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Shaner set to create Ridge revival
Rams double number of players since end of 2018 season
By STEVE RUMAN
MINERAL RIDGE
When Brian Shaner was named coach at Mineral Ridge last November, his first order of business was to instill excitement into the program while increasing the numbers.
Mission accomplished.
“The day after getting hired, I gathered the seniors and told them to convince everyone in the school who had an interest in football to attend our first team meeting,” Shaner said. “I walked into a packed room, I felt the energy and enthusiasm and I knew we had them.”
In fact, Mineral Ridge’s roster of 38 players is exactly double of what it was at the end of the 2018 season.
The Rams have seven seniors and 10 lettermen.
“All of us returning players bought into what coach was selling, I loved and believed what I heard so I made the same pitch to some of our other students,” Rams senior quarterback Dakota Edwards said. “Coach is intense, because he truly believes in us. We can’t wait to get started.”
OFFENSE
While at Niles, Shaner was known for his high-octane offense which set numerous area passing and scoring records. Shaner has every intention of installing the same no-huddle, spread offense at Mineral Ridge.
“We’re fortunate, because we’re throwing a lot of new ideas at football guys, at guys who are intelligent and who know the game,” Shaner said. “There’s a learning curve, but it has been made easier because we have the right makeup of players who are able to adapt.”
Leading the change will be Edwards, who has started under center since his sophomore year.
Edwards will have plenty of weapons to throw to, including junior Randall Milles (21 receptions, 269 yards) and senior Joe Rozzi.
The backfield will feature what Shaner refers to as “a three-headed monster” in Evan Erb, Javon Beshara and Shakir Perkins.
“Evan is a speedster, Javon is a bulldozer and Shakir is a combination of the two,” Shaner said.
The Rams also return four starting linemen.
DEFENSE
Much like the offense, the Rams defense has been revamped to showcase speed and athleticism.
Shaner said the defense “will be in attack mode at all times, with 11 players flying to the ball.”
Nick Wagner, the former Champion head coach, now serves as the Rams defensive coordinator. Shaner said that Wagner’s system fits in with the makeup of the team.
“A lot of those same skilled kids that we have on offense will be making plays on defense,” Shaner said. “I know that much of what we’re going to do this year on offense will get the attention of fans, but truthfully our biggest strength might be our defense. There is a great deal of potential.”
SPECIAL TEAMS
“We’re going to treat each kickoff, each punt return as a scoring opportunity,” Shaner said. “Our skilled players have the ability to make big things happen every time they touch the ball.”
The Rams also will benefit in the kicking game with the return of Gil Blair. Though just a sophomore, Blair already has a full varsity season under his belt.
“As a freshman, Gil had the potential from 40 yards out, and he’s only gotten stronger,” Shaner said. “We’re really going to lean on him to provide a weapon both on kickoffs and field goals.”
OUTLOOK
Injuries, a midseason coaching change and a roster of fewer than 20 players led to a 2-8 finish a year ago. However, the Rams return five starters on both offense and defense, including a number of three-year starters.
The increase in numbers also will greatly benefit Shaner’s style of play, which will test the endurance of the Rams and their opponents.
“It’s one thing for these kids to buy into our program, but on top of that they are very committed and the talent is there to make this happen,” Shaner said. “Our top goal is to be competitive in every game we play. We want to give ourselves a chance to win every time we walk onto the field.
“We have great admiration for teams like McDonald and Western Reserve who do it year in and year out. We want this to become an elite program that is battling for league titles and playoff berths on a regular basis.”