Elida’s Tyler Carter is one of a number of Bulldogs that has contributed to the team’s early success.
Undefeated and unselfish.
Elida arrives in week 5 with an undefeated 4-0 record and 3-0 mark in the Western Buckeye League and Bulldog head coach Kyle Harmon attributes that to a total team effort and the squad’s willingness to put the time in the weight room during the off season.
“We have an extremely unselfish group that shows up every day and comes to work every day and we haven’t had that in a while,” Harmon said. “It all started in the summer when those guys showed up and they just get after it and that has been great for us and that has kind of changed the culture around here.”
Harmon took over a program that was coming off a 0-10 season in 2019 and was in disarray after some internal problems, however, Harmon came with a new approach and attitude and in three seasons has made his team one of the competitors in the Western Buckeye League.
Harmon attributes the turnaround to the players dedicating themselves to getting better each day and his coaching staff getting the team ready every week and throughout practice.
“The kids come in and get the work done and the coaching staff does a great job preparing those kids,” Harmon said. “that 2019 team was not an 0-10 football team. They had somethings going on obviously with the coaching staff but we have always had the talent and it was a matter of getting those kids to buy in and put the work in every week and I feel like we have been doing that.”
When Harmon did take over he installed a new weight program that he said is one of the reasons for the team’s turnaround the last three years. The Bulldogs are 15-9 under Harmon.
“We asked a lot of from these kids and our numbers aren’t extremely high on our football team but the kids that we do have bought into the weight room and the conditioning and I feel like it has started to close the gap for us a little against those top teams in the league.”
The dividends of the hard work is shown with the team’s 4-0 start this year. Elida opened the year with a 31-0 shutout of Spencerville and then reeled off league wins over Kenton (45-15), Ottawa-Glandorf (21-12) and city rivals Bath (31-10).
On offense, the Bulldogs are led by quarterback Larkin Henderson but as Harmon points out their are no superstars on this team but rather a collection of individuals with the same mindset and goals. The Bulldog head coach adds that it seems like in every game a different player steps up for the team.
As a team, the Bulldogs are second overall in the WBL in rushing, averaging 238.8 yards and ninth overall in passing, averaing around 100.3 yards a game.
“We are starting to play some pretty physical football up front,” Harmon said. “We have run the ball for about 250 yards a game average and our skilled guys have been extremely unselfish with their blocking. They are making good, physical blocks downfield and springing their buddies for extra yards.
“We have also have been a little more balanced offensively than we have been. We have been able to throw the football with a pretty efficient clip which is really starting to open things up for us.”
Individually, Henderson is 31 of 54 (57.4 percent) for 363 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions. Henderson has also rushed for 238 yards and seven touchdowns. Brady Kirk leads the team in rushing with 276 yards and two touchdowns on 47 carries.
Keaton Hawkey is the team’s leading receiver with 14 catches for 217 yards and three toucdhwons.
“Offensively we need to continue to chew up yards,” Harmon said. “We have been running the ball efficiently. Our pass games just has to continue to get better as we move forward.”
Defensively, the Bulldogs are giving up an average of nine points a contest.
Like the offense, strong physical play has been the key to the Bulldogs shutting other team’s down.
“Our defensive staff does a great job of preparing those kids week in and week out,” Harmon said. “Those kids listen and buy in an execute.We have some young kids playing defense as well and have a good mix and those upperclassmen on the defensive side have really stepped up and helped those young guys.
“We are playing physical football up front. Our front seven has played extremely well and our back end, they are playing extremely well, going through their reads and right now we are just playing good, team football. Nobody really stands out right now. We don’t have a guy with any stats that are crazy but they are playing good team football and playing their role.”
The Bulldogs rank first in the WBL in average yards against the run, yielding 59 a came and just three touchdowns. Through the air, Elida is givng up an average of 150.3 yards and two touchdowns. The Bulldogs have recorded six interceptions.
“We need to continue to get better defensively,” Harmon said. “We need to get more of a pass rush. Last week we got shut down a little bit and left our defensive backs on an island. Defensively, we need to continue to win third down. Our stop percentage has been really good over the course of the season and that gets those guys off the field
Harmon understands that the first four wins are a confidence booster and a great start but knows their is plenty of challenges facing the Bulldogs in the second half and that means staying healthy and playing a tough schedule.
The Bulldogs have tough league games with Celina this week, followed by Defiance Sept. 23 but then they enter the WBL gauntlet of Wapakoneta (Sept. 30), St. Marys (Oct. 7), Van Wert (Oct. 14) and Shawnee (Oct. 21).
“Week in and week out our players are going to play the best football they can,” Harmon said. “We are always going to be prepared and it is going to come down to staying healthy because our numbers aren’t extremely high on our football team but Ill put our guys against anybody. We are not scared of anybody.
“When we step out there on a Friday night we expect to win. That is the expectations.”
