By LYNDON ZAITZ of the Keizertimes
A 65-7 loss is a crushing blow to any team.
In its game Friday against the Sheldon Irish, the Celtic football team notched one touchdown.
In 20 games over three seasons, the Celtics are winless. McNary’s last football game win was on Nov. 25, 2021.
This from a school that won state football championships in 1997 and 2001.
Connor Astley, in his second season as head coach, has answers for those in the community wondering what is going on with the team.
“There is no one main issue,” said Astley. “We have seen quite a bit of things happening over the last few years—between transfers or kids wanting to focus on other sports or just a lack of interest in football.”
Astley said each player and coach in the program is doing everything to achieve success.
“No player or coach in the program ever tries to not give anything less than 100% of their effort to make sure that we are in the most successful position we can be,” he said.
The McNary football program connects with Keizer middle schools and the youth programs to develop players for future successes.
The football program is making changes in the office that will hopefully set up our players to be in favorable positions.
Coaches can control some, but not all, elements that make a successful team.
”We can do everything we can to set up our players for the most successful position to be in before the play. Everything from that point on is out of our control. What the offense or the defense is doing, depending on what side of the ball, what the refs call or don’t call,” Astley said.
He noted that “It may not seem like it to people, our defense is flying around with tenacity and getting eight, nine, ten, eleven hats to the ball once the ball is in the air.”
Post-game analysis by the coaching staff includes data charts that they use to evaluate individual player’s technique, pursuit, effort and others on each play. Each coach is responsible for imputing data to the video clips to assist in the breakdown of the previous game and gather information on plays that were successful, unsuccessful, and what needs to be done in order to adapt or assist players in development. On average the coaching staff puts in about 2 to 3 hours of game breakdown between on film a weekend before. They discuss what they learned from the previous game and how to prepare for the following week’s opponent.
The coaches figure out where the team needs improvement and prepares drills accordingly. They also use these charts to help determine playing time and depth charts. If a player scores higher the previous week then they move up the depth chart. In discussions coaches talk about game plans for the following week, adjust play calling, coverages, upcoming plays and formations that should be added or dropped for the week and other things to give our players the best chance of success.
Astley praised his coaching staff.
“Our coaching staff does an amazing job of watching film and setting up for preparation during weekends so when practice comes during the week and games come we’re doing everything we can for our players,” Astley said.
The coaching staff has a cumulative 55 years of coaching, including some as head coaches.Those coaches include Kyle Aicher, Greg Astley, Nick Clawson, Ken Mace, Kyle McGrath and Larry Souza.
There is frustration and a bit of misunderstanding from the student body, the coach acknowledged.
“Our players do an amazing job of brushing off these frustrations and jabs at them. They understand that the process that we as a program are going through takes time and those not in it are not ones that they should be concerned with the opinions,” Astley said.
Despite the record on the field, a large segment of the McNary administrators, teachers and students still show up and support the football program every Thursday and Friday night.
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Lyndon Zaitz:
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