The 2012 season is new for all of the area’s football teams, but the term new may be best fitting for the Elkhart Elks.
The Elks open the season at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Jerry Ives Memorial Stadium, when they welcome Alto to town. Part of that welcoming committee will be a new coach (Sam Wells) and a new quarterback (Kevin Kidd).
Wells and Kidd bring with them a new offensive scheme, among other things.
“I think it’s going really well. The scrimmages have been good,” Wells said. “Last week, we scrimmaged Mildred — a very good football team — and we did really well. The transition has been pretty smooth. We’ve still got a ways to go, but I think we’re definitely on the track.”
Wells added that he’s more than pleased with how his quarterback has come along in such a short period of time.
“It looks like he’s been playing QB for a long time,” Wells said. “I’ve never seen a kid that has just stepped in and soaked it all up. He’s done a really good job.”
Alto — ranked 17th in the Associated Press preseason poll for 1A — brings with it highly-touted quarterback Jake Shaw to Elkhart. At the same time, they are still the Yellowjackets of old.
That means hard-nosed, smash-mouth football, and Wells said his team has to be ready for it.
“We have to play really well up front. Our defensive line has to do a good job, and our linebackers have to fill those open voids,” Wells said. “We have to try and keep them in long situations, I think. They’re going to run the ball and if we can limit that, we’ll be in good shape.”
Offensively for Elkhart, the keys to success will be quite simple.
The Elks can’t do anything to hurt themselves or hinder their own momentum. In a new offensive scheme, that isn’t always easy, and turnovers haunted last year’s team.
“The main thing for us is just overall execution,” Wells said. “There have been some little things here and there that we’re trying to improve on. We’re running the ball well and throwing the ball well, we’re just fine tuning the little things.
“Also, the big thing is protecting the football. We can’t have turnovers.”
Holding on to the football gives Kidd ample opportunities to make plays, and to get the ball in the hands of star running back Jeffrey Wilson (1,065 yards, 8 TDs in 2011). From there, Wilson can make plays.
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Sports editor Justin Rains can be reached via email at jrains@palestineherald.com
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