New Western North Carolina football coaches embrace challenges

WEAVERVILLE Brandon Allen has already learned the first rule of being the first-year football coach.When in doubt, leave them guessing.The brand new head man at North Buncombe was not only mum on what offense the Black Hawks will run this season. He also divulged little to nothing about their defense in the recent interview. Allen was willing to share his overall impressions since being hired in late March.The kids have bought into everything weve thrown at them as well as our coaching staff has done the great job, Allen said.Its extremely exciting as the brand new coach when you are getting to do things the way you consider they should be done. But with that comes the lot of responsibility.Western North Carolina has 32 tall school football programs as well as only three of them - North Buncombe (Allen), Asheville School (Roger Harris) as well as Christ School (Mark Moroz) - changed coaches since the end of the season in December.Turnover was twice that (six changes) in 2010 as well as nearly double (five) in 2009. First-year coaches at Brevard, Cherokee, Christ School, Enka, Rosman as well as West Henderson went the combined 17-51 last year.The first day of statewide practice for public schools this season is July 30.Allen, 35, may have the toughest assignment of the three brand new coaches.The Black Hawks went 2-9 last season, as well as worse than that saw their roster dwindle from 43 players to 20 through attrition. Then in April, starting quarterback Christian Jewkes announced that he was transferring to Christ School. Jewkes threw for close to 1,000 yards as the junior last season.Still, all the adversity has not been discouraging for Allen, who played in tall school for Pisgah as well as has been an assistant coach at Mountain Heritage as well as most recently, Tuscola.One thing I can honestly tell you is that these kids are hungry, Allen said.They feel like they have the indicate to prove. They believe in what theyre doing as well as weve really made some significant strides since I got here.New! leaders forold rivalsThe entire monthly calendar year at Asheville School as well as Christ School revolves around the rivals game for the Fayssoux-Arbogast trophy, the esteem named after former coaches who spent 73 combined years at the Buncombe County private schools.