The football season for the Wildcats has been a huge change for the football team. From moving up a division to new players and strategies, the Wildcats are working to find the formula for success with 1 win and 8 losses for the Varsity team.
The Wildcats’ sole victory came after a close game against Meadowbrook.
Assistant coach Kushal Gowda describes the Wildcats’ performance this year as “a huge improvement to look forward to.” He sees progress even through the losses.
“From a coaching standpoint, I think the staff has been working day in and out in terms of creating a scheme and defining what it really means to be ‘Deep Run football,’” Gowda said. “Whether that means changing defensive fronts, different offensive personnel groupings, so on and so forth. Take Atlee for example; while it was a heartbreaking loss, a 35-42 game with some 350-plus passing yards is the kind of forward progress we’re excited about.”
Joe Mullinax, the head football coach, highlights the importance of not looking at a singular season but rather looking at all seasons and the progress made.
“When I arrived with my staff in Spring of 2021, the players were not being developed the way they should have been. From the bottom of the program in terms of JV up to the Varsity, every player, practice, and game was seen as a part of the process. And more people believe in what makes Deep Run football a program worthy of investment than ever before,” Mullinax said.
This bottom-to-top development ensures players are in good condition and have been working hard even before the season starts to make sure that they are in peak performance mode when it’s time to take the field. The Wildcats have also been strengthening the morale that bonds them through this developmental season.
There have been many changes in mentality that players and coaches alike have noticed.
“Something I’ve seen different this year is probably our motivation and drive to win,” senior running back Jahleel Miller said. “In past years, of course we wanted to win, but players didn’t have the passion for the sport that was needed.”
Coaches have tied that passion to forward motion for the players.
“That’s really the biggest thing I think we try to stress, is that ‘next play’ mentality. Short term memory, and move on to the next thing at hand. Everyone on this team has our full support and we know what Deep Run is capable of, it’s just a matter of ‘do you believe that too?’” Gowda said.
Despite the losing season, Wildcat fans have always had the team’s back. The strong connection between team and fans is present in the energy of the student section.
“A lot of it goes back to the fans and the community support. Everyone knows at least one person on the football team…I think the fact that everyone can come together to have a good time and support each other is really something special,” Gowda said.
There’s a lot to expect from the Wildcats as the team continues to grow and progress past expectations. The team plays their last game of the season Friday, Oct. 27 against Godwin.
