When Kevin O'Neal expressed interest in replacing longtime head football coach Mike Emmons at North Callaway, he sought the counsel of South Callaway head coach Tim Rulo.
A friendship with Rulo then started to take shape after O'Neal - the Thunderbirds' offensive coordinator and a 1994 North Callaway graduate - was eventually named as Emmons' successor back in January.
"I spent some time talking to him about some expectations to have as a head coach and some things that he did, because he's very successful with his program," O'Neal said Tuesday afternoon. "Tim is a guy that wants to help as many people as he can.
"... He's helped me out quite a bit with a lot of things and we've kind of developed that relationship."
Rulo noted that it was important to him to offer any insight O'Neal needed to take that next step up the coaching ladder.
"Kevin is an awesome guy and I'm so happy for him that he got that job," Rulo said after South Callaway's practice Tuesday night. "... Just like any coach, I want to help coaches to be able to do the best they can, and help their kids out the best they can - whatever that's going to look like.
"I'm an open book when it comes to that kind of stuff."
O'Neal's Thunderbirds will face off against Rulo's Bulldogs tonight when North Callaway travels to unbeaten and state-ranked South Callaway for the annual Callaway Cup rivalry game. The contest will also be an Eastern Missouri Conference matchup since the Bulldogs are in their first year as a member. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
O'Neal and Rulo visit on a weekly basis to discuss their respective football seasons and upcoming opponents, as well as the world outside of the game. Their talks are made simpler by the fact their families live a couple of streets apart in the Southwinds Lake Estates subdivision in the far southeastern part of Fulton.
"(We talk about) how to get the most out of young men and train them to be successful in life, not just in football," O'Neal said. "He has some of those same beliefs that I do."
Rulo added that he and O'Neal equally share advice.
"Really, our goal is just to try to help each other out," Rulo said. "I feel like it's a very mutually beneficial relationship and it's been great. I've enjoyed it.
"I was blessed; I had a good relationship with Mike and now it's carried over to Kevin."
III
SOUTH CALLAWAY CARRIES a five-game winning streak against North Callaway into tonight's clash. The Bulldogs - ranked No. 3 in Class 2 - have faced little resistance in building a 5-0 season record and 3-0 mark in the EMO. Coming off a 55-6 conference romp at Wright City last week, South Callaway - which has still not played its starters for an entire game this season - has outscored its opponents by a one-sided 297-50 margin.
"We work really hard to get where we are," O'Neal said. "If you have a slip-up, especially this week against a team the caliber of South Callaway, it could set you back a couple of weeks.
"If you slip up this week, they're going to take advantage of it. That's what they do - defensively, special teams-wise and offensively. So we have to make sure, in every facet of the game, that we're ready to play football."
The Thunderbirds, meanwhile, are riding some momentum of their own after last week's 41-18 homecoming triumph over EMO foe Mark Twain. The victory was the second in a row for North Callaway, which bumped its season record to 3-2 and improved to 2-1 in conference play.
"I think there's a good buzz around the program right now," Rulo said. "I think people are excited and they're happy. Hopefully it will lend itself to a really good game."
III
NORTH CALLAWAY'S DEFENSE has been a strength all season, but will receive its toughest challenge tonight against South Callaway's dynamic flexbone spread option.
Senior slot receiver Mason Shoemaker leads the Bulldogs in rushing with 266 yards (15.6 average) and has scored five touchdowns, while fellow senior slot receiver Cory Hanger has gained 261 yards (15.4 average) and also scored five times. Senior quarterback Troy Hentges has rushed for 236 yards (11.8 average) and a team-high eight touchdowns, followed by senior running back Dakoda Ballard with 151 yards (6.9 average) and four scores.
Hentges has completed 14-of-20 passes for 317 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions. Senior wide receiver Dylan Hare has a team-high five catches for 94 yards (18.8 average) and two scores, while senior wide receiver Luke Horstman has three grabs for 100 yards (33.3 average) and two touchdowns.
"Coach Rulo does a great job of breaking down the other opponent and executing, and doing what they want to do," O'Neal said. "... They take advantage of weaknesses that you have on defense, so if you're overpursuing or if you're not doing your job, they'll notice that and take advantage."
O'Neal explained that the Thunderbirds' defensive unit - collectively and singularly - can't stray from its task when trying to keep a rein on the Bulldogs.
"A lot of times, especially with a team like South Callaway that has some special players on it, some guys may come off their assignment to try to help out with something else," O'Neal said. "... We have to make sure we're playing assignment football and we're doing our jobs on every play."
Rulo, meanwhile, had high praise for North Callaway's defense, which limited Mark Twain to just six points and 113 net yards last week before turning the game over to the backups in the second half.
Senior linebackers Michael Pezold and Trevor Crisp top the Thunderbirds with 54 and 31 tackles, respectively, while junior tackle George Jones has 24 stops.
"(Coordinator) Reid Randolph does a great job with his defense, and he always has," Rulo said. "I've always felt like their defense has been good, it's been very salty, they've done a good job, they're very sound.
"They scheme well against teams. ... There's always some nuances that I struggle even figuring out what they're doing, to be quite honest."
Rulo stressed that it will be critical for the Bulldogs to control movement on the line of scrimmage tonight.
"We've got to figure out, quickly, what they're doing and we just need to be physical up front," Rulo said. "... Our area of improvement is that we had to improve our blocking - whether that was physicality, sustaining, communication, interior, perimeter. We just have to block better."
III
NORTH CALLAWAY ACHIEVED some offensive balance last week with its 389 total yards, including 183 rushing. Senior quarterback Cole Branson was also 10-of-18 passing for 216 yards with three touchdowns and an interception.
Branson connected with sophomore wide receiver A.J. Stubblefield on scoring strikes of 53 and 59 yards, while also hitting freshman wide receiver Austin Edwards on a 33-yard touchdown pass. Sophomore running back J.T. Higgins paced the Thunderbirds with a game-high 110 yards rushing on just nine carries and bolted 43 yards for a score early in the fourth quarter.
Branson also picked up 90 yards on only six touches and had a 4-yard touchdown run.
"I see a team that's really found an identity," Rulo said. "They're going to try to run the ball, they're going to do it in multiple ways - either with their quarterback or their running back.
"Then there's the development of their passing game, just this maturation of Cole and his work. I know that's all the time he's spending with Kevin (as offensive coordinator) - whether that be in the offseason or during the season."
Rulo emphasized that South Callaway's defense can't give the Thunderbirds chances to make big plays.
"We've got to align properly and tackle well," Rulo said. "Those are things we pride ourselves on, and so it's a continuation of that. North Callaway is a quality opponent and so that means that we're going to have to raise our level to be able to play at the level that they're going to bring."
Likewise, O'Neal said the Thunderbirds have to be concerned about the Bulldogs' opportunistic defense, which has scored five touchdowns this season. South Callaway produced two defensive scores last week - an 18-yard interception return by Hare from his linebacker spot and junior linebacker Dillon Stone's fumble return from about 25 yards out.
"Defensively, they study a lot of film - you can tell - and they're assignment-oriented as well," O'Neal said. "... They're going to take away some things that they think you do well and make you do some different things."
O'Neal pointed out North Callaway's offense can't allow takeaways by the Bulldogs.
"We have to take care of the football, we can't give it to them, because they're going to try to get the football from us," O'Neal said.
When the Thunderbirds have to punt tonight, O'Neal also knows they can't kick it directly to Hanger, who has four punt returns for touchdowns this season. He ran back a punt 52 yards for a score last week against Wright City. Hanger has also had two punt returns for touchdowns wiped out by penalties.
"That's another question I asked Tim on Saturday, "Why do people keeping punting to the guy?' I don't know why," O'Neal said. "He's a very special athlete, and so we want to make sure that we're doing the things to not give him the advantage."
III
RULO EXPECTS THIS year's installment of the Callaway Cup to be friendly - and certainly competitive.
"I would like to think that it's ... a positive rivalry, one that's going to make us better," Rulo said. "I would say for us, specifically, we talked very much about, hey, we need to go in and we've got to focus on what we do.
"... In the end, it's a football game where two teams are just playing each other."
O'Neal shared a similar sentiment.
"I think it's a friendly rivalry, with Tim and I knowing each other the way we know each other," O'Neal said. "These kids know each other, too, on both teams.
"But it's football, so when you go out there on Friday night, you want to go out there and beat the other team. That's the attitude you have to have, whoever you're playing on Friday night."