Practicing hard, 'not going to give up'

By Rex Kirts

South's practices this week have been a lesson in progress, in the school of hard knocks fashion.
Starting Monday, the Panthers have hit and hit some more. Monday is normally classroom time only. This week it was nutcracker time, and lots of it, with liberal does of injected enthusiasm.
"We're trying something else," coach Kirk Kennedy said. "We're working on blocking and tackling, things that are getting us beat."
The hope is to right the ship and get a victory when Franklin Central visits Friday night in the Conference Indiana opener at Fred Huff Field. South is 0-2, Franklin Central 1-1.
Kennedy has consistently said inconsistent play has doomed his ball club and pointed out mental mistakes cause it. But the mental aspect goes deeper.
"I THINK IT goes back to confidence," Kennedy said. "They know what to do but don't trust themselves."
Better physical play can improve self-trust and confidence, so it's been a bang-bang week on the practice field.
"Monday was a good practice. They were more aggressive," Kennedy said. "They were more into it with what we want technique-wise.
"We told them we're going to coach them hard, we're never going to quit. And they responded pretty well."
He wants to see the players get excited. Have "motivation, enthusiasm, intensity." And he wants them playing with a little nasty because that's what it takes to excel at a rough sport like football.
Kennedy's offensive and defensive systems are not complicated, and he's counting on the Panthers getting better while the schedule provides continued challenges.
"We're going to get the most out of this team we possibly can," he said. "We're not going to give up on them.
"THERE IS NO youth movement. We're coaching in the moment, doing what we can to be successful now."
There are tweaks in the starting lineups on both sides of the ball.
Offensive starters are Lucas Franz and Trae Washington at wide receivers, Reilly Flynn at left tackle, Alex Sarpa at left guard, Tony Albanese at center, David Tiwari at right guard and Zach Bonnell at right tackle. Michael Bower is at quarterback, Derek Murphy and Nolan Rogers at fullback and Keith Bunton at tailback.
On defense, Jake Kelzer and Toey Todd are the ends, Cameron Hogue and Tiwari the tackles, Jon Campbell and Clayton Fiddler inside linebackers, Sarpa and Murphy outside llinebackers, Washington and Adam Wiley at corners and Rogers at safety.
Franklin Central showed its potential last week when it beat rival Indianapolis Roncalli after losing its opener to Decatur Central.
"FRANKLIN CENTRAL is very solid," Kennedy said. "They remind me of what we are trying to be. They don't try to beat you with schemes.
"They run a lot of I formation, a power game. Their defense is a 3-5 like Martinsville played. They throw a little, and when they do it's effective.
"That's the mark of a good football team. - they're patient and don't beat themselves."
Early favorites in Conference Indiana, Kennedy said, are Pike and Columbus North. "There's a lot of good football in this conference."
LAST 0-2 START IN 1984
This year's 0-2 start is the first since 1984. The last 0-3 start was in 1975.