Ada’s Kaine Fisher returns for the Bulldogs this season.
ADA — Ada is still learning.
Toby Smith is in his second year of building the Bulldogs program back up after the turmoil that occurred two years ago that saw the team fail to finish the season leaving it with an uncertain future.
As expected, the Bulldogs struggled last season, finishing 1-9 overall and winless in the Northwest Conference but Smith saw improvement but admits there is still plenty of progress to be made.
“Well we knew we had a long way to go and to build a little bit and I think what we focused on was learning how to compete and try to develop the foundation and I feel like we accomplished that,” Smith said. “I thought they were receptive the whole time. They wanted to do better and want to do the right things.
“You can just run. You have to walk before you run and you have to crawl before you can walk.”
The team’s lone win last year in week three when the Bulldogs bumped off Hardin Northern 42-30.
Smith said he has the numbers and added the players have come in with a strong work ethic and put in time since December in hopes of improving this year.
“We have 36 kids on the roster and the numbers are not the issue and we are still learning how to do things right,” Smith said. “That starts in practice and there is a learning curve there and until we start performing at a higher level in practice we won’t perform at a higher level in the games.”
Smith added that the players are making strides and heading in the right direction.
The Bulldogs return 16 players from last year with nine seniors on the roster.
Positions are still being constantly being evaluated by Smith and his coaching staff and points out that players can be moved depending on their strengths and the team’s needs.
Offensively, the Bulldogs averaged 14.3 points a game.
Returning is Jalee Bolden who last season rushed for 383 yards and three touchdowns last season.
“We got some kids that are competing for positions and spots and we had a couple of kids that left and that happens every year so and so you try to fill the holes and in a small school sometimes that experience gets a little stunted because you have to take someone who learned a position last year but they have to learn a brand new position this year because you had to move them to a different spot.”
Speed and aggression is what Smith looks for on both sides of the ball.
Defensively, the Bulldogs gave up 43.7 point a contest.
On defense, the Bulldogs will run a 4-2-5 that Smith said fits the team’s personnel a little better.
The expectations are simple and Smith is optimistic the Bulldogs can achieve it.
“Competition and can we learn how to compete,” Smith said. “We were in eight of the 10 games last year in the middle of the third quarter so we are within a score in the middle of the third quarter. We won one of those games and the other seven we let get out of hand.
“We are not where we need to be but the objective is to get closer. We have to play better with more consistent. We have to get better in practice so it becomes second nature in games. I always make the analogy to the kids that you just didn’t learn how to tie your shows, it took time and now you don’t even think about it, you just tie your shoes. Well we are still tying our shoes.”
ADA
Coach: Toby Smith
Years at School, record: 2nd (1-9)
Last year’s record: 1-9
Division: VII
Returning Letterwinners: Gage Hoffer (Sr.), Lester Amos (Sr.), Grant Preston (Sr.), Casen Jones (Sr.), Spencer Wall (Sr.), Kyle Matison (Sr.), Zach Neiswander (Sr.), Levi Sousley (Sr.), Jalee Bolden (Jr.), Julian Grose (Jr.), Max Puerta (Soph.), Levi Green (Soph.), Kaine Fisher (Soph.), Dalton Amos (Soph.), Rowan West (Soph.)
Promising Newcomers: Trevor Mcgue (Soph.), Jaydon Bankston (Sr.), Colton Cole (Soph.), Wyatt Green (Jr.), Owen Arnett (Jr.)
Season Outlook: We were able to get a bunch of experience last season that should benefit us this year. Hopefully we take that experience and utilize this season. We need to keep learning how to compete every day. We are a team oriented footabll team. Hopefully a team that competes every week.
SCHEDULE
August 19 – at Waynesfield-Goshen
August 26 – Arlington
September 2 – Hardin Northern
September 9 – at Leipsic
September 16 – at Bluffton
September 23 – Delphos Jefferson
September 30 – Spencerville
October 7 – at Columbus Grove
October 14 – Crestview
October 21 – at Allen East
All games start at 7 p.m.
