SHEFFIELD — Chris Korbar understands just how unique his situation is.
The second-year Sheffield head coach isn’t sure who will be on the practice field from day-to-day, and in fact, Korbar wasn’t even permitted to give out a full roster until some of the kids received the proper media clearance a few days into practice.
The Wolverines — operating under a co-operative agreement with Abraxas Youth & Family Services — had over 30 kids attend the first week of summer workouts. It’s the largest number in several years, and Korbar is cautiously optimistic his roster will stay mostly intact for the season opener against Smethport in Week 0.
“That’s the love and hate relationship with the co-op,” he said. “Because of how our program is and what we do each year, it can change at any given moment and at any given time with the co-op and what we may have behavior-wise at our counterpart. But this year, having gotten the kids together so far, I like what I’m seeing.”
Korbar and his charges have the tall task of turning around a program that has not won a game since the 2016 season.
Last year’s team managed a total of just 38 points over nine losses, including three lopsided shutouts by at least 47 points.
It didn’t help that Sheffield lost its starting quarterback on the first drive of the first game last year with a serious knee injury.
“Offensive side of the ball we need to score points and move the ball. It’s that simple,” Korbar said. “We have to have the mental toughness and execute. That was the biggest thing last year was the failed execution. You look at film, we left 20-30 points on the board last year easily with simple execution.”
As for some lessons Korbar learned during that trying season, he said that they are aplenty, but none more so than being realistic with his team.
“Don’t set high expectations right out of the gate,” he said. “Learn to know what you have, and kind of go with it.”
The Wolverines return eight letterwinners from last year’s team, including Walker Kyler. Korbar calls Kyler the ‘Swiss Army Knife’ of the offense and said that he will play a prominent role both under center and out of the backfield. Kyler will also serve as the team’s kicker in 2019.
Caden Smead, another returning letterwinner that plays multiple positions on both sides of the ball, has preached a new attitude to his younger teammates in hopes of turning around the team’s fortunes.
“Kids are used to the ‘Sheffield mentality’ where you messed up on this play, so you are going to lose the game,” he said. “We have to keep getting their heads up and get the last play out of their heads and make sure you don’t do the same exact thing the next play.”
Sheffield’s offense did manage four touchdowns over the final three weeks of the 2018 campaign, and that his given Korbar reason for optimism with that unit — so long as his team can finish off drives. New faces Aujumin Sloppy-Washington, Jurnell Osborne and Mishon Price will all compete for playing time on the offensive side of the ball at the skill positions.
Defensively, Korbar’s hoping that a core group of returners, including senior linebackers Kevin Marfink and Jacob Disshon, will take a more forceful approach to remake that unit.
Sheffield allowed 340 points to its opponents in 2018.
“(The key is) just guys knowing their role and being in position,” Korbar said. “We plan on being a bit more aggressive and assertive this year and not so laid back. We just want to attack.”
While the uncertainty surrounding the program and who will be able to line up is nothing new for Korbar or his players, Kyler said that he and his teammates are embracing the challenge of helping to turn around the program and score a victory for the first time in over 20 tries.
“As players and upperclassmen, I feel the best way is to get the younger kids involved as much as possible and to get the underclassmen involved as much as possible and show that Sheffield football is something that you want to be a part of,” he said. “Overall, to bring football back into the community and show that’s what the town can be built around and that’s what we can bring everyone together for.”
Without lights, Sheffield will play its five home games at 1:30 p.m. on Saturdays throughout the fall.
THE RETURNING starters,
Walker Kyler, senior, 5-6, 170, quarterback/running back/defensive back
Caden Smead, senior, 5-9, 140, wide receiver/defensive back
Brennin Lester, senior, 6-3, 225, lineman both ways
Jacob Disshon, senior, 5-6, 155, running back/linebacker
Kevin Marfink, senior, 5-9, 140, running back/linebacker
Jacob Disshon, senior, 5-6, 155, running back/linebacker
Jakob Vinopal, junior, 6-1, 165, tight end/defensive back
Jake Davidson, junior, 5-8, 195, lineman both ways
THE PLAYERS, by position
Offense
Quarterbacks: Aujumin Sloppy-Washington (jr., 6-2, 170), Kyler, Vinopal
Running backs: Marfink, Jurnell Osborne (jr., 6-1, 185), Disshon, Kyler, Jihad Bennett (sr., 5-9, 185), Shane Groy (sr., 5-6, 165)
Ends/receivers: Smead, Mishon Prince (sr., 5-9, 150), Tony Richards (so., 5-9, 170), Tyzee Wade (so., 5-9, 150), Nick Wilson (jr., 5-8, 145), Jesse Goff (sr., 5-9, 155), Garrett Waters (fr., 5-9, 150), Matt Lobdell (fr., 5-8, 165)
Guards/tackles: Moises Ruiz (jr., 5-10, 265), Hasim Trimble (sr., 5-10, 195), Danoh Campbell (so., 5-9, 235), Wyatt Lindsey (so., 5-9, 235), Davidson, Collin Drinko (sr., 6-0, 205)
Centers: Nasir Bradley (sr., 5-10, 195), Ethan Confer (fr., 5-9, 180), Holden Sheatz (sr., 5-10, 175), Mory Muzzy (so. 5-6, 140)
Defense
Ends: Drinko, Richards, Confer, Muzzy, Sheatz, Lobdell, Anderson
Guards/tackles: Ruiz, Trimble, Lester, Campbell, Lindsey, Bradley
Linebackers: Disshon, Davidson, Bennett, Grey, Mead, Marfink
Defensive backs: Smead, Price, Osborne, Wade, Wilson, Sloppy-Washington
Kicker: Kyler
THE SCHEDULE
August
23 – at Smethport, 7 p.m.
31 – Union/A-C Valley, 1:30 p.m.
September
7 – Coudersport, 1:30 p.m.
13 – at Redbank Valley, 7 p.m.
21 – Cameron County, 1:30 p.m.
27 – at Keystone, 7 p.m.
October
5 – Port Allegany, 1:30 p.m.
12 – Elk County Catholic, 1:30 p.m.
18 – at Otto-Eldred, 7 p.m.
