Midland Trail football had fallen on some hard times when Frank Isaacs signed on to be head coach.
Needless to say, after six years and four straight playoff appearances, those hard times have become a distant memory in Hico.
Going into year seven of the Frank Isaacs era, the Patriots are looking to keep on keeping on in 2021.
“Our goal is to host the playoffs and make a run at it again. We have hosted in three of the four years we have made the playoffs,” Isaacs said. “I think we are at the point where we aren’t rebuilding, we are starting the season as frontrunners. We are not sleepers anymore. We have a really good chance to be in the conversation (for a championship) and that is all you can ask.”
Heading into the season last year, Isaacs felt like he had his best team since he started at Trail, but the problems with COVID short-circuited Trail’s efforts.
Playing just five regular season games, the Patriots dropped a wild 52-49 shootout at St. Marys in the quarterfinals of the playoffs. Two key defensive stops in the second half by the Blue Devils thwarted Trail’s bid for a second semifinal appearance under Isaacs.
“We had a really good season. I still feel like we were one of the top two teams in the state, whether you count Wheeling Central who didn’t make (the playoffs), or not,” Isaacs said. “We played six games. That was the issue. It felt like every game was a practice and we were never able to get into a groove. Even in the playoff game we were running plays we had never ran before just trying to experiment. We went up to St. Marys where everybody counted us out and I still feel like we should have won that game. I felt like we out-played them.”
Not only does Isaacs face the normal challenges in preparing for the upcoming football season, there are some new challenges this year.
“(COVID) has changed the whole culture, which is worldwide to be honest. We weren’t able to do some of the things we normally did prior to COVID,” Isaacs explained. “Once you get out of the routines, even like our community service things, there is a re-adjustment period. I used to have 35 kids show up for community service, now I have 15. I used to have 25-30 kids in the weight room and now I have 15. There is a time in one’s career where you have to change with the times. Our first week of football will be about re-establishing the Trail culture.”
This past Thursday the Patriots took part in the Nicholas County 7-on-7 competition which also included Oak Hill, Pocahontas County and Greenbrier West.
In an event that primarily highlights the skills on the offensive side of the ball, Isaacs had a two-fold purpose for his team.
“Our goal is for the kids to get hungry. I want them to get a taste of football. We had 23 kids show up for 7-on-7, so that is a good thing,” Isaacs said. “I am different though, we come here to learn defense. You don’t have to worry about coverages and stuff (in August) because you are putting it in here. We likely won’t see anybody that throws it 25 times per game, but it helps with the defensive schematics.”
While defense was the focus Thursday for Trail, Isaacs did say the work for his young quarterbacks was very beneficial.
The quarterback position will be one of two areas of concern for the Patriots this upcoming year.
“We have a couple of kids that are athletic enough to play, but replacing the experience at the quarterback position will be the challenge. We also will be replacing three players on the offensive line. The first couple weeks we will be experimenting and learning on the fly. We have some big strong kids that will be put into those places, but it will be a year sooner than maybe what they should have been.”
The strength for the Patriots this season will come on the heels of two of the top offensive threats in the state, as well as a strong defense.
“Our defense will be wicked. We return just about everybody on that side,” Isaacs said. “We are going to pound the ball. We have a 230-pound back in Aiden (Isaacs) and a little scat-back in (Robert) Ruffner. It will be hard to key on us. No matter who we play at quarterback, they will be athletic enough to run the ball too. We will have three or four guys that can run it, so we are excited.”
Midland Trail opens the high school football season Aug. 27 on the road at Clay County.
