Coach Dwight Jones signals the end of a kick returning play at a recent practice. Photo/Michael Boylan McIntosh High School has a new head coach, Dwight Jones, but the question on the mind of every fan of the Chiefs is, will the results be any different?

Winning seasons are few and far between at McIntosh and the 15 seniors on the squad have never experienced one. Coach Jones and his staff worked with the team a little in the spring and have had only a few short weeks before the season got started to install the program.
“We have a long road to hoe and a short time to do it in,” Jones said at a press conference earlier this summer, adding “the big question is ‘do we have the guts and know what it takes to win’ and the answer right now is we’re not sure.”

The Chiefs are expected to run a 4-3 defense and some of the players to watch will be senior Tom Wiegele, a 6’4, 305 pound lineman, senior Jeff Betts, a 6’3, 295 pound defensive tackle and senior Lance Huynh, a 6’, 215 pound lineman.
McIntosh has some questions at defensive end but juniors Matt Carroll and Erik Willanzheimer are expected to play a lot in those positions. Seniors Brandyn Thill and Nick Popeill are expected to play linebacker and senior Brett Buehler and junior Austin Wolfe will play in the secondary.

Buehler could see time both at free safety and cornerback.

Coach Jones stated that fans would likley see a lot of the same guys on offense that played defense.

Wynn and Carroll will play at guard positions, while Wiegele and Betts will play at tackle. Senior Brice Carlson, listed at 5’11, 215 pounds, will play center. Willanzheimer will play tight end, as will Nick Nelson, while seniors Chris Jett and Tyler Schmidt and junior Kell Harrison will play at split end. The running game will be done by committee. Junior Davis Mason will play some fullback and Popeill and Kenny Thomson will also get the ball. As for quarterback, juniors Ben Sims and Jeff Prather and Buehler are all working at the position.
In the past, football teams have had six weeks of practice before the season started, due to new rules, the prep time is down to four weeks.

This has been a set back for a team getting used to a new coach and a new system. Coach Jones has seen good things from his kids so far and it appears they are buying into the system, although he wondered if they would still buy into it when they were out of the weight room and getting hit.