During the offseason, several changes were made to the university’s football team, which led to a hot start to their season.
Before Saturday’s win, Coach Brian Foos was very excited to see what his players could do and watch his roster improvements play out in real time.
“I’m really proud of the guys,” Foos said. “I want to see them go out and perform well and do the things that we need to do to be successful.”
One of the most anticipated changes was a revamped roster since the last recruiting cycle. The roster has expanded, increasing the talent pool and allowing the team to compete with each other as well.
Charles Alexander, the defensive coordinator, described this competition.
“Before, some of these guys were like, ‘Well, there’s nobody behind me, so I can just kind of do what I want,’ Alexander said.
This previous method left the coaches in a tough spot, but an increased roster makes it easy for coaches to assess their players and have them compete for better positions.
“And you’re kind of tied because as a coach, it’s like, there is nobody else behind you,” said Alexander. “Now I can go, ‘Look, you ain’t getting this done. I got some guys that want to play right now, coming up behind you.’”
Despite the benefits of the new roster for coaches, the success rate for how players manage in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC), one of the most challenging athletic conferences in Ohio, using the new strategy is still unknown. According to Coach Foos, developing the new roster is the key.
“Every week you want to get better at your craft,” said Coach Foos. “But the bottom line is how do we take care of ourselves better? And how do we keep doing the things we do best? Opponents are gonna try and trick you and give you a different look than what you prepared for, [but] we still have to be who we are.”
Development, however, is not just about making your athletes better, but about learning to overcome adversity. Coach Alexander had a lot to say about the task of overcoming adversity.
“People always talk about how adversity builds character. A lot of people say that. I don’t believe that. I believe adversity is going to reveal our character.”
The key to overcome adversity in football lies in strong characters, people who are willing to show up and work hard during practice every day.
Strong leaders to take charge and lead the team through difficult scenarios are also important. With the team’s two captains, Nate Yonker and Bryson Roberts, the coaches believe that this team has what it takes to surprise the OAC.
Bryson Roberts, the defensive captain, talked about his way of leading the team.
“I know … a lot of guys look up to me every day. I got to make sure I’m 100%, I’m committed and that I’m showing discipline,” said Bryson.
Bryson hopes to become an “image” that “everybody can look up to” and “strive” to become every day.
With these new changes, the Capital football team turns a new leaf. The team will face Baldwin Wallace, 1:30 p.m., Sept. 20 at Bernlohr Stadium.
