PANTHERS TO USE TWO QUARTERBACK SYSTEM

2002 KEYSTONE SCHEDULE

By Jeff Say Clarion News Sports Editor

KNOX – The Keystone Panthers biggest challenge this season might be replacing the best quarterback (number-wise) the school has ever seen: Adam Black, and it looks like the Panthers are going to use a two-for-one switch going with two players, juniors Buck Neely and Bill Colwell to replace Black.

"I’d say they’re probably both even and both will see playing time at quarterback this season," Keystone head coach Dan Reed said. "I’m pretty comfortable with either kid. They both bring different dimensions of the game. Buck is probably more of a pure passer, but Buck can also run the option. Billy doesn’t throw the ball very pretty, but he gets it where it needs to go. When he runs the ball, he’s a very pure runner."

No matter who is in the game, they will have big shoes to fill as Black led District 9 last season passing for 2,342 yards with 30 touchdowns and six interceptions. In his career Black set seven school records including career yards passing (5,338), single-season yards passing (2,342), single-game yards passing (426), career touchdown passes (55), touchdown passes in a season (30) and touchdown passes in a game (7) and career completions (379).

But even though Black is gone, Reed doesn’t believe his offense, which became known as the K-Gun last season for its passing efficiency, will change much.

"You’re going to see basically a lot of the same formations," Reed said. "But we’re obviously not going to stress the same things we stressed with Adam. One of the things I like about our offense is it’s versatile. It lets us switch from year-to-year to adjust to the type of players we have. You’ll definitely see us stress different areas like the option that we didn’t use last year."

Reed also believes having two quarterbacks won’t cause much change in the offense either.

"The offense really won’t change from one quarterback to the other," Reed said.

While he is going to use the two-quarterback platoon, Reed said he didn’t foresee at first using two quarterbacks to replace Black.

"I never really pictured that we would have to have a couple different guys come in," Reed said. "Those two kids we have are such great kids. They’re hard workers, and they are both great athletes. I’m just very comfortable with either one as quarterback. Like I said they both bring something to the table and they both do a great job for us."

Both quarterbacks are versatile and will line up as wide receivers when not under center. Colwell caught 25 passes for 462 yards and five touchdowns for Keystone last season.

Keystone had a question mark at running back for the past few seasons, but the 2002 Keystone squad looks to have a much more solid running game with a pair of different runners taking a majority of the playing time in sophomore Sam Swartzfager and senior Levi Mohney.

The two running backs have different styles as Swartzfager can run around tacklers while Mohney is more of a straight ahead smash mouth runner. Last season Swartzfager, who is the brother of former Keystone standouts Tom and Andy Pore, rushed 43 times for 126 yards, while Mohney moves over to the offense from the defensive side of the ball.

"Sam’s a big kid ," Reed said "I’d say he weighs about 190 pounds. At this point he’s a much more powerful runner than Levi.

"Levi, who was our nose guard last year, looked very good at running back in practice and at our first scrimmage he doesn’t look to run around a lot of people either. They’re both the kind of kids that are going to get you that extra yard."

Keystone could also unveil a special attack in the back field as tight end Barry Swartzfager, Sam’s older brother, could see some carries this season.

"That’s just a rumor," Reed said with a chuckle. "Barry could see some carries for us. Whether it’s at tight end or running back, Barry needs to touch the ball more for us. He won’t be back there carrying the ball for 30 times a game, but he will get some touches for us."

Barry Swartzfager caught four passes for 136 yards last season for the Panthers, and while he is Keystone’s top tight end. But when he lines up at running back the Panthers will also use junior Brandon Rapp at the tight end position.

"I’m very comfortable bringing Brandon in at the tight end spot or bringing him on defense," Reed said. "He’ll also be the number one back-up at defensive end for us."

The Panthers’ passing attack will return a key part from last season as wide receiver Bobby Telesz returns after catching 54 passes last season for 944 yards and 15 touchdowns. He led all District 9 receivers in all three categories last year.

Joining Telesz at the wide out position will be senior Jared Griebel, who will be taking the place of Patrick Irwin. Irwin caught 21 passes for the Panthers last season.

Senior Ben Cobler, who came out for the first time this year for football, will also provide some speed at the wide receiver position.

"Ben is a very gifted athlete, though he hasn’t played a whole lot," Reed said. "I think he’s going to be an important addition."

A.J. O’Neil will also be an important back up for the Panthers at wide receiver this season.

Another key for the Panthers this season will be the progress of the offensive line.

Keystone’s offensive line has three starters returning from last season Andy Monrean, Alex Hartzell and Evan Peterson.

"It (the offensive line) has a chance to be a very good group," Reed said. "They’re not a very good group right now, but what they’re lacking right now is experience. When they get the experience, they’ll be very good. We have some very solid returning players on the offensive line. Some of these guys are some of the best offensive lineman I’ve had. It just depends on quickly they gel as a line."

Defensively the Panthers’ strength is their defensive line.

Barry Swartzfager and Hartzell will anchor the line at defensive end. Monrean will start at defensive tackle and Mohney will start at nose tackle.

While the Panthers’ defense is strong in the front line the rest of the squad lacks depth.

"Our biggest concern right now is depth," Reed said. "We have to find the kids who can step in there and be just as solid as our starters. Part of the problem is that a lot of the kids we have are very good and the next kid that steps up may be good but there’s a drop off for us."

Keystone’s starting linebackers this season will be Peterson, Dave Van Dyke and Sam Swartzfager.

Last season the Panthers secondary was one of the best in the league and a majority of the starters from last season return again this year.

Griebel, Telesz and Cobler will battle for playing time at corner back, while Colwell will start at strong safety.

"We have a lot of returning depth there at that spot," Reed said. "We have a lot of competition because we have about three or four other kids that could see playing time for us."

Neely, Zach Curran, O’Neil and Shawn McGranaghan will all compete for playing time in the secondary as well.

The Panthers seem to be in the toward the front of the KSAC this season, as the rest of the league lost a lot of talent. But Keystone is just focusing on improving on last season’s 7-3 record.

"I think we’ll be very good," Reed said. "I don’t know if we’ll be considered the favorites. I think C-L has a lot of talent on paper, and I think they’ll be the favorites in the league. Unfortunately you almost have to go 10-0 to make the playoffs in District 9. Our goal is to definitely have a good season and make a run for the playoffs."

Keystone’s run at the playoffs begins Aug. 30 when it hosts Union at 7 p.m. Key games could come early in the schedule when the Panthers host Karns City Sept. 6 and Clarion-Limestone Sept. 20. Both games are 7 p.m. starts.