Two-for-one special
DANVILLE — No matter the timing, no matter the situation, Danville coach Mike Brennan wants everybody on the roster to rise to the occasion.
Stressing the importance of depth, the Ironmen have something most teams can only dream of supplying: two proven running backs (Ty Brown-Stauffer and Aaron Johnson), a pair of powerful and accurate kickers (Johnson and Garrett Hoffman) and a set of tested quarterbacks (Zach Gordon and Madden Patrick). They can, and have, gone with a variety of player packages, knowing they’ll likely get results at the end of a drive.
“Our ultimate goal is to be as successful as we can every week,” Brennan said. “What gives you that more than depth and competition? Competition brings it out of us. Two quarterbacks, kickers, tailbacks, multiple receivers — and not everyone plays every snap. It’s the ultimate team game and it’s a situation that at some point we will need all of those guys to step up and make plays to help us win.”
The Ironmen saw that over the years with running back Brown-Stauffer suffering a season-ending injury two years ago. They then lost signal caller Gordon for a long stretch last season. Instead of panicking, the team has gone with the flow — even if there are some bumps involved.
They haven’t missed a beat, winning back-to-back District 4 Class 4A championships. And because of that success, they like to reward guys with playing time — even at the most important offensive position.
Instead of naming one quarterback as the full-time starter the first three weeks, the Ironmen have rolled with Gordon primarily — getting every game’s first snaps — with Patrick still getting his individual reps.
In the first three weeks, Gordon has completed 16 of 20 attempts for 322 yards and five touchdowns. Patrick, meanwhile, is 4 of 8 for 114 yards. All four of his completions have gone for touchdowns. Neither has thrown an interception.
Brennan says Gordon, who patiently waited behind current Bloomsburg University hurler KJ Riley, has outstanding accuracy and earned the right to play alongside his classmates as a senior. He also acknowledged the growth he’s seen defensively as the Ironmen’s starting free safety.
“Zach is quiet and in control. The kids have confidence that he gets things. He’s intelligent and has the ability to run and throw,” Brennan said. “He beats people with his running ability, doing so against Loyalsock last year with four rushing touchdowns in the [District 4] title game.”
He also knows that the program’s future is in Patrick’s hands — literally. The sophomore has proven he was up for the challenge and that he’s earned his right for playing time behind center.
“He had the weight of the world on his shoulders and threw for 1,400 yards and helped us get some really big wins,” Brennan said of Patrick’s performance last fall. “He took some beatings with no prepared backups and looked me and his teammates in the eye. He built a lot of confidence and he has a lot of savvy.”
And just as Danville’s schedule picks up with a game at Loyalsock tonight and a visit from Southern Columbia next Friday, Brennan isn’t about to shake things up. Though, that’s likely because the answer doesn’t lie with just one guy.
“I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a lot of stress [about picking between the two]. They went every other rep during the summer and preseason,” Brennan said. “We had to make a decision and sat them down on two separate occasions and told them why we came to the decision we did. It’s a great place to be in — having two guys who are capable of playing the position at such a high level as they are. They’re both productive and play their game and take what the defense gives you.”
They’re just helping set the example Brennan wants for the team. It’s something that could prove beneficial tonight and down the road when it’s least expected.
“They’ve both been outstanding team players and prepared. They’ve shown great maturity and understand they’re part of the team and part of something greater than themselves,” Brennan said. “They’ve both proven their worth to the program. They have and continue to respect what the other brings to the table.”
Link to story: https://www.pressenterpriseonl...
