Sunday, August 25, 2013
By ryan buck
Salineville
Painted across the locker room wall at Southern’s Wigwam Stadium reads Coach Mike Skrinjar’s motto for his team: “Forty-Eight Minutes of Pain ... A Lifetime of Memories.” The Indians’ standout running back has endured four months of pain to make it back.
Michael McKenzie, fresh off a junior season where he set school records in rushing yards and touchdowns, nearly saw his future end before it began with a ruptured Achilles’ tendon in an April 2 track meet.
“It took a lot of dedication,” said McKenzie, who was expected to be sidelined for at least six months. “It really tested what I wanted to do with my last year of football. I’d never been through an injury so severe and didn’t know how to go about it. Now we’re in August and I feel strong.”
McKenzie will be on the field for opening night at Southern’s renovated stadium, which now features synthetic turf.
“It’s going to be an awe-striking feeling out there,” he said. “To have that all taken away that April and to fight to get it back, it’s amazing how I can do that.”
offense
Southern lost veteran QB Luke Griffith to graduation, but Skrinjar likes the talent returning at the skill positions — especially McKenzie and senior Jared Shilot, who only refers to his position as “offensive weapon.”
“If they earn it, we have the ability to play a senior offensive line,” Skrinjar said. “It’s not only experience, but leadership from a lot of guys who needed to step up this year.”
J.T. Brickley, Howie Bott, Dustin Earich, Caleb Gotschall and Jake Davis will look to create space for McKenzie, Shilot and receiver M.J. Williams.
defense
Skrinjar wants a more aggressive defense than a year ago. The Indians surrendered 63 points to Crestview and 41 to Lowellville in a Week 10 loss that ended their playoff hopes.
“Last year, defensively, we weren’t as aggressive as I wanted to be,” Skrinjar said. “We didn’t have an identity. We didn’t buy into one last year and that was a big problem.”
special teams
Shilot will be looked to as a threat in the return game. Gotschall, an intimidating presence on both lines, might be the largest kicker in the state of Ohio.
outlook
McKenzie leads a strong group of seniors who began a run of three consecutive winning seasons and the school’s first playoff appearance in 2010. “They’ve got that mixture of experiences,” said Skrinjar, now in his fourth year as head coach at his alma mater. “They want better than 6-4. It’s a senior class that’s pretty strong with that mentality.”