KINGDOM CITY, Mo. - In an effort to be more efficient, North Callaway Thunderbirds head football coach Kevin O'Neal is doing more delegating when it comes to reassigning duties among his assistants.
North Callaway will debut new offensive and defensive coordinators when it launches the 2015 season today at home against Class 4 Mexico (7 p.m. kickoff). The Thunderbirds went 6-5 in 2014 in O'Neal's first season.
Longtime North Callaway assistant Reid Randolph will take over as OC, with O'Neal relinquishing the responsibilities after seven seasons. Randolph has been the Thunderbirds' DC the past six years, having previously served as offensive coordinator before swapping duties with O'Neal and moving to the defensive side.
O'Neal will not return to the DC position, instead giving it to assistant coach Ross Rosenbaum.
The moves give O'Neal the flexibility to spread his attention as head coach to all facets of the squad.
"It's tough for me to give up that side of the ball because I really enjoy calling offense," O'Neal said. "This allows me to do a lot more things defensively and a lot more things with all of the other kids, and make sure that the team is where I need it to be - everywhere."
O'Neal didn't want to divulge specifics about offensive changes that would be made under Randolph.
"Reid is very excited; he's always had kind of that offensive mindset and used it on the defensive side of the ball," O'Neal said. "Now I think he's very comfortable running the offense and I'm excited about that.
"Some of the things that we're going to do this year offensively, he has experience with, and so I wanted to make sure he was able to use that experience."
Rosenbaum is entering his second year as an assistant at North Callaway and is also the Thunderbirds' wrestling coach.
"He is a fiery young coach," O'Neal said. "That's what I wanted on the defensive side of the ball, not that Reid wasn't fiery, but Ross brings a different aspect there just being young and being new to it, and excited about what he's getting to do. That enthusiasm on the defensive side of the ball is what I'm excited about from him."
Bringing the discussion back to North Callaway's offense, one of Randolph's top tasks will be to ease 5-foot-11 junior Milo Henry into the role of starting quarterback after Cole Branson graduated.
"Milo has picked up the system and is working on timing with all of that, and doing the things we need him to do," O'Neal said. "I think he's going to do a great job there."
Henry's transition will be aided by the return of four starters at skill positions - senior Tyler Mattes (5-9) and junior Wyatt Branson (5-10) at running back, junior split end A.J. Stubblefield (5-8) and junior tight end J.T. Higgins (6-0). Senior split end Manzell Payne (5-10) also returns.
Mattes rushed for 281 yards (5.1 average) and a touchdown last year, while leading the Thunderbirds with 28 catches for 367 yards (13.1 average) and three scores. Branson - moving into the backfield from a receiver spot - had 22 receptions for a team-high 467 yards (21.2 average) and five touchdowns.
"Tyler is very quick and elusive, and has decent speed," O'Neal said. "Wyatt has that decent speed, a little more of a power runner, more of a downhill runner. We'll get a little more strength from Wyatt in the middle and then Tyler is going to have that explosiveness in the open field."
Stubblefield totaled 15 catches in 2014 for 350 yards (23.3 average) and shared the team lead with six touchdowns. Higgins was second for North Callaway in rushing last season with 682 yards (5.1 average) and three scores, but moved to tight end this season because of team needs.
Sophomore Austin Edwards (5-8) will also see playing time at slot receiver.
"Those guys have worked very hard at blocking, actually," O'Neal said. "I've challenged them this offseason to become better blockers on the perimeter, and they've definitely stepped up to that challenge.
"All of them run very good routes, have good hands, so they're going to give us those threats when we get the defense suckered in on the run."
North Callaway's two other offensive starters are seniors George Jones (5-9) and Lance Starkey (6-1) at left guard and left tackle, respectively. Rounding out the offensive line are sophomore Marques Folbre' (6-1) at right guard and sophomore Clark Zerr (5-9) at right tackle, while senior Nick Forgy (5-6) and sophomore Josh Hudson (5-8) are vying to start at center.
"A lot of those guys are going to have to play on both sides of the ball, so we need them to get into game-time shape," O'Neal said.
Jones - third on the team in tackles last year with 79 tackles (39 solo) - is also back as a starter at defensive tackle and will pair up with Folbre' at that position. Starkey and Zerr will hold down the defensive end spots.
Leading candidates for the Thunderbirds at linebacker will be Branson - moving up from strong safety - and a newcomer, Jordon Delashmit (6-0). Branson totaled 37 tackles (16 solo) and came up with two interceptions last season.
Stubblefield and Payne will man the cornerback positions in the North Callaway secondary, while Mattes and sophomore Adam Reno (5-11) will line up at safety.
The Thunderbirds face a stern test tonight against Mexico. North Callaway bowed to the Bulldogs 35-12 at Mexico last season in O'Neal's debut.
"You're starting with a team that's going to come out and hit you in the mouth, and get off the ball and pound it at you," O'Neal said. "We know that they're solid and have some great players back from last year."
If the Thunderbirds can sidestep a rash of injuries, O'Neal believes they can hold their own as the season plays out.
"I think we're going to be very competitive, talent-wise," O'Neal said. "I'm very pleased with our skill positions, we're going to have to develop some linemen and make sure that they're ready to go, but I'm excited to see what we can do with the talent that we have.
"The concern that I have is mental toughness, making sure that we can face adversity and continue to improve."
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Tonight: North Callaway hosts Mexico - Updates on Twitter: @FultonSunSports. Listen live online: kxeo.com (Mexico)
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North Callaway Schedule
Here is the schedule for the North Callaway football team. All games start at 7 p.m. TBA -To Be Announced:
Aug. 21 Mexico
Aug. 28 Tipton
Sept. 4 at Bowling Green
Sept. 11 Montgomery County
Sept. 18 at Mark Twain
Sept. 25 South Callaway
Oct. 2 at Clopton/Elsberry
Oct. 9 Wright City
Oct. 16 at Van/Far
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. 27 State championship, at Edward Jones Dome, TBA
*Site TBD