By Kevin Connelly

kconnelly@vindy.com

STRUTHERS

When Struthers High School football coach Curt Kuntz and his staff realized they weren’t getting the leadership they needed last year, they let it be known to everyone on the team.

Upperclassmen and underclassmen. Starters and backups. It didn’t matter.

“We said, ‘I don’t care what grade you’re in, we need leadership,’ ” Kuntz recalled of the Wildcats’ 4-6 season.

“We started relying on those guys who wanted it and we beat Howland and were down six to Hubbard with the ball at midfield in the fourth quarter.

“When our guys that we have returning stepped up as leaders, it showed on the field.”

The results never got the chance to reflect the turnaround, leading to the school’s first losing season since 2010 and first under Kuntz. Four of their six losses came by 11 points or less, and in most cases it was the offense that couldn’t get out of single-digits.

“We didn’t lose a lot of games last year because of a lack of talent,” Kuntz said. “We lost three close games to playoff teams — two of them that won a couple games in the playoffs.

“We lost those games because of a lack of focus and a lack of leadership.”

Kuntz believes he and his staff can change the focus issues with better coaching. The leadership, however, will fall on the broad shoulders of junior quarterback A.J. Musolino.

OFFENSE

Musolino returns after leading the Wildcats in passing (784 yards, seven touchdowns) and rushing (646 yards, eight TDs) as a sophomore last season.

While neither of those numbers by themselves appear all that staggering together, he accounted for nearly 1,500 yards and 15 touchdowns.

“The only thing A.J. needs to work on right now is not trying to work eight days a week,” Kuntz said. “As far as the little things like focus and [college] recruiters, that’s so irrelevant to him it’s almost out of the picture.

“On the other end of that, I’m telling him ‘Hey, go be a kid. You’re doing everything we ask of you, but enjoy it.’ ”

According to Kuntz, every Big Ten football program, except for Ohio State and Michigan, has been to Struthers to check out the 6-foot-4, dual-threat quarterback. However it’s been Toledo that has shown the most interest.

“I’m not thinking about any of that stuff now,” Musolino said. “I just want to make sure I know everything I’m doing, because we’re putting in a lot of stuff.”

Dakota Senvisky is a returning starter at one of the Wildcats’ wide receiver spots.

DEFENSE

For whatever reason, Struthers always finds itself tasked with the challenge of replacing a big percentage of its starters.

This year’s defensive unit returns just two major contributors from a group that held opponents to 18 points per game. The player Kuntz has built high expectations for this year is junior safety Robbie Best.

Best recorded 50 tackles from his secondary position last season and hopes to provide more game-changing plays as he continues to grow into his role.

“I know we lost a lot of guys, but I think that just provides more opportunity to step up,” Best said. “I’m comfortable in a leadership role and I know it’s something that this team needs.”

Everything else is still a mystery. But that’s what two-a-days are for, according to Kuntz.

“I think we are extremely athletic over there and can run to the ball,” he said of his defense. “That’s where we’re going to hang our hat with our best 11 players.”

SPECIAL TEAMS

The players who win a job in the Wildcats’ defensive secondary will most likely also serve as punt and possibly kick returners because of their ball skills, according to Kuntz.

“There’s nobody penciled in, I don’t think,” Kuntz said. “We don’t make a lot of decisions until we get through our first scrimmage to see who does what.

“Hopefully we get some young guys in there and they can step up and find a role.”

OUTLOOK

The coaching staff hopes that better leadership will benefit them most in late-game situations.

What else can be done to make sure the Wildcats end up on the winning side of tight contests this year?

“Don’t turn the damn ball over. Period,” Kuntz said with a grin.