Thunder seeking end to four-game losing skid

By JOHN BASSETTI

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

YOUNGSTOWN — The Mahoning Valley Thunder is in a state of quiet urgency.

Less than a week after its fourth straight loss, the af2 team’s coach is examining his options.

“I’m not one who’s going to make knee-jerk changes,” Mike Hold said in response to the team’s tailspin. “I want to see a guy play through it. This is a developmental league and guys are learning. We’ve got a lot of rookies on this team.”

As much as Hold gives his men fair opportunities, the Thunder coach may have to make changes if Mahoning Valley’s performance is similar to the 62-26 loss to the Florida Firecats May 19.

Comparison

“Florida’s made up of guys who have been there 4-to-6 years,” Hold said. “That’s huge. We’re here to develop guys, but, at some point, if guys aren’t getting it, we’ve got to find someone’s who’s going to.”

Tonight at 7:05, Mahoning Valley (3-4) plays its first Friday home game, against the Manchester Wolves (3-4), who started the Thunder on its losing skid with a 67-49 victory in New Hampshire April 28.

Playing a team a second time has its advantages and disadvantages.

“It’s a little of both,” Hold said. “The first time we didn’t play well at all in the first half, then we played catch-up the second half. I’m sure they’ll have some different wrinkles, but we’ll have some different wrinkles. Primarily, these will be the same teams. We just have to execute.”

Against Florida last Saturday, Hold didn’t think the Thunder was prepared to play mentally.

“We weren’t in the right mindset. Why, I don’t know? We’re a good football team; we’re not playing like it, but we are and that’s the frustrating thing about this,” said Hold. “It’s not like we look at ourselves and say, ‘Gosh, we’re so bad.’ We’re a good team. We’re a good group of guys, but we’ve just got to play together as a team. We did early on.

Problem areas

“Even in those first couple losses we were still hanging in there. Now, we’ve got to concentrate on staying together and keeping that chemistry and figure out a way to fight our way through this. Once we get back on that winning track, it’ll grow and spread.”

The Thunder lost quarterback Glen Gauntt with a thumb injury. The veteran will be on injured reserve 4-to-6 weeks.

Sharon native Mike Schneider will get his first start tonight, although the Duke University graduate was 2-of-7 after replacing Gauntt late in last week’s game.

Hold said Schneider is ready.

“He’s young to this game and there are some things that happen that will be a learning experience,” he said. “Hopefully, we’re going to have him ready and have a game plan that he’s comfortable with and able to execute.”

Also lost to the team, likely for the season, is receiver Chris Johnson (elbow), who joined the team prior to the Florida game. That returns the Thunder to its original receiving corps of DeMarcus Mathes, Chris Archie and Kenny Johnson.

In examining the season, Hold is puzzled.

“We have what it takes, but we’ve got to come out and show it on the football field. Every week we have good weeks of practice and we feel like we’re ready to break through. For whatever reason, we haven’t gotten the job done. But we’re going to and hopefully it’s this week that we figure out how to get ourselves out of this rut.”

Think positive

Rather than take drastic measures and resort to wholesale personnel changes, Hold would prefer a resolution from within.

“That’s the hard part of my job,” Hold said. “This game is a lot mental. As a coach, I’ve got to figure out a way to keep these guys up through the bad times. If, when you get in one of these tailspins, you’ll never get out of it if you don’t stay positive. We’ve done our best to keep a positive atmosphere — not a whole lot of screaming; a lot more teaching and pointing out mistakes and figuring out ways to get better.

“At some point, these guys need to take it upon themselves. It may not be the NFL, but these guys are professionals, so they’ve got a job to do. If they don’t, we’ll find somebody that can.”

Hold isn’t throwing in the towel, but he’s expecting results soon.

“For the most part, we’re going with the guys we’ve had. Obviously, with injuries, we’re going to make changes. But you try to keep as much of the core group together as you can because of that chemistry factor.”

bassetti@vindy.com