Red Land

By Brett Keener

For GameTimePA.com

Red Land’s recent football identity, at least on offense, has been clear.

The Patriots used any means possible to get the ball in the hands of John Ford, a plan that looked pretty sound when the tailback racked up more than 3,700 career rushing yards. But with Ford now at Shippensburg University, the Patriots are retooling to open things up a bit more in the Mid-Penn Keystone.

“We’re certainly going to be a bit more spread out than we’ve been in the past,” head coach Chad Weaver said. “There will be a lot more one-back sets. We’re going to try to spread teams out, but we’ll still run the ball. We have some kids up front who can move people around.”

The earth movers are a requirement in the Keystone, which produced a pair of District 3 champions last season. The Patriots’ task is holding up through the regular-season grind: Red Land was denied a playoff spot last season after closing the year with back-to-back three-point losses.

Offense

Quarterback >> The Patriots are set at quarterback, where senior Garrett Scott returns with a season and a half of varsity starts under his belt. He completed nearly 60 percent of his throws last year, racking up more than 700 yards passing.

Running back >> Athletic senior Phil Overton, formerly a starter at receiver, will move into the feature back spot; touted sophomore Justin Johnson should also see significant carries. Derek Cline is at the front of a pack of fullback hopefuls.

Receivers >> Kyle Mowrey is a returning starter and will man one wideout spot, while a group of underclassmen is vying for the other openings. Senior Tyler Hodges will be at tight end.

Offensive line >> This area is a source of optimism, as Red Land has three returnees on the line, all seniors: Zach Rollman (a two-year starter), Drew Speicher and Brandon Seitz. The trio started every game last season.

Defense

Defensive line >> Rollman, a returnee at defensive end, provides a building block, but otherwise this is the Patriots’ area of greatest concern. Speicher will also be in the mix. Underclassmen will play a big role in this unit.

Linebackers >> Red Land will make the transition to a 4-3 this season, and it has a solid linebacking corps to build things around. Hodges, Cline and Jeremy Fisher all bring varsity experience to the position.

Secondary >> Overton, a two-year starter at corner, will move to strong safety in the new defensive alignment. Mowery also brings experience to one corner spot, with the other two secondary slots will be determined in camp.

Special teams

Fisher returns to handle kicking and punting duties. Ford was a Mid-Penn all-star as kick returner, and Overton and Johnson will lead the group seeking to replace that production.

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Save the date >> Not that Red Land and Cedar Cliff really needed to add anything to their rivalry, but they got it: The teams now meet in Week 10, on Halloween no less. Should be a wild time at West Shore Stadium.

Bottom line >> The Patriots have both reason for hope and areas of concern this season. There are athletes and experience at nearly every spot in the lineup. The development of the defensive line and the success of the 4-3 alignment will determine how far Red Land goes.