[tps_title] Wissahickon Trojans [/tps_title]
Gene Walsh Digital First Media
Wissahickons Lamar Williams at practice August 7, 2017.
Cuthbert commits to culture change with Trojans
LOWER GWYNEDD >> Second-year head coach Randy Cuthbert took over a Wissahickon team that went 1-9 in 2015. The Trojans took a small step forward in Cuthbert’s first year, finishing 2-8.
The extra win was an improvement, but what Cuthbert is really trying to change starts off the field.
The Lansdale native, who played football at Duke University and eventually made it to the National Football League, wants to change the culture for Wissahickon football. 
He’s seeing the differences in just one year’s time. More players came to offseason workouts and more kids are lifting in the weight room. He thinks these small changes will pay off down the line.
“You have to realize what (the kids) came through in the past,” Cuthbert said. “It was a tough situation. A lot of it carried over with body language and getting down and stuff like that. I think we have a resilient group. We’re hoping that when we get into the fourth quarter — like last year a lot of games went into the fourth quarter and we didn’t win — we think that type of thing is going to help and hopefully we’ll start breaking through and learning how to win and winning those games.”
Cuthbert believes that the things he’s implementing now will take time to show up on the field.
“This isn’t something that happens overnight,” he said. “It’s mainly just communicating expectations, everyone getting on board and getting people to buy in. These guys have been a lot better in the weight room and in the offseason workouts and that’s a big part of it. Hopefully that’s going to translate as we move forward.”
Antaun Lloyd, a senior running back and receiver on offense and cornerback on defense, sees changes on the field since Cuthbert took over.
“(Cuthbert) is really trying to use our skill positions the right way,” Lloyd said. “Use everybody’s ability to what they need to do — like if a guy’s fast, he runs the right plays for that person. He just tries to use everybody in the right way.”
The changes will, hopefully, turn into wins on the field. For now, it’s all about building stronger relationships between the players.
“We’re definitely more of a family,” senior linebacker Marco Rivera said. “We’re closer together. That’s what we’ve been trying to stress, too — keeping close to each other, make sure the man next to you — that’s your brother.
“I like the group we have,” Cuthbert said. “They seem to be closer. They seem to support each other more. Instead of bickering about stuff, they pick each other up. Those are important things.”
QB Competition
Wissahickon needs a new quarterback this year after Mike Schoenleber’s graduation. Through offseason workouts, 7-on-7s and early portions of camp, Cuthbert still wasn’t sure who the starter was going to be. He thinks it might take up until the first game before he knows for sure.
It looks like a three-man competition. Senior John Dickson, junior Maurice Willis and freshman Nick Santo are all fighting for the job.
“They’re all different quarterbacks, all different skillsets,” Cuthbert said. “When you look at your gameplan or you look at your offensive system each year, you look at the kids you have and what they do well and try to tailor it to them. I think we have a system where we can tailor it to any one of the three.
“We want to develop all three of them and see what happens. Until you start playing other people it’s hard to measure who’s where.”
Perfecting the Craft
Lloyd was a Suburban One League American Conference All-League first-team selection at defensive back last year. The senior went to different camps during the offseason to try to take his game to an even higher level.
“I’ve been working on my quickness, my footwork,” Lloyd said. “My discipline, my eye discipline, my consistency. Just being a better team player, leader. Going 100 percent each play. Just trying to show what I can really do.”
In the Trenches
Wissahickon doesn’t look like it’s quite ready to compete for a league championship or playoff spot this season.
That doesn’t mean the team can’t take another step forward. The offensive and defensive lines will go a long way in determining what type of season it is for the Trojans.
“Linemen are the critical position on both sides of the ball,” Cuthbert said. “We have a lot of new faces, we have some young kids mixed in. It’s hard to tell where they’re at until you play somebody else. I like the offseason, I like their work ethic. They’ll determine how well we do.”
By Ed Morlock; emorlock@21st-centurymedia.com
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