Finishing stronger could be the difference for Clark

By Case Keefer (contact)

Friday, Aug. 26, 2011 | 2:05 a.m.

Close losses are every bit as a painful as lopsided blowouts, and they usually stick with a football team longer.

Clark coach Don Willis would testify to such. Although the Chargers lost four games by double digits last season, it’s the three defeats by a touchdown or fewer than Willis can’t get out of his mind.

“It was disappointing for us as a coaching staff because we thought we had gotten beyond that,” Willis said. “Those are the games we are going to have to win if we want to be a playoff team.”

Clark is still searching for its first playoff berth in more than a decade. With many Southwest Division teams rebuilding to seemingly make the league more parity-driven, this year presents a better opportunity than ever.

Like many coaches, Willis is steadfast in his belief that everything starts at the line of scrimmage. No wonder he’s happy to report that the offensive and defensive lines are two of the team’s best units.

“We played a lot of young guys on the front last year, and that’s going to pay dividends,” Willis said. “I think our kids have worked hard up there.”

Senior center Eric Rocha has established himself as a team leader. He was also the Chargers' leading tackler a season ago as a defensive end.

Rocha and senior linebacker Vance Gilbert, a three-year starter, will help the rest of the defenders transition from a 4-4 defense to a 4-3.

“We were getting beat too much up the middle,” Willis said of the scheme change. “We wanted our safeties to be in the middle to help. We had so many inside zone plays that should have gone five or six yards and instead went 40 or so yards.”

On offense, Clark will run out of the wing-T formation because “it’s what fits the personnel,” Willis said.

The Chargers are counting on senior running back Shane McLin and senior receiver Marquise McKinney to gain a healthy dose of yardage. They’ll also look in their direction at pivotal points in a game — an area where they could have used some help last season.

“We’ve got to learn to finish games,” Willis said. “I think some people don’t realize how big of a mental block it is when you lose to a team for so long. But we’ve got to say, ‘We’ve beat this team for three quarters, so we’re not giving it up in the fourth.’”

Case Keefer can be reached at 948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.