Season of change at Southern Wayne

By Allen Etzler
Published in Sports on August 20, 2014 1:48 PM

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aetzler@newsargus.com

DUDLEY -- Southern Wayne head varsity football coach David Lee gets to take a step back this season.

And put 2013 behind him.

Barely two weeks before the Saints' season opener at James Kenan, assistant coach Jeremy Joyner left for Princeton. The departure left a void on Lee's staff, and he decided to call the offensive and defensive plays each game.

"I felt like I was stuck in that position," Lee said. "And it just wasn't a good situation for the team, for the kids, for the coaches and for me to be honest."

In the offseason, Lee asked assistant coach Ronnie McClary to take over the offense. The decision gave Lee additional time to devote to his 3-5 defensive alignment, and spend more time with a young unit that returns just two starters.

It also brought a change.

A Goldsboro High and Elizabeth City State alum, McClary installed a spread scheme. The offense will have Wing-T concepts -- like quarterback reads -- but will focus on getting more athleticism on the field and utilizing the Saints' speed in open space.

The blocking is different, too. And is a challenge since one starter -- Marcus Elliot -- returns on the line.

"The blocking schemes are new," Lee said. "We actually may be able to get more linemen on the field because our blocking schemes aren't as complicated as they were in Wing-T. Before you couldn't put lineman on the field if they couldn't remember what to do on every single play.

"These blocking schemes overlap. As long as the kids can tell left from right, they can pretty much get the blocking scheme. I'm excited about that because that gives us a little more depth."

Lee is happy with his choice.

McClary downplays the boost in responsibility.

"It's really not that much of a change," he said. "Us as a staff, we work together so much. I oversee the offense and just call the plays. If coaches have ideas or suggestions we just roll with it, try it out, if it works we go with it, if it doesn't we scrap it.

"We all contribute."

The Saints' coaching staff struggled as a unit last season and that filtered over to the players. Lee says this group is on the same wavelength.

"Coach McClary said he was more than willing to do offense and he's grabbed on to it and run with it and he's excited about it," Lee said. "I'm excited about it. I'm excited to be able to focus on one side of the ball and remove myself from offense."