WHITEWATER — Bigger players. Better equipment.
Those are the two most dramatic changes in high school football over the last 25 years, according to Bill O'Leary and Mike Gregory.
And those two should know. Between them, Gregory and O'Leary have nearly 50 years of coaching experience at the high school level.
Gregory, the head coach at Edgerton High School, will be the offensive coordinator for the South All-Stars in Saturday night's Wisconsin Football Coaches' Association game in Oshkosh. He's getting a first-hand look here this week at the immense size that dominates the landscape of high school football.
Seven players on the South roster weigh 275 pounds or more, including 6-foot-7, 295-pound tackle Ryan Schwenn of Monona Grove.
"These kids are huge and they're talented," Gregory said. "That's an awfully good combination to work with.
"Back in the day, if you weighed 200 pounds, that was a good size for a lineman. Now, that would be small."
With so much size, speed and talent on virtually every high school roster, would yesterday's superstars be able to adapt to today's fast-paced game? Gregory answers that question with a definitive, yes.
"Things have changed with the spread offenses and the multiple defenses, but good athletes learn how to adjust, and that's what would happen," Gregory said. "The game is a lot more complicated now, but those players that were good back then would find a way to fit in now."
With bigger, faster and stronger players comes a need for more advanced and safer equipment. It starts with the helmet, but also includes everything from better fitting mouth guards to longer and more stable cleats.
O'Leary, the head coach at Janesville Craig and the defensive coordinator for the South All-Star team, said a rash of injuries—many severe at the high school level—led to stronger testing and marketing of equipment.
"As far as equipment goes, everything has progressed in the right fashion," O'Leary said. "The worst equipment we have here is far better than the best stuff we had when I played here (UW-Whitewater) in 1974.
"Safety has become a big precaution and it should be. The helmets are proving to be effective in preventing concussions, and you don't see as many injuries tackling-wise either. Back in the old days you would tackle someone to the ground. Now, you just wrap up and push them back."
Although Gregory and O'Leary are getting a chance to work with some of the best talent in the state, they're both looking forward to the start of another high school season in about a month.
Gregory said the All-Star week is the perfect tonic for the hot, lazy days of summer.
"Working with these kids rejuvenates you because they're so focused on the task at hand," Gregory said. "To have the opportunity to work with this staff and these quality kids pumps you up and makes you even more eager to get going."
Six area players
on South roster
Besides O'Leary and Gregory on the South coaching staff, six local players will wrap up their high school careers in Saturday's game.
Janesville Parker graduate Harold Lloyd will be on the offensive line, and Janesville Craig graduate Tyler Uschan will see playing time at both tight end and wide receiver.
Fort Atkinson's Jaren Borland is one of four running backs for the South, while Edgerton's Aaron Laskowski and Walworth Big Foot's Andy Jinkins are in the secondary. Evansville's Lucas Davis is playing on the defensive line.
WFCA All-Stars
SOUTH
Roster: Trevor Weinkauf (Waterford), 6-2, 210, lb; Kyle Mabry (Greendale), 5-11, 175, wr; Tyler Hujik (Kenosha Tremper), 5-11, 165, wr; Taylor Goodman (South Wayne Black Hawk), 6-0, 207, lb; Andy Jinkins (Walworth Big Foot), 5-11, 175, db; Max Meckstroth (Mequon Homestead), 6-3, 220, lb; Jared Konsella, DeForest, 6-0, 175, db.
Sam Overton (Milwaukee Riverside), 5-10, 165, db; Blake Martin (Southwestern), 6-3, 225, te; Mike Hennessy (Greendale), 6-3, 180, qb; Bradie Ewing (Richland Center), 6-0, 210, rb; Jake Meckstroth (Cuba City), 6-1, 185, qb; Joe Bauer (Johnson Creek), 6-2, 195, p-qb; Jim Root (New Berlin Eisenhower), 6-2, 190, db; Lenier Johnson (Milwaukee Bay View), 5-7, 145, rb.
Charles Weissman (Hartford), 6-1, 195, rb; Jonathan Johnson (Miwaukee Tech), 6-2, 200, te; Matt Withrow (Platteville), 6-3, 225, de; Jaren Borland (Fort Atkinson), 6-0, 195, rb; Aaron Laskowski (Edgerton), 5-10, 160, db; Grant Miller (Dodgeville), 6-0, 180, db; Cory Pinker (Hartland Arrowhead), 6-2, 188, lb; Tyrell Rosemeyer (Fennimore), 6-0, 225, lb.
Casey Smith (Racine Lutheran), 6-3, 222, lb; Andy Neumann (Germantown), 6-2, 225, lb; Logan Allemand (Kenosha Tremper), 6-3, 285, ot; Robbie Goldthorpe (Mineral Point), 6-3, 240, nt; Marvin Wint (Kenosha Bradford), 6-3, 285, ot; Nate Gross (Hartland Arrowhead), 6-1, 226, dt; J.J. Manowske (Fond du Lac Springs), 6-3, 290, c; Luke Robbe (Hartford), 6-2, 220, g.
Andy Johnson (Benton/Scales Mound), 6-2, 265, dt; Caleb Valentine (Racine St. Catherine's), 6-4, 285, ot; Tyler Cory (Verona), 6-3, 250, c; Harold Lloyd (Janesville Parker), 6-3, 270, t; Jeff Comp (Franklin), 6-2, 285, g; Jake Reynolds (Waukesha Memorial), 6-3, 257, dt; Ryan Schwenn (Monona Grove), 6-7, 290, ot; Brent Aaron (Sussex Hamilton), 6-3, 270, g.
Lars Knudsen (Whitefish Bay), 6-5, 185, wr; Tyler Uschan (Janesville Craig), 6-2, 210, wr; Lucas Davis (Evansville), 6-4, 230, de; Lucas Bauer (Verona), 6-4, 245, de; William Sherard (Brown Deer), 6-2, 234, lb; David Witkiewicz (Whitnall), 6-5, 220, de.
Head coach: Jim Meckstroth (Cuba City).
Assistants: Bill O'Leary (Janesville Craig), Mike Gregory (Edgerton), Dennis Thompson (Racine Park), Bob Knight (Benton), Keith Deaton (Wilmot).
NORTH
Roster: Lance Rogstad (Eleva-Strum), 6-3, 195, db; Nick Lloyd (Luxemburg-Casco), 65-2, 210, lb; David Goodman (Neenah), 6-2, 210, lb; Dakota Smith (Colfax), 6-0,185, db; Joran Hoekstra (D.C. Everest), 6-4, 205, db; Mike Schaaf (Chetek), 6-3, 230, dl; Jacob Welch (West Salem), 6-1, 190, wr; Jeremy Christian (Kewaunee), 6-1, 185, wr/db; Micah Fultoin (Wonewoc-Center), 5-10, 175, wr; Jordan Mortenson (Iola-Scandinavia), 6-5, 220, de.
Alex Delebreau (Kewaunee), 6-5, 190, qb; Kyle Thorpe (Stanley-Boyd), 6-2, 190, qb/db; Tyler Wagner (Oshkosh West), 6-2, 209, qb; Derek Joswiak (Stratford), 6-0, 174, db; Evan Kowalski (Somerset), 6-0, 160, db; Nicholas Zander (Eleva-Strum), 6-3, 205, lb; Nick Zillman (Wausau East), 5-11, 205, rb; Michael Sewall (Kimberly), 5-10, 175, rb; Mitch Sutton (Stevens Point), 6-0, 200, rb.
Dustin Kroeplin (Owen-Withee), 6-1, 220, lb; Trevor Lueking (Tomah), 6-0, 205, lb; Duane Harkopf (Crivitz), 5-10, 200, rb; William Wallender (Lakeland), 6-1, 235, lb; Ben Porter (Stevens Point Pacelli), 6-1, 240, dl; Joe Akey (Merrill), 6-3, 215, dl; Adam Poellinger (La Crosse Aquinas), 6-2, 265, dl; Kory Wilkenson (Green Bay Southwest), 6-0, 195, lb; Justin Woldvogel (Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau), 6-3, 275, ol.
Eric Wimme (Stevens Point Pacelli), 6-4, 270, ol; Coltin Dahlke (Little Chute), 6-1, 260, ol/dl; Eric Phillips (Menominie), 6-4, 276, ol; Chris Marcelle (Green Bay Preble), 6-3, 300, ol; Jordan Mortenson (D.C. Everest), 6-4, 240, ol; Tyler Butzler (Tomah), 6-3, 275, ol; Drew Nowak (De Pere), 6-3, 245, ol; Burt Guerkink (Somerset), 6-5, 235, de; Kyle Flynn (Plum City), 6-2, 230, dl; Michael Brunner (Elmwood), 6-4, 275, ol.
Chris Gill (Appleton Xavier), 6-6, 260, ol; Joe Heimler (Menominie), 6-3, 189, wr; Jamie Braasch (Oshkosh West), 6-1, 180, wr; Kyle Cavil (Ashwaubenon), 6-4, 240, de; Chase Austin (De Pere), 6-4, 215, te; Zac Berry (Eau Claire Regis), 6-4, 190, te; Jordan Mancl (Stevens Point), 6-4, 245, de.
Head coach: Chris O'Connell (Eau Claire Regis).
Assistants: Randy Peiffer (Plum City), Pete McAdams (Stevens Point), Kurt Flaten (Kewaunee), Bob Diaz (Thorp), Bruce Larson (Somerset), Bryce Paup (Green Bay Southwest).