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Northville overhauls football program
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Northville assistant coaches Darrel Schumacher (left) and Craig Hnatuk (center) motivate players through the hoot-and-holler drill during practice last week.The first day of practice in full pads at Northville was like something out of the movie Braveheart.
New head football coach Matt Ladach—minus the blue face paint and hair extensions—ran up and down the lines of fully-armored players like the movie’s character William Wallace readying his troops for battle.
And that was just for conditioning drills.
Ladach, a resident of Northville and teacher at the high school, takes over the reins after two years at Romulus.
“I’m super excited to be here and having this opportunity,” he said. “Leaving a team (Romulus) knowing they were going to be good was tough, but for my family and myself this is the best spot for me. Plus, I get to see these kids every day and I’ve known the seniors for four years. It’s going to be nice.”
Ladach is a fiery guy that is breeding excitement in the program.
“This is one of the few times that I’ve felt excited about practice and getting back out here,” said senior quarterback Matt Kreager. “Coach Ladach really believes in us. We’re ready to go. We’re getting excited.”
Ladach has a lot of help from two of his highly regarded assistant coaches. Darrel Schumacher—formerly the head basketball coach at Northville—returns to the gridiron as the new defensive coordinator after years of absence. He’s a motivator with proven success.
Former Wayne Memorial head football coach Craig Hnatuk is the Mustang linebacker coach. He introduced the physically enduring tackling drill, the Hoot-and-Holler, to Northville this year.
“The coaches we have this year pushing us a lot harder,” said Kris Baungardner a senior wide receiver and cornerback. “I’ve been starting since my sophomore season and we’ve never been pushed like this before. And we’re looking real good right now. The whole team is looking fast.”
Defense is the key to success for Ladach, who is sticking with the Stack 30 system this year.
“I’m a defensive guy,” he said. “We’re going to win games because we are a defensive team. We’re going to be aggressive. We’re going to attack people and not sit on our heels and wait for people to bring it to us. We’re going to bring it to them.”
Senior outside linebacker Ryan Gerblick, Baumgardner at corner and returning linebackers Pat Keady and junior Jake Weddle will anchor the defense, according to Ladach.
The offense is at full force with a healthy quarterback, Kreager, returning. Last year a fractured vertebrae put him out of commission for most of the season, disrupting the potentially potent offense.
He will have good weapons in Gerblick as a tight end and Baumgardner as a receiver. He also has good protection from returning linemen James Wallace, Pat Brennan and Chase Olender.
This could pose a problem for Ladach who might have to step out of his box.
“I’m a run oriented coach but we have a good quarterback, good receivers and good tight end so we’re going to have to be more diverse than I’m used to being,” he said. “Kreager has been a tremendous leader already here in camp. I honestly don’t know if I would trade him as a leader or quarterback with anybody—he’s that good of a kid.”
Northville went 1-8 last year and the Mustangs have their sights set a lot higher in 2008.
“So far I think we look great,” Gerblick said. “We’re more enthusiastic than we have been in the past. As long as we play to our potential I think we have the ability to go 8-1. I think we’re going to come out and surprise a lot of people—hit some people in the mouth.”
The Western Lakes Activities Association (WLAA) merged with the Kensington Valley Conference (KVC) for a 24-team mega league, Kensington Lakes Activities Association (KLAA).
Northville is now in the Central Division of the Kensington Conference where they face Livonia Stevenson, cross-town rival Novi, Salem, South Lyon and South Lyon East.
The Mustangs host a KLAA non-conference Pinckney team at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 28.
“The expectations are definitely a lot higher this year,” Kreager said. “ I just want to win.”
