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Published Friday, August 01, 2008 in Sports

New chief, same tribe for Indians on day one

By Chris Goltermann

The Times-Herald

Besides the occasional mention of the obvious, East Coweta's first official day of fall practice for the 2008 season on Friday looked as routine as the 18 years previous under head coach Danny Cronic before his retirement this year.

The coaches and the players hadn't changed. Longtime trainer Lloyd Knott was once again making his routine runs back and forth from the school on his John Deere Gator.

But the word "different" sure got a lot of use as well on the Indians practice field under Cronic's successor and longtime assistant Clint Wade. From the way Friday's drills ran during the first 2 1/2 hour period to the surprising early final whistle, there was as much a new feel to ECHS football, as if one amazingly long chapter was closed and the words to a a new one were being written on its next page.

"I've been itching to get at it," said Wade. "Sitting in that office, looking at a (computer) screen. Paperwork. This [on the field] is more to my liking."

Not that the official Day One on the job didn't have it's share of hiccups. Even in his 16th year of East Coweta High football, there were new things to experience for Wade. Such as how a pair of shoulder pads went missing on the field, causing the coach to take a personal timeout to try and solve the issue.

"That's a new one," said Wade. "In all my years, I've never seen that one before."

Welcome to the complicated world of a head football coach.

Otherwise, things went as typical as any first practice in the humidity of an afternoon in early August in Sharpsburg, Georgia. The Indians went through passing and special teams drills before wrapping up its first two-a-day session 15 minutes early to get to a host of other early season items, from weigh-ins to athletes needing to finish their Ironman numbers in the weight room.

As for the coach-speak that Cronic became known for during an impressive career, Wade seemed to fit in just fine. His best line of the afternoon was given to scout teamers during kickoff drills, one that unfortunately was a good generation gap from being understood by a current teenager.

"You guys look like those electric football players out here going in all kinds of directions," he said.

There were noticeable change-ups thrown, however. Before going to special teams drills, assistant Tom Gochenour made note that every player would have "something to do," during the period, instead of standing on the sidelines.

"Right now, it's all about tempo," Wade told his team after practice. "If we pick it up, every day can be like this. If not, we'll stay as late as we have to, to get it done."

There won't be a whole lot of time on the field before East Coweta hits someone other than itself. The team's lone scrimmage against Starr's Mill is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 14, giving the team six days in pads to get acquainted.

"It's a good measurement to see where you stand," said Wade of the scrimmage. "We're going to find out real quick how good we are and how good we aren't."

Picked to finish fourth by Region 4-AAAA coaches among eight schools after reaching the second round of last year's Class AAAAA state playoffs, there may be plenty of unanswered questions heading into the 2008 season opener.

One thing seemed clear on day one, however, to some Indians players.

"It's really the same stuff, fast pace," said senior offensive center Ryan Storms. "We all have a lot of respect for Coach Cronic and we give Coach Wade a lot of the credit too."