New-look Big Red ready to defend title
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STEUBENVILLE -- As far as Reno Saccoccia is concerned, little things will mean a lot when his Big Red opens the 2018 football season Friday against Penn Hills inside Harding Stadium. The opening kick is set for 7 p.m.
"This is the best team we have ever opened up with since I have been here," said Saccoccia, who is entering his 36th campaign at Big Red. "Penn Hills has talent, speed, experience and is very well coached.
"The team that does the little things well Friday will have the best chance of winning the game. Doing the little things definitely will keep us in the game."
Friday's meeting will be the first between Big Red and Penn Hills. The Indians went 8-4 in 2017, advanced to the WPIAL Class 6A semifinals and return a number of key players. Coach Jon LeDonne's club dropped to the Class 5A ranks this season.
Leading the list of returners is senior quarterback Hollis Mathis, who already has committed to Howard University in Washington, D.C. As a junior, he threw for 2,435 yards and 27 touchdowns. His yardage ranked sixth best in the WPIAL overall. He completed 58 percent of his throws (149 of 255).
The Indians have four other seniors being recruited by Football Bowl Subdivision or Football Championship Subdivision schools. Wide receiver Daequan Hardy has offers from Michigan, Michigan State and others. Corey Thomas, a receiver/defensive back who transferred from Pittsburgh Central Catholic, has been offered by Indiana and Mid-American Conference schools. Receiver Dante Cephas has MAC offers. Running back/linebacker Tank Smith also has given a verbal commitment to Howard.
Hardy caught 37 passes from Mathis in 2017, and Cephas grabbed 36. Thomas will bring even more firepower to the Penn Hills offense.
Heading into summer camp, LeDonne knew his club was strong at the skilled-positions, but line play was a question mark due to inexperience and a lack of depth.
"The lines and staying healthy are going to be key for us," LeDonne said. "Obviously, we have a lot of depth at the skill positions. We just want to get those guys the ball in space."
Saccoccia said the opener represents a "real challenge" for his Big Red.
"They'll have athletes all over the field, and we'll need to defend the ball in open spaces," he said. "It's going to take a great effort, and I'm sure our players will be up to it. It's going to be a great atmosphere, and we have to be prepared and ready to go.
"We're playing a school that had one of the better teams in Pennsylvania last year. They have a bunch of skilled people back. They are well-disciplined and a very good team."
Big Red rolled to a perfect 15-0 season in 2017 and captured the Ohio Division IV championship, with a 50-36 victory over Clinton-Massie. Graduation claimed a number of key starters from that club.
"We really don't have new guys at new positions. We have guys without a lot of game experience at the same positions," Saccoccia said when discussing his 2018 club. "As coaches, we hope they continue to improve each day. Every team out there is counting on new guys right now. We are no different."
After going through two-a-day practices, Saccoccia said he found some good answers and also found some not-so- good answers.
"We had a couple of unexpected injuries that we need to deal with," he said. "But, it's like I told our players, no matter who you are or what grade you are in, you are a Big Red football player. You are the next man up -- take pride in that."
Senior Clayton Criss and junior Randy Mitchell have emerged as the leading candidates to replace departed quarterback Javon Davis.
"Both quarterbacks have done a good job, and I'm happy with both of them," Saccoccia said. "We will have a starter come Friday night, but no matter who the starter is, they are both going to play."
Several players are looking to replace Jake Bernard at tailback, including senior Caleb Mitchell, senior Taveon Montgomery and junior Tayveon Crawford. As a sophomore, Crawford was second on the team in rushing.
"When it comes to tailback, the more we have, the better off we are," Saccoccia said. "That same thing holds true for fullback and wide receiver. The more, the better. We'll play them all."
With 25 seniors and 18 letterwinners returning, Saccoccia said at the moment there is one thing his team is lacking.
"As far as work goes, the determination and showing that attitude, everything is the same," the Hall of Fame coach said. "The one thing we lack right now is game experience.
"You only get that by playing in an actual game. There's really nothing our players can do about that until game time."
NOTES
¯ Big Red is ranked third in the cleveland.com preseason Division IV poll. Cincinnati Wyoming is first, with Clinton-Massie second.
¯ Saccoccia is third in all-time OHSAA wins with 371. He trails Ironton's Bob Lutz, who has 381.
¯ In his preseason look at Division IV, Region 13, sports reporter Matt Goul of cleveland.com predicts Big Red will finish first in the standings. Goul has Perry second and Cardinal Mooney third, followed by Girard, Akron Buchtel, Hubbard, Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy and Woodridge.
¯ Under Saccoccia, Big Red has won 16 straight season openers.
¯ At 5 p.m. on Friday, Big Red will unveil the Calvin Jones statue located outside of Harding Stadium.
"(Ted) Gorman (Big Red's principal) did a great job raising money for the statue, and I know we still need to raise money," Saccoccia said. "Hopefully, everyone will enjoy the statue and appreciate how beautiful the front of the stadium looks. The Jones statue really is the point guard of the new look."
¯ Big Red has made 17 consecutive trips to the Ohio postseason, captured 18 regional championships, finished second in the state five times and claimed four Ohio titles. The program's all-time playoff record is 66-26.