ENID PLAINSMEN
Head Coach: CHRIS ELERICK
0-10
There is no hiding the fact that Enid is in the middle of a major reset, and that is exactly how new head coach Chris Elerick wants it. With a new staff, a wave of new athletes and a clean slate, the Plainsmen are focused on building a new standard day by day. Elerick calls it a “less talk, more action” approach, emphasizing work over hype as Enid looks to move past last season’s 0-10 mark. He believes there are plenty of athletes in the program; the challenge now is to bring them together and compete every snap.
On offense, Enid will be “different,” but Elerick’s philosophy remains rooted in a physical run game that still takes advantage of matchups in space. With no returning offensive starters officially listed, the battle for roles and snaps will continue through the summer and into fall camp. The staff is particularly excited about the potential of the offensive line, a group Elerick says works hard and has a chance to become a solid unit up front. As the skill positions sort themselves out, the focus will be on finding ways to get the Plainsmen’s best athletes involved as often as possible, using formation and tempo to create favorable looks.
Defensively, Enid will base out of an odd front that the coaches feel fits the athletes in the program. Veteran coordinator Fred Peery brings extensive experience running that scheme, and his system is designed to be flexible enough to adjust to different opponents. With so many unknowns until after spring football and team camp, the emphasis is on teaching fundamentals, tackling and alignment while evaluating which players emerge as consistent producers. One name already drawing attention is two-way standout Keon Young, who returns after missing his junior year and is expected to be a major factor on both sides of the ball. In the trenches, underclassman lineman Ja’Ce Sears is another building block with a bright future. If the Plainsmen can quickly establish an identity on defense, they believe the foundation of a turnaround is already in place.
8-28 – vs. Ponca City
9-4 – at Midwest City
9-11 – at Putnam City West
9-18 – vs. Bartlesville
9-25 – vs. Capital Hill
10-09 – at Edmond Santa Fe
10-15 – vs. Deer Creek
10-23 – at Moore
10-30 – vs. NW Classen
11-6 – vs. OKC Bowl
