It was just four years ago that the Vinton Lions reached the Class 2A quarterfinals but over the last three years, they have struggled.
After going 0-10 in 2009 with a young inexperience team, they hope that the extra year of experience will help them to turn their fortunes around.
“Last year we knew that we were up against it,” Vinton head coach Wendell LeJeune said. “All the teams that we played were on a roll-South Cameron, Rosepine and South Beauregard.
“They were at the top and we were just so young and so small. Our kids were just not ready. They have gained a lot of weight this year across the board. They did well in the weight room in the spring and the summer.”
Back in 2006, the Lions ran their offense out of the shotgun but over the last two years they have used the Power-I. But with quarterback Joe Prince returning and a stable of running backs and receivers, LeJeune is taking the Lions back to the shotgun.
“We have gone back to a shotgun and they seem to like it with the no-huddle offense not to speed the game up but to save steps,” LeJeune said. “It should really help us with so many playing both ways. Last year we were just trying to play basic football and run the clock and stay as close as we can.
“We tried a little shotgun but we just never grasped it. We committed to it this year. What we are doing right now is simple. The linemen don't have to run that far. We are hoping to mix up formations and personnel. We will run four receivers, sometimes one tight end sometimes two tight ends. Hopefully we will be doing a better job of mixing it up.”
With an inexperienced offensive line last year, Prince threw for 320 yards while averaging just under 10 passes a game but the plans this year are for him to throw at least 20 times a game.
“He should hopefully have a lot more passes this year,” LeJeune said. “I am looking for him to throw it 20 times a game. We had to abandon the throwing game last year because our line was so young.
“He was getting pounded. We looked back and the first 29 passes he threw he got hit 29 times. We had to protect him. We threw some passes that weren't quite as high percentage as a lot of people were throwing. This year it is more of a short passing game. He appears right now to understand what we are doing.”
Prince will have better protection behind a beefed up offensive line this season. Junior left tackle Nathan Habitz (5'9”, 205lbs) is the only returning player on the offensive line this year but the Lions were able to add two seniors in Rory Dobbs (260lbs) and Nick Olier (245lbs) who are both over 6'2”. Olier missed all of last year with an injury. Olier and Dobbs will hold down the guard positions while junior Matt Nichols (6'2”, 300lbs) will play at center and sophomore Billy Browning (5'8”, 234lbs) will start at the other guard position.
“It is pretty solid,” LeJeune said. “They just need a little experience.
“They move decent and they are smart. If they throw something different, they can adjust to it without us telling them every time. I have been impressed with them. We just need to baptize them under fire.”
Along with Prince the entire backfield returns this year. Prince led the team with 331 yards on the ground and three touchdowns. Deione Sonnier rushed for 295 yards last year and Kelby Hebert had 313 yard and three scores. Returning strong safety Shawn Fenetz will also be part of the Lions' running back by committee.
“Right now the front runner is definitely Deione Sonnier,” LeJeune said. “He was young last year but we probably should have given him the ball more last year.
“Kelby is more of fullback kind of guy, Deione is more of a tailback. Who we work back there will depend on who we play. Shawn Fenetz has improved quite a bit from last year as far as an inside runner. He is a short kid but he finds the holes. We have three or four better than average running backs for our classification. We have three or four guys that can run and throw down field to. I think that we could sneak up on a few of them.”
Junior wide receiver Jarrod Anderson returns after leading the Lions with 12 catches for 193 yards and a touchdown last year. Sophomore Eric West will line up at tight end when not playing linebacker while junior John Paul Pickett will fill the other receiver position.
Like the offense, Vinton returns several players on defense with experience. Of their six returning starters on defense, four of them are in the secondary.
Junior Katlyn Caswell (5'8”, 265lbs) is the lone returner in the defensive line but with Olier and Dobbs going both ways along with Paradise, Texas transfer Robert Hackney (5'10”, 250lbs) and senior Eric Reed (5'11”, 365lbs), the Lions should be solid up front.
To help shore up the linebacker position, West has moved from defensive end to join Jeff Fontenot.
Filling in the secondary will be returning starters D.J. Reed, Anderson, Pickett and Sonnier.
The Lions' schedule will not be any easier than last year with perennial playoffs contenders Iota, South Cameron, Rosepine, DeQuincy and South Beauregard in the lineup.
They will open the season with Thursday road games against Iota on September 2nd and South Cameron on September 9th. But just because they are not expected to do much after a 0-10 season, LeJeune feels that his team could cause some problems if their opponents over look them.
“It ain't easy,” LeJeune said. “We should be able to compete a whole lot better than last year.
“If our line gels then we should be able to compete with anybody that we play. No doubt we could end up surprising a few people.”
THE ESSENTIALS
Mascot: Lions
Colors: Red, blue and white.
Homefield: B.S. Walker Memorial Stadium
Head coach: Wendell LeJeune, fourth year as head coach (5-22)
2009 record: 0-10 (0-5, 6th)
Offense: Spread
Defense: 4-2-5
Returning starters: Offense 5, Defense 6
Top returning playres: QB-Joe Prince, RB-Kelby Hebert, RB-Deion Sonnier, ZB-Jarrod Anderson, SS-Shawn Fenetz, OL-Nathan Habitz.
Schedule
Sept. 2 @ Iota
Sept. 9 @ S. Cameron
Sept. 17 vs. Welsh
Sept. 24 vs. Kinder
Oct. 1 @ Hamilton
Oct. 7 @ Rosepine*
Oct. 15 vs. Pickering*
Oct. 22 vs. S. Beauregard*
Oct. 29 @ E. Beauregard*
Nov. 5 vs. DeQuincy*
*Denotes district game
