PREVIEW: Chaffee football looks for continued development under new leadership

By Trent Singer ~ Southeast Missourian

Sunday, August 13, 2017

Terry Flannigan understands the kind of football team he's inherited at Chaffee, and his expectations fall in line with a program that has made steady progress over the past two seasons.

Flannigan takes over for his friend and former coach, Charlie Vickery, who guided the program for 16 seasons and led it to multiple milestones. With two separate stints as head coach at Scott City and a seven-year run as an assistant coach at Sikeston, Flannigan was familiar with the area long before being named Vickery's successor in March.

At Chaffee, the remnants of 2014's winless campaign are long gone. The Red Devils are coming off a 4-6 record last season, while a core group of young players continue to develop.

From left, Breven Yarbro, Devohn Foulk, Jaxon Van Pelt and Landon Tenkhoff.

Andrew J. Whitaker

A retired teacher, Flannigan said it's been a challenge to get to know his new team on a personal level, but that hasn't stopped him from enjoying the moment.

"It's been a fun time," Flannigan said. "I've got a good group of kids. That's what makes it enjoyable. ... Our big thing right now is we've got to stay strong, stay physical, stay healthy and just keep putting our nose to the grindstone.

"There's a lot of people who are afraid of that four letter word -- W-O-R-K. If you don't work, you don't have a chance, and if you're not physical, you'll never have a chance."

The Red Devils lost twice to rival Scott City last season, including a 41-26 defeat that ended their season in the first round of the Class 1 District 1 tournament.

But atop the district, nothing has changed. Despite falling in the Class 1 semifinals to end a three-year reign as state champion, Valle Catholic remains a perennial powerhouse, and Flannigan is well aware of which team his players are chasing.

"To be the man, you've got to beat the man. Right now, Valle's the man," Flannigan said. "Our goal is to get to where we can compete with them and have a chance in the playoffs. If you can beat them, you've got a chance to win it all."

Chaffee's Jaxon Van Pelt

Andrew J. Whitaker

Offense

Junior quarterback Landon Tenkhoff returns to lead the Red Devils' offense after being named an All-SEMO Conference West Athlete in 2016.

Tenkhoff carried the ball 196 times for 1,255 yards and also had 1,063 yards and 11 touchdowns through the air, completing 93 of 192 passes (48.4 percent).

"He's a playmaker," Flannigan said about Tenkhoff. "He leads by example. When he's not around, we kind of just go through the motions, moping a little bit. Then all of a sudden, he's out there during a series, and the kids all pick it up. They look to him for that leadership. They feel confident when he's on the field that we've got a chance."

Whether he's under center, lined up at wide receiver or in the backfield, Tenkhoff will be asked to do a little bit of everything in Flannigan's offense.

"He's done a great job," Flannigan said. "He's still learning the running back position a little bit and this and that. But we just stick him in there, and it's a play or two later, he's figured it all out. He's a real quick learner, can grasp everything. He's a heck of an athlete."

The offensive line will need to replace a key starter in Auggie Knutson, who was a third team all-state selection and the SEMO Conference West offensive lineman of the year, but bringing back four players who saw significant starting time should be an asset.

Junior Kade Sullivan, junior Ethan Schroeder, senior Devohn Foulk and senior Jason Myers will be fixtures up front. Foulk is a three-year starter, while Sullivan is setting the tempo for everyone else.

"He does a tremendous job," Flannigan said about Sullivan. "He's a very physical kid. He's one who we're trying to get the rest to sort of follow his lead."

Brandon Spies and Casey Clover are among a group of sophomores who Flannigan expects to incorporate in the trenches.

Junior Dalton Wilson and sophomore Mason Cook are expected to lead the way at running back, while sophomore Wyatt Parker will serve as the team's backup quarterback.

At wide receiver, there are a number of players in the mix. Juniors Kaleb Ballard, Dylan Pepple and Breven Yarbro are among the frontrunners, along with senior Jaxon Van Pelt.

Flannigan believes in a run-based offense but said he'll incorporate anything from a no-back set to a three-back set, depending on how the defense is aligned.

"I just believe you've got to be able to run the ball to pass the ball," Flannigan said. "A lot of people now today think they've got to pass to run. It's whatever best suits you, but when it comes down to time and you're down there on the 1- or 2-yard line and you've got to get it in, you've got to be physical and change the line of scrimmage and strike people.

"We talk every day about being physical and giving ourselves a chance because we're not a fast team. We don't have a lot of speed. ... We have to be physical. That's just the bottom line."

Chaffee's Devohn Foulk

Andrew J. Whitaker

Defense/ST

Flannigan said the strength of the Red Devils' defense will be at inside linebacker, with Sullivan and Van Pelt.

Tenkhoff, who was an all-conference defensive back last season, will move to outside linebacker, but Flannigan is still looking for the right player on the opposite side.

Yarbro, Ballard and Parker will lead Chaffee's secondary, while several sophomores could also be in the mix.

"We've got three or four younger kids who are kind of surprising us," Flannigan said. "It's a building process. Between the coaches and me being new and a whole different style of offense and everything else, it's a growing process, but it's moving along."

Flannigan said the defensive line could see six or seven players rotating in and out, but the team's front four remains uncertain.

"I told the kids when I first met them. I said, 'Here's how we're going to do it. We'll play the best 11, the best 13, the best 17, whatever. You guys control that part,'" Flannigan said.

The defensive focus will be geared toward stopping the run, as Flannigan plans to run a split four defense.

"I watched a little bit of film from last year, and we had a lot of standing around. ... What happens if somebody makes the tackle and causes a fumble? What happens if that guy misses the tackle? You've got to be right there," Flannigan said. "We've got to swarm and run to the ball. Sometimes we're not the greatest tacklers, but if you've got six, seven, eight, nine people around the ball carrier, that makes a little bit of difference."

Gage Yount will handle punting and kicking duties, while Ballard and Tenkhoff will be in the mix as return specialists.