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Football: Conant's Modelski opts for 'new' approach in final season

One of the advantages of coaching football for 29 seasons, as Conant coach Bill Modelski has, is that he knows what can work and what can't.

So after losing his entire starting lineup from last year to graduation and his top returning player, Tyler Jackson, to a torn ACL, Modelski quickly determined that his team could not run the spread this year.

"We knew we could not stay in the spread and throw the ball with success," said Modelski, whose team was 6-4 last year and qualified for the playoffs. "We just didn't have the right pieces."

So Modelski, who will retire from coaching after this year following 12 seasons as head coach and a total of 30 years as a coach at the school, decided to go back to some of his roots and dust off the option.

"We ran the option years ago with success," Modelski said. "So we decided to go back to it."

In order to have success, Modelski felt he needed a feature back - and he feels he has one in junior Jack Rieger.

"He is a very nice football player," said Modelski, who will also play Rieger at middle linebacker. "He is big, strong and fast. He is the perfect kid to build your offense around."

Modelski will have a nice group at the wingback position to keep defenses from completely keying on Rieger. Seniors Dan Wozniak and Jake Stumph will be sharing the role with junior Cole Kilty.

Modelski will have his son Brian at quarterback, which will help in running the offense. Brian Modelski also throws the ball well and will look to wide receivers in Cole Albach, Mitch Shintaku and Noah Davis.

The Cougars will have a senior-dominated offensive line with Tim Fauth (6-foot-2, 233), Mike Kasabian (5-10, 235) and Artis Hudson (6-2, 212) along with juniors Eddie Goshe (6-5, 250), Deven Hanks (6-2, 205) and tight end Mason Sykes (6-3, 222).

The Cougars are looking to rebuild on defense as well.

"I am optimistic with our defense," coach Modelski said. "It looks like a good group."

The linebackers will be the core of the Cougars' defense with Reiger inside and Matt Majer and Jack Lampert on the outside. Up front, Hudson and Eric Hominac will be at the ends, and inside will be John Nava, Graasen Jackson along with Anderson Pate. The firm of Kilty, Stumph, Wozniak and Davis will lay down the law in the defensive backfield.

"We are getting getter every day," Modelski said. "We do have some good players, not like cupboard was bare. There was just no room for them to play last year. Now it is their chance to shine."

Before embracing the challenge of his final season, Modelski took a moment to reflect on his career in coaching.

"I love football," he said. "It changed my life more than one time. I can't say enough about the experience."

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