RPAC Rundown Spotlight Series: A Change of Roles Doesn't Change the Expectations for Southwest Football
We've run several articles about athletes embracing their roles. And I'm sure we'll have more, just like this one.
The Southwest Roughriders once again have their sights set on the Class D6 NSAA State Championship. They have started 3-0 this season. Some were questioning what this team would look like and whether they could succeed. Which rightfully so with the graduation of players that made a major impact for the Roughriders.
But this team has embraced the challenge, and they are focused on taking it one game at a time.
"I think we're pretty good at taking it day by day, week by week. Our goal is always to go 1-0 every week. Don't think too far into the future… it doesn't matter about the future if we don't win on Friday night this week. So we're good about, you know, staying humble and staying focused on the game ahead of us," said senior Gage Hammond.
In the last few seasons, the Southwest Roughriders were a team that relied heavily on the pass. This season it is quite different. They average 20.7 pass yards and 289 rush yards per game. Head Coach of the Roughriders, Christian Arterburn, and his staff evaluated things in the offseason and knew they needed to make a change with their personnel.
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"I guess we just knew that we had to be a lot more physical on offense this year and our physicality from the defensive side of the ball needed to carry over to the offensive side of the ball. And the kids had really bought into that," said Arterburn
So that means guys are taking on new roles. Like senior Deric Kelley. He is a two-time RPAC rundown 1st Team wide receiver. He now plays quarterback and running back.
"It's really hard to learn everything. Because, I mean, from a standpoint, I was just like whenever they call a play, oh, I know what I'm doing; I just have to find my route. And then now I have to know what the other five guys are doing and what I'm doing. So it's a learning curve that I have to get over," said Kelley.
The same can be said for sophomore Bo Truksa. He played a lot of running back last season and now is a center/offensive lineman. And in 6-man football, you have to be a versatile athlete to do that. "I really didn't feel like it was much of a big change. I just wanted to do what was best for my team because yeah, I do what you got to do to win," said Truksa.
Truksa says that with the change for him, it is rewarding to find success for the team and personally. "I think it's very rewarding considering we got to beat Garden County... It's a long season to go; I think we still have a lot to improve on.
Brody Hammond, a sophomore, has stepped into a larger role too. Playing a lot of defensive snaps and also plays on offense, playing quarterback and wide receiver. Brody says he has adapted well to the optionality he provides for the team. "It's certainly fun to be able to go back and forth between them and be able to call the plays still...Being able to lift everybody up back there and just helping everybody out."
Sophomore Conner Weaver and senior Jacob Barber haven't had major role changes for themselves. Weaver is definitely getting more snaps, and Barber is more of a running back rather than receiver. But, they notice what their teammates are doing to help everyone succeed.
"It's good because nobody's being selfish...so if I'm down to block for Deric, Deric is down to block for me, blocking, in my opinion, is the best thing," said Weaver.
"To see teammates just be like, yeah, I'm going to do whatever I need to do for the team. I think it's pretty amazing how Brody can learn on the fly," added Barber.
Defense has been the Roughriders calling card allowing less than 15 points per game. And that is pivotal, but to have a group of players take on new roles on offense for the betterment of the team is a really neat thing to see.
The Roughriders will put their undefeated record to the test this week when they play Arthur County on Friday, who is also 3-0.
