The Land O’ Lakes High School football team dipped to 4-6 record last year, after posting an 8-2 record the year before.
Head coach Brian Wachtel doesn’t blame bad luck or a lack of talent for the decline. He said it came down to execution.
“I don’t think we reached our potential last year,” Wachtel said. “There were a couple games that were close, but we just didn’t execute well in a half of that game, and that put us in the position that we were in at the end of the game.”
Half of the team’s six losses last year were by a touchdown or less, and only two were by more than 10 points.
The Gators also suffered some injuries last season, but Wachtel isn’t interested in excuses. He preaches a “next man up” philosophy, with the next player expected to contribute when the starter is unavailable.
And that philosophy will be put to the test this season at the most prominent position on offense.
James Pensyl, the standout lefty who helped Land O’ Lakes rank No. 1 in the district in passing yardage last season, graduated and signed on to play for Eastern Michigan University. That leaves Spencer Childress as the next man up, and Wachtel understands that means changes for his offense.
“As a coach you’d better adjust, and we’ve adjusted offensively,” Wachtel said. “We want to put our kids in a position to be successful. We’re going to put in our quarterback this year and play to his strengths.”
While he doesn’t have Pensyl’s name recognition, the coach said Childress is an effective runner, which adds another dimension to his skill set.
Wachtel expects Childress to manage the game effectively, and they’re looking for a high completion percentage to keep the offense on the field.
The coaching staff also will rely on the team’s returning players to provide leadership.
Seniors, like Colton Smith, feel up to the task.
“The maturity level has risen for all of us, especially the seniors who have been here for day one of freshman year,” Smith said.
Being a leader for Smith means holding players accountable but not having a negative attitude toward his teammates. The safety and the rest of the players will depend on each other to get through the season successfully, and he wants to do that by staying positive and helping raise the bar for everyone.
“You see some people who just yell, yell, yell. And sometimes that doesn’t fix it. You’ve got to give them some confidence,” Smith said. “It’s all about making sure that they’re going to do what it takes, and not get them more angry with themselves so that they do worse.”
Now entering his fifth season as head coach for the Gators — and around 11 years in coaching overall — Wachtel still has the enthusiasm of a newer coach.
The offseason, the game film, the seven-on-seven practices and the daily drills still keep him engaged and eager to see his younger players develop, and his older players execute and reach their potential.
“I love doing it. It’s exciting to me. I love seeing the guys be successful. You get them for four years, and it’s fun to watch them grow,” he said.
Sometimes the progress is dramatic.
Wachtel singled out Jordan Ferrante, a defensive end who graduated last season, as an example of watching a player develop into something special.
When he entered the program, Ferrante weighed 130 pounds. But hard work and a lot of time in the weight room became a ticket to continuing his football career.
Ferrante will suit up for William Jewell College this fall, a school with a Division II football program in Missouri.
Wachtel’s current team might have other players who follow that path, but he isn’t letting them think about it just yet. They aren’t thinking about the playoffs, either. He wants them focused only on what’s ahead of them each week, so they can limit mistakes and realize their full potential this season.
“We’re just going to take it one game at a time, because we know where we want to be when it’s all said and done. But we also understand what we have to do to reach that, and its all about the process and taking the little steps to reach the end goal,” Wachtel said.
Land O’ Lakes Gators regular season schedule
(all times at 7:30 p.m.)
Aug. 28 at Wesley Chapel
Sept. 4 vs. River Ridge
Sept. 11 at Anclote
Sept. 18 at Sunlake
Oct. 2 at Lakeland Christian
Oct. 9 at Tampa Catholic
Oct. 16 at Springstead
Oct. 23 vs. Pasco
Oct. 30 vs. Mitchell
Nov. 6 vs. Fivay
Published August 26, 2015
