coming off of last year, we had a lot of good first halves, but we were not able to string together a second half and finish some football games. That kind of cost us and let to the one win.
"This year for us, we're really focusing on being able to finish football games and finish out the second half strong."