Jackets continue to build for the future

The culture is growing for the Mount Vernon football team.

A large number of athletes have bought into the system brought in by coach Mark Weber and the Yellow Jackets will have a long list of veterans returning for another season.

“They bought into the weight room, which was huge. Just the overall morale and overall caring about the team, carrying about each other, is just day and night because we've spent so much time together. The culture is definitely trending upwards,” said Weber.

The Yellow Jackets will be led by senior quarterback Mason Richards. He'll have plenty of weapons, including junior tailback Dakota Stafford and junior wideout Darrin Monahan. Greyson Deem is also back at running back after seeing some time at the end of his freshman campaign.

Up front, the Jackets return seniors Nolan White, Coen Armstrong and Lane Mussard.

Defensively, senior Luke Mullins will lead at the way at middle linebacker. Ben Fitzpatrick will join him at the backer position.

Austin May and Bryce Hollenback will return at safety, and Monahan at cornerback.

The line will feature Mussard and Nick Brokaw. Others helping out on defense include Landon Dawson and Jake Hubbard.

Nolan Hershberger is a star baseball player who will being athleticism to the Jackets.

“We're just building it day by day, just building a team. Not even a team, we're building a program,” Weber said. “When you're building a program, we want to get to a point where it's not, ‘Oh my gosh, they've got this one good player.’ We want to get to a point where it's plug and chug. They're carbon copies of each other. They're all hard workers; they're all doing the technique we asked. When you look at a guy, I want you to say, ‘that's a Mount Vernon football player.’”

The Jackets will square off in the tough Licking County League, but Weber is focused on his team and what they can do.

“We're just worried about ourselves. Our nonconference is good. What do you want to do – focus on them so much you forget about yourself? We're going to show up and play football on Friday nights, that's what we're going to do. Maybe the result will be good, maybe it won't. we'll find out,” he said. “We've got a lot of new faces and they're playing football the right way.

“We're showing them (the parents and fans) when your son shows up here, we're going to care for him and teach him some things. You change it with love. We're going to love your kid. If the scoreboard doesn't happen, it is what it is. We're still going to love your kid and then we're going to show him his grade and we're going to try to improve that grade. At some point, these scales will tip. I don't know when. Is it now? Is it five years? I'm here for it. We're definitely building. When you're building something, you'd better not be locked in on the result, you better look at small wins. And those small wins are eventually going to stack up.”

The Jackets will open the season at home on Friday against Marion Harding.