THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 28, 1994 TAG: 9408250156
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: S20 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JOHN GORDON, SUN SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 84 lines
It won't take a rocket scientist to figure out Nansemond-Suffolk Academy's offense and defense this season.
Coach Terry Crigger, who resumes control of the reins after a 10-year hiatus, believes in a no-frills approach to the game. Unlike his predecessor, Ron Killmon, who changed offensive and defensive schemes weekly, Crigger believes in doing only a few things, but doing them right.
``Other coaches used to call me a week or so before our game and ask me if we were doing anything different,'' he said. ``I would tell them no, and they would say that they wouldn't bother to come scout us.''
And 10 years in the concrete drilling and sawing business hasn't changed his coaching philosophy. You'll see the Saints trot out into a slot I-formation on offense and line up in a multiple defense.
The basics are similar to what N-SA has been doing in recent campaigns, but Crigger is reinstating some twists. In spite of rains and unseasonably cooler temperatures during the first couple of weeks of practice, the Saints were a little ahead of the learning curve.
``I like the slot-I because it's adaptable,'' Crigger said. ``Players can adapt to it and it gives us more flexibility as far as running and throwing is concerned.
``You can pass 60 percent of the time or run 60 percent of the time. Either way. It allows you to do what you need to do.
``We'll run an audible system, and the opponents' defense will determine what our offense does.''
Key to the offense is Walt Bondurant, the returning senior signal caller who not only goes both ways, but handles the punting chores.
Other key returnees are co-captains Mark Fowler and Jason Holland. Fowler is a running back-defensive back while Holland is a guard and both go both ways. However, Holland was injured in a car accident before the season opened.
Crigger also is counting heavily on Gordon Harry, a 6-2, 190-pound senior who does double duty at the tackle slot.
However, the new defensive system is a little more complicated, and while the players responded well, Crigger was very patient with them during pre-season drills.
``They've got to learn the system first,'' he said. ``So, I can't stay on them all the time.''
His main concern is numbers. He doesn't have any depth. Only 27 turned out for the varsity and Crigger is used to almost twice that number.
``Before, we used to have 45 to 50 and that's just counting the 10th through 12th graders,'' he said. ``We had 36 come out for junior varsity this year, and there may be more.
``But to build a program, we need to keep those younger players coming out. We need numbers to replace kids when they get hurt.
``Football is a physical sport and when our guys have to play most of all the games with the tough schedule we play, they are going to get bumps and bruises.''
So, one of Crigger's goals is to increase the number of participants by making it more fun for them. Then once he gets them out there, the second key is to motivate them.
One of the first things he did when he appeared on campus last July was to start making motivational signs.
``Motivation is the key to success,'' said Crigger. ``You've got to get their attitudes right.''
Although it is an advantage to come back to the same school, 10 years is a long time. He knows what he wants to do and how to do it, but at first he didn't know the players or much about the conference.
For a while, he was working with last year's roster and had merely marked off the players who weren't back.
Norfolk Academy is still the big rivalry and is bigger and better. Catholic is continuing to grow, especially since it moved to Virginia Beach.
``We'll just have to do the best we can,'' Crigger said. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by CHRISTOPHER REDDICK
Nansemond-Suffolk Academy running back Chris Fowler, right, is one
of the key returning starters for the Saints this season.
Photo
Walt Bondurant
Will start at quarterback
by CNB