Pushing for positives
JOLIET -- Joliet Township High School football coach Jason Aubry and his staff conducted the first official day of fall practice Wednesday at JT West, and there was a positive sign.
"With the time the kids spent here in the summer, this wasn't like the first day," he said. "This was more picking up where we left off.
(Liz Wilkinson Allen/Staff photographer)
"We had a good segment in our second practice (after a lunch break). That left us with a good feeling, a feeling that all these guys know what is going on."
The Steelmen were 0-9 a year ago in Aubry's second season, but time and again were on the verge of breaking through. The scores week in and week out, the competitiveness JT demonstrated on a fairly consistent basis, belied the record.
"I've been in this for 10 years now," Aubry said. "How do you determine wins and losses? I still don't know the difference. There is such a fine line. One little mistake and you lose a game."
Those little mistakes indeed were killers.
Returning quarterback Justin Stephenson, now a senior, noted, "There's no doubt a lot of simple mistakes cost us games last year. What we have to do is show we can eliminate those mistakes, come together and win some games. We have to show everyone that we know how to play. We were right there last year."
The fix begins on and off the practice field.
"We're going to practice, do all our work and as far I'm concerned, the winning will take care of itself," Aubry said.
He stressed that individuals will not be the focus. Rather, the team will be. That's the way to conduct business -- as a team.
"Individuals can make great plays, but teams win games," he said. "Individuals can make great plays, and teams can still lose. That's what we're trying to stress."
Stephenson is attempting to adopt more of a leader role this season.
"Last year, I made mistakes because I was too anxious," he said. "There were passes I should have completed and didn't, or I'd get sacked, and those things would upset me. I have to get quicker so that when the pocket collapses, I can still make a play.
"Now I'm working on correcting those mistakes in execution, and hopefully I won't let them bother me as much. That's part of the learning process, the maturing process."
Stephenson will have a variety of receivers from which to choose in Aubry's 1-back offense, and that includes the three backs vying for playing time -- seniors Maurice Larkins, Michael Olson and Jerome Sharpe.
"We have some good seniors who can catch the ball and a few juniors who are in the mix," Stephenson said.
When the offensive line was mentioned, Stephenson and his coach both had high praise.
"The offensive line is doing great, way better than they did before," Stephenson said.
"This is our strongest offensive line since I've been here, both on the field and off the field," Aubry said. "They love being together, eating together, doing everything together. They are tremendous kids."
So an offense that struggled to score points a year ago may have the material to change direction this time around. Still, the Steelmen have talent available on the defensive side of the ball as well. And the way Aubry has it planned, he will not have a two-way starter.
Aubry lost his defensive coordinator from last season, Jason Cappel. He is the head coach at JT Central, this year on the freshman level.
As much as the loss of Cappel hurts, Aubry said he was very fortunate to have replaced him with Thomas Williams.
Williams had coached in the program at Rich Central the last six years. He was defensive coordinator for a while but had to relinquish that position last season to be with his wife, who was bed-ridden.
"Thomas was looking to get back into it as a defensive coordinator, and we had an opening so it worked out great," Aubry said. "He is a good coach."
JT opens Aug. 29 at home against perennial power Richards. Perhaps that game, or one soon thereafter, can be the turning point Aubry knows is out there.
"In 1989, when I was playing at Seneca, we played Yorkville and beat them 15-12," Aubry recalled. "We had never beaten them, and from that point on, we rolled (in fact, winning the Class 2A state title in 1990).
"That was the game we needed. That's the thing we are going to find this year.
"We have got to get over that hump. I know it's there. We have the kids we need to do it. They did great things over the summer, and that will help in that regard."
