One would think that a 2-0 start would have William Fleming head football coach Rob Senseney smiling often these days. After all, the Colonels began the season facing the daunting task of replacing all of its starters at the skill positions on offense.
But despite a 27-21 come-from-behind victory over E.C. Glass in the season opener and a 35-13 win against Magna Vista, Senseney is anything but satisfied.
“I think we’ve played OK, but I really think we could be playing a whole lot better – and in some areas we have a long way to go,” he said. “We’ve challenged the kids to get better, to play harder, and to keep improving.”
On the positive side, the aforementioned Colonel offense has been clicking fairly well in the team’s two wins, using an up-tempo, no-huddle attack to average 31 points per contest. Dual-threat quarterback Devin Dean has been terrific thus far, amassing a total of 224 yards rushing and 5 touchdowns — four of which have come on the ground. Tailback Devin Richardson has also chipped in with 195 yards rushing and a score in two games.
There are some causes for concern. For example, the Colonels passing attack has been noticeably absent, despite Senseney’s efforts to create more balance on offense. Kevin Waid, a more traditional drop-back quarterback, has seen significant time at the position but has yet to throw a touchdown.
“We think that playing two quarterbacks gives us a bit of a schematic advantage just because it keeps defenses on their heels,” Senseney said. “We’ve been pleased with what we’ve seen so far from both.”
The young Colonels defense has had its share of moments, too. Opponents are only averaging 13 points per game against William Fleming, and the unit has forced six turnovers, including four forced fumbles against E.C. Glass.
But a closer look indicates those numbers can be misleading. For example, the victory over Magna Vista could have been much closer had the Warriors not wasted three opportunities in the red zone. Against E.C. Glass, the defense suffered a lapse in the third quarter, allowing the Hilltoppers two touchdowns to relinquish a 19-7 lead.
“It’s been a learning process for them so far,” Senseney said, attributing some of the mistakes to poor positioning. “We just have to keep running them out there and get them more seasoned and experienced.”
Fleming will look for a third straight victory in a rematch against the Hilltoppers on Saturday. Though E.C. Glass is off to an 0-3 start, Senseney knows his young team can take nothing for granted.
“They’re a very athletic team, and they’re capable of doing some good things,” he said. “They’re definitely dangerous – we’ve already seen what they can do once before.”
Kickoff in Roanoke is set for 2pm.
By Matt Reeve [email protected]
