Iola

(Last year’s result in parentheses) Aug. 27 at Thrall (DNP) 7:30 p.m. Sept. 3 Normangee (DNP) 7:30 p.m. Sept. 10 Lovelady (12-28) 7:30 p.m. Sept. 17 Tomball Christian (DNP) TBA Sept. 24 *Snook (14-42) 7 p.m. Oct. 1 *at Somerville (42-36) 7 p.m. Oct. 8 *#Bartlett (49-18) 7 p.m. Oct. 15 at Granger (16-43) 7 p.m. Oct. 22 *Milano (51-13) 7 p.m. Oct. 29 open Nov. 5 *at Burton 7 p.m. *13-2A Division II games; #Homecoming

FACTS

Head coach — Kerry Bamburg (34-38 overall, 8-11 at Iola) Assistant coaches — offensive coordinator Colton Maiorka, defensive coordinator Jayme Timm, Jason Jolly, Kenneth Almstedt District — 13-2A Division II 2020 record — 4-4 (4-2, tied for 3rd) 2020 playoffs — bi-district: Eldorado, 44-51 Returning lettermen — 14 (4 offensive, 6 defensive starters) Key returners — QB Brian Crosby, jr. (2nd A-D); LB Wesley Alexander, jr. (2nd A-D); LB Coy Elliott, sr. (2nd A-D); DB Cullen Walton, soph. (HM A-D); WR-DB Philip England (HM A-D); TE-LB Clayton Stafford (HM A-D) Key losses — WR/RB/DB Case Creamer (A-D both ways); OL/DL Spencer Quinlan (A-D both ways); RB/LB Chad Guidry (A-D both ways); WR Cale Gould (2nd A-D); OL/DL Colby Sechelski (2nd A-D both ways); OL-DL Reese Hiett (HM A-D); OL Anthony Robbins (HM A-D) All-time record — 401-357-17

Playoff appearances/record —

21 (20-20-1)

Playoff appearances (21) —

1939, 1960, 1991-95, 1998-99, 2001, 2005-06, 2012-20

Revamped offense in Iola’s 2021 plans

Bulldogs ’ Crosby, England will be working in version of Wing-T scheme

ROBERT CESSNA

robert.cessna@theeagle.com

The Iola Bulldogs are banking on a new attitude and revamped offense leading to a winning season.

Offensive coordinator Colton Maiorka, one of three new offensive coaches, has the Bulldogs running a variation of the WingT from a shotgun formation. The Bulldogs last year ran an offense based on Wing-T and single wing principles.

“There’s a lot of similarities, but I think it fits what our kids do,” third-year head coach Kerry Bamburg said. “We have a lot of misdirection, a lot of angles, a lot of [linemen] pulls.”

The transition started in last season’s 51-44 bi-district loss to Eldorado, which easily took a 22-0 lead. The stagnant Bulldogs, 17-point underdogs, changed up things by using fake pitches, misdirection and even a couple pretend fumbles in roaring back to get within a touchdown.

“That game left a bad taste in our mouth,” Bamburg said. “We didn’t start as well as we should have, and we played catch up the whole time.”

It didn’t help Iola’s psyche that Eldorado was forced to forfeit the following week because of COVID-19.

“So these guys who came back, they’re playing with a little bit of

ROSTER

2 WR/DB Philip England, sr.; 3 WR/DB Caden Jordan, soph.; 4 WR/DB Cale Creamer, jr.; 6 WR/LB Kyler Dreher, soph.; 7 RB/DB Kage Lee, soph.; 8 TE/ LB Clayton Stafford, sr.; 9 WR/DB Cullen Walton, soph.; 10 WR/DB John Mark England, soph.; 15 Dustin Crosby, fr.; 17 WR/DB Josh Brockett, fr.; 20 QB/DB Brian Crosby, jr.; 24 RB/DB Blake Bennett, soph.; 25 RB/LB Brandon Smith, fr.; 28 OL/PK Daniel Rios, jr.; 30 WR/LB Damian Womack, fr.; 33 RB/ LB Coy Elliott; 40 WR/DB AJ Pointer, fr.; 44 WR/LB Wesley Alexander, jr.; 50 OL/DL Grant Goodney, fr.; 52 OL/DL Levi Hunn, jr.; 53 OL/DL Dylan Abney, jr.; 54 OL/DL Turner Fleming, fr.; 55 WR/LB Christian Ashford, fr.; 56 OL/LB Cade Walton, jr.; 57 OL/LB Cadence Shive, soph.; 58 OL/DL Brandon Perez, jr.; 60 OL/DL Junior Juarez, fr.; 70 LB/PK Chris Arzola, soph.; 73 OL/DL Robert Thomas, fr.; 74 OL/DL Cason Walton, fr.; 75 OL/DL Justin Reeves, jr.; 76 OL/DL Michael Thomas, fr.; 77 OL/DL Braden Zac-Padgett, soph.; 78 OL/ DL Shelton Johnson, sr.

a chip on their shoulder,” Bamburg said.“If you’re going to go out, go out with our best effort, and we feel like we didn’t give our best effort, so they’ve worked hard this summer.”

Leading the charge for Iola is junior Brian Crosby, a second-team all-district quarterback.

“The game’s slowing down for him,” Bamburg said. “He’s got those first-year jitters and knocks out of the way. He’s seeing the field. His vision is better. He’s become that vocal leader on the field, which is what we expect our quarterback to do. He’s assumed that role.”

Crosby is a dual threat, which is a good thing since Iola has five new offensive linemen, including two freshmen.

“We’ve got them young,” Bamburg said. “That’s good, because they don’t have any other schemes to compare it to, but they’re young. They have a lot of learning to do, and most of them played junior high ball last year.”

The group is being molded by first-year line coach Kenneth Almstedt.

“We’re tall this year,” Bamburg said.“We’re not real big, but we’re tall and skinny. We’re hoping with that height that those guys will grow into those bodies. Then as they pick up and learn, they come into their own.”

Iola was hit hard by graduation, losing a trio of two-way all-district performers in lineman Spencer Quinlan, running back/linebacker Chad Guidry and running back/wide receiver/ defensive back Case Creamer, who complemented Crosby in the backfield.

“Losing Creamer was big, but we got his little brother [Cale], so he’s got big shoes to fill,” Bamburg said.

Iola also returns talented senior wingback Philip England.

“He was a big weapon for us, so he’ll be moving around,just trying to get him the ball,” Bamburg said.

Sophomores Kyler Dreher and Blake Bennett will vie for carries to complement England in Iola’s run-first offense that will lean on bootlegs and rollouts to set up the passing game.

“We’re not asking those [linemen] to hold those blocks,” Bamburg said, adding that the Bulldogs’ new offense likely will be a work in progress early in the season. “We’re all excited, curious to see where this thing is going to go. The kids have been working hard. They’ve grasped the new concepts.”

Iola returns six starters on defense

“We’re hoping the defense can carry us early on,” Bamburg said. “We’ve got a solid corps.”

Linebacker is the unit’s strength with seniors Coy Elliott and Clayton Stafford returning along with junior Wesley Alexander. In the secondary, sophomore Cullen Walton is a returning cornerback along with England. The defensive line in the 3-4 alignment is untested with the same inexperienced players from offense taking the snaps.

Iola had two games canceled early last season because of COVID-19 but came on strong late in the season to make the playoffs for the ninth straight year, extending the longest run in school history. Bamburg said the program is in good position to continue that streak, and the team has embraced the change of offense and the new coaches.

“It’s been a good transition,” Bamburg said. “So we’re going to ride that early on. Hopefully by the time district gets around, everybody is clicking on all cylinders, the kids as well as the coaches.” „ NOTES — Iola is picked to finish fifth in District 13-2A Division II.