This is nothing new for Tim Rulo. But he believes he's better prepared this time.
"New is always new," the new Helias head football coach said as he prepared to lead the Crusaders into tonight's opener at Nixa. "There's going to be growing pains. Trust, buying in, verbage."
Rulo comes to Helias after seven seasons at South Callaway, including a trip to the Class 2 state championship game last fall.
"I'm a much better coach than I was seven years ago," Rulo said. "You're always learning."
Rulo spent the summer teaching the Crusaders his way of doing things.
"The approach to practice, the approach to scouting reports, the emphasis on different things," he said. "It's a little different than the way they've done it in the past."
Trust is the biggest hurdle to clear.
"You try to win everybody over as much as you can," Rulo said. "You need to get everybody to buy in because you don't want them thinking this will never work because it's different than before."
If trust is No. 1, patience is a close second.
"It took a couple of years for things to really get rolling at South Callaway," Rulo said. "It's a learning process for everybody - the players, the coaches, the fans.
"The expectations are higher here than when I started at South Callaway, I know that. But I really believe in what we're doing."
This first season will be a process.
"I want to get better, I want to see how we improve from game to game," Rulo said. "After the game is over, they turn the scoreboard off and it's time to go back to work for the next week. Every week is a test."
III
THE MOST OBVIOUS change will be on the offensive side of the football.
For nearly a decade, the Crusaders have operated out of a spread formation. But Rulo has installed the more run-oriented veer.
"This wasn't an ego thing, changing the offense," he said. "We graduated everybody off the offensive line and the guys we have back really aren't pass-blockers. We just don't have the enormous guys who can do that right now."
Rulo embraced the veer when was offensive coordinator at South Callaway. The Bulldogs were a spread team, but were struggling to put points on the scoreboard.
"We were getting pummelled and we didn't have enough linemen to really do it," Rulo said. "It wasn't happening."
So he looked around at different offenses and thought the veer would be the best option.
"The formations were similar to a spread, but it was an option game," Rulo said.
With a group of small offensive linemen, the Bulldogs finished 6-5 in his first year as head coach.
"We could run it, we could throw it and I knew we'd be OK," Rulo said. "And we just got better with it and we won a ton of games with it."
Alex Faddoul returns at quarterback for the Crusaders. The senior earned all-state honors last year, throwing for nearly 2,432 yards and 23 touchdowns. He also rushed for nearly 900 yards on speed-option runs and scrambles.
"Alex is an athlete first," Rulo said. "He can throw it a country mile, but he has the ability to run with the football. He's shown that he can make plays. It will be a good fit."
Instead of taking the snap in the shotgun, Faddoul will be under center this season.
"He's been patient, he's not there yet, but we don't expect him to be," Rulo said. "It's a process for him just like it is for everybody else."
Rulo stressed the Crusaders will still throw the ball this season, noting the nine passes in last Friday's Jamboree.
"You can run the option and still throw the ball," he said.
Two juniors - Curtis Campbell and Chandler Luebbert - are the primary backups.
"They are both good studies, they've been patient and have been learning the offense," Rulo said. "They are going to battle it out."
Malik Davis will be Helias' primary running back. Davis, a senior, ran for 865 yards last season on 115 carries on his way to earning all-district honors.
"He brings a lot to the table," Rulo said. "We are looking for more consistency, but he has great ability. Malik is physical, he has breakaway speed with good balance.
"Malik is going to touch the ball, he's going to get his share of carries."
Mason Field, a senior, and juniors Jake Burnett and Kaleb Davis are among the reserve running backs.
"We want to be a more physical, downhill running team," Rulo said.
In the veer, two players are set as wings just off the offensive tackles as slot backs.
"They have to be versatile football players because they're going to have to run the football, catch the football and be able to block," Rulo said. "It's a crucial position in our offense."
Weston Porter, a senior, and junior Jacob Storms figure to see a lot of time at the position.
Porter did a little bit of everything for the Crusaders last year, rushing for 201 yards and totaling 379 yards of receiving to earn all-district honors.
"He's a heady football player who does the little things really well," Rulo said. "He's a great student of the game."
Storms also saw extensive time at running back last year.
"Jacob is a great athlete who can be an exciting player," Rulo said. "He has an extra gear, which is something you're looking for."
Also figuring in to the mix at slot back are seniors Alex Werner and Jordan Kemple, along with junior Dylan Gaines. Nolan Sachse, a senior who is battling a foot injury, will also see time at the position.
Adam Bax and Kale Gerstner, both seniors, will start at receiver. Also figuring to see time at the position are seniors T.J. Hagenhoff, juniors Joe Randazzo, Zach Stiles, Dalton Weaver and Nash Harvey, and sophomore Nathan Bax.
"We have a bunch of guys who are above-average athletes who can go out there and do the job," Rulo said. "Everybody brings something to the table.
"We don't have a guy who is going to catch 1,000 or 1,500 yards. But we have a lot of guys who can get their share of yards."
On the line, junior Caleb Albertson will start at left tackle and junior Sam Clardy will start at left guard. Jacob Wolken, a senior, was slated to start at center before being injured. Zach Scheuler, a junior, will now start in that spot. Dylan Grawe, a senior, will start at right guard, while junior Sheldon Schulte will start at right tackle.
Justin Prenger, a junior, will also see time on the line as will senior Cole Johnson, who is currently injured.
"It's a group of guys with limited varsity experience," Rulo said. "We are just trying to get these guys ready. If this group can stay together and stay healthy, it can be a good group."
III
ON THE DEFENSIVE side, the changes aren't as drastic.
"Really, it's just a few little things," Rulo said. "The untrained eye really wouldn't notice many differences."
The Crusaders will be replacing all of their starters on the defensive line as well.
Among the players figuring to see time up front are junior Mason Schaefer, Scheuler, Field and Clardy.
"We're not enormous, but we've got some speed and we can be tough to handle," Rulo said. "We've got a lot of depth."
Malik Davis will see time at nose guard.
"He's so quick, it's hard for people to handle him," Rulo said.
The Crusaders do return three starters at linebacker - Burnett, Adam Bax and Gaines.
"They are a group of high-energy players," Rulo said.
Logan Distler, a senior, is the other starter at linebacker.
"I've been very impressed with Logan," Rulo said. "He's done a lot of good things for us."
In the secondary, Sachse will look to build off his all-district season last year when he returns. Also in the mix for playing time are Werner, Gerstner, Kemple, Stiles, Porter, Randazzo and Storms.
"They're all about the same, we won't have any fall-off if somebody goes down," Rulo said. "We know what we're going to get with them on the field."
III
HELIAS HAS PRIDED itself on outstanding special teams through the years and this season should be no different.
Sam Heckart, a junior kicker, will split time with the soccer team again this season. Hagenhoff will also handle some kicking duties. Faddoul returns at punter.
Porter will be back at long snapper and holder on extra points and field goals. Wolken or Albertson will be the snapper on those kicks.
The captains this season are Distler, Faddoul, Porter and Werner.
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Helias at Nixa - Updates on Twitter: @tjrackers. Listen live online: kwos.com
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Helias Schedule
Here is the schedule for the Helias football team. All games start at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. TBA - To Be Announced.
Aug. 21 at Nixa
Aug. 28 at Hannibal
Sept. 4 Belleville (Ill.) Althoff
Sept. 12 Hickman
Sept. 18 at Battle
Sept. 26 St. James Academy (Lenexa, Kan.)
Oct. 3 Rock Bridge
Oct. 9 at Rockhurst
Oct. 16 at Sullivan
Oct. 23 District opener*
Oct. 30 District semifinal*
Nov. 6 District championship*
Nov. 14 Quarterfinals, 1:30 p.m.
Nov. 21 Semifinals, 1:30 p.m.
Nov. 28 State championship, at Edward Jones Dome, TBA
*Site TBA