Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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24 UCW JUNE 21-27, 2017 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Few high school football head coaches are more invested in the pro- gram they lead than Terry Sanford's Bruce McClelland. A former quarterback at his alma mater, McClelland has been on the staff for numerous years until being elevated to head coach for 2017 after the departure of Bryan Till to Rich- mond Senior. "It's just the community aspect of it,'' McClelland said as he led his team through spring conditioning as its head coach for the first time. "At this point in life, I try to pass on to the kids what football did for me, how it made me the man I am today.'' One lesson he's already shared with his players is that the high school football scoreboard on a Friday night is like a job inter- view. "If you don't win on Friday night, what will you do next week to get the job, win the game?" he said. For this season, McClelland hopes to do much of what Terry Sanford did under Till, which means winning conference titles and making the state playoffs. After back-to-back Cape Fear Valley 3-A titles, the Bulldogs slid to a tie for third last year and a 9-4 overall record. McClelland was the offensive coordinator and doesn't plan wholesale changes in what the Bull- dogs do, but he does want to put his stamp on the program, starting with spring workouts. "The main thing the coaching staff and I want to get to are the basics, formational things — what we are going to hang our hat on offensively and defensively," he said. McClelland said the emphasis on offense will be a multiple look, a variety of formations mixed with the team's assortment of base plays. The goal, he said, is to make the job of preparing to play Terry Sanford as tough as possible for opposing defensive coordinators. "Five plays in 10 formations becomes 50 plays,'' McClelland said. "It gives us an advan- tage on Friday night.'' Another advantage for the Bulldogs will be the return of twin brothers Chris- tian Jayne at quarterback and Andrew Jayne at wide receiver. Andrew said things are basically the same with McClelland as they were with Till, but added that even if that wasn't the case, it wouldn't be a problem. "He's the head coach,'' Andrew said of McClel- land. "What he wants to do, I'll do.'' Andrew said the focus of spring was to work with younger players on the team, especially the receivers, and teach them the pass routes and timing issues. One thing that will be new for every- one this fall is the 3-A/4-A Patriot Conference Terry Sanford is joining that mixes Cumberland County rivals from the old Mid- South and Cape Fear Valley Conferences in with Overhills. "We've got more teams we haven't played, but other than Coach McClelland being here, that doesn't change anything,'' Andrew said. "He'll coach football how he knows to and we'll be the same team. "We'll be ready.'' Deron Donald had been head football coach at E.E. Smith barely two months last year when he started his team's sum- mer workout program. To say things are well ahead of schedule this season is an understatement. "We were able to get a good weight program and see the guys getting stronger,'' the second-year coach said as he watched his team take part in this year's spring condit- ioning program. "Establishing a weight pro- gram, getting in the weight room and getting bigger and stronger was one of our main things," Donald added. After going 3-8 last fall and failing to make the state playoffs, Donald's concern during this pre- season is to continue to build what he calls the culture he's trying to establish within the E.E. Smith football program. "We want to make sure all the kids are on the same page,'' he said. "We're trying to get the kids to buy in. Anytime there's a new coach you'll have some kickback. "Building a program is bigger than Xs and O's. It's having 120 percent commitment and having every- one buy in.'' Aside from the philosophical concerns, Donald's biggest worry on the field is rebuilding his offen- sive and defensive lines. "You always want to make sure you have enough big guys,'' he said. "Games are won in the trenches. You have to make sure the offensive and defensive lines are solidified.'' Toshiro Spivey, who will be a junior wide receiver in the fall, sounded a lot like his coach when talking about what the E.E. Smith team needs to be successful this year. "The biggest thing is we need to get unified,'' he said. "Last year we were kind of divided. Every- body was kind of skeptical about having a first-year head coach.'' Now that the team has a year's experience with Donald, Spivey said the focus is on educating the younger players and getting them on board as well. While the record was disappointing, Spivey said E.E. Smith was competitive in many games, and they also scored a 15-14 win over Cape Fear Valley 3-A regular-season co-champion Westover. "Once we get unified and start working together it's going to be a scary sight over here at 1800 Seabrook Road,'' he said. New Bulldog Coach McClelland Invested in Program by EARL VAUGHAN JR. Bruce McClelland Deron Donald Toshiro Spivey Andrew Jayne EARL VAUGHAN JR., Sports Editor. COMMENTS? EarlUCWSports@gmail.com. HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS Donald Seeks to Develop New Culture at E.E. Smith by EARL VAUGHAN JR. Do you have a story or idea to share with High School Highlights? Email us at highschoolhighlights@upandcomingweekly.com