HHF Interview with Triton Central Head Coach Tim Able

[Guest]

Tim Able has coached in every class except for 6A in Indiana, and he is likely doing the best and most enjoyable work of his career currently at 2A Triton Central. The Tiger program is a consistent threat in the Indiana Crossroads Conference and in the post season tournament, and after slogging thru 2021 with a young and undersized team, Able thinks his 2022 group will be in a better position with more size and experience and positioned for more success.

Question 1

Hello Coach and welcome to Hoosier High School football. Like most teams at this time of the year, your group is focused on winter strength training and conditioning. What is the focus of your training sessions at this time and have you identified any new up-and-coming players that look to make an impact on your 2022 football team?

Response

Like most schools we are working getting more explosive in power, enhance our speed and development game ready bodies. We like to make sure all of our out of season work looks like in season with the lifting components, with quickness, speed, change of direction drills and overall athleticism. We were undersized last year and young so as their body’s mature, we want to put on lean weight that can move with great burst and strength. Our linemen have really stepped it up this off season with elite work ethic in the weight room, in the wrestling room and with their proper nutrition. Our speedsters are back and getting stronger and faster.

Question 2

Coach, you have had consistent success at TC since arriving to take over the program in 2013. How would you assess your teams overall performance and results in the 2021 season, what were the high points and what were the low points relative to the expectations you and your staff had coming in to the season?

Response

We graduated 18 seniors in 2020 that were the heart and soul of arguably the greatest football class in our school's history. To our kids credit we battled hard with many undersized and inexperienced players that were out matched by age, size and weight many games. We won 8 games and won a sectional championship for the 3rd consecutive season. The pinnacle of our season was beating an elite team in Paoli.

Question 3

You've coached at just about all levels of high school football in Indiana. Big schools (Decatur Central, to medium schools (East Noble) to small (Triton Central). Other than roster size, what are the major differences you see in overall oversite and management at the small school level as compared to 5A or 6A, and have you developed a preference for small school football after spending the past 8 seasons at the 2A level?

Response

I have had the unique experience as a head coach, in that I have coached at every level but 6A… but at DC we played 6A teams and beat a few at DC. I have enjoyed coaching the athletes at all levels and all schools. I have found TC to be a special place to teach and coach. I enjoy teaching at the school I coach at, as being with the same kids at school all day and in the weight room, all day with the athletes builds a special bond and brotherhood.

Question 4

How are your initial numbers looking for 2021, who are your key losses to graduation, and who are some of the top returning underclassmen that you and your staff will be counting on for a high level of production and leadership in the coming fall season?

Response

We anticipate 55-60 players as we take the field this summer in preparation for the upcoming season. We lost only 5 seniors and only 4 were starters as the other 2 were special teams players. Jayden Mays played linebacker, offensive lineman, and was our team captain. Devon Emberton was a quality possession wide receiver. Tristen Gibbons was an undersized defensive lineman with great quickness. JaQuan Blake was an OLB and a backup running back, Our line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball was young, undersized, and lacking the strength of our past season's success. Our linemen have worked extremely hard in the out of season closing the gap of size and strength to get back The Tiger Way ,playing physical football on both running the ball and defending the run.

We return our leading tackler and linebacker Lucas Kleeman. Our whole defensive backfield is back being led by 2022 senior Brad Schultz, junior Ray Crawford, junior Levi Dewey (also a 2A all-state kicker), senior Tristen Huffman, senior Jared Schweitzer, sophomore Chase Chandler, junior Anthony Dunville, and junior Mason Compton. Other linebackers playing key roles are Brayden Wilkins, Sam Kemper, and Colton Crawford. Our defensive line returns intact with the interior led by junior Talan McCormick and senior Aden Sosbe, and senior Mitch Ryan. Our edge rushers with great physicality and speed are Hayden Baugh, Courtney Dunville, Aidan Wasson.

Offensively we return center Henry Smith, guards Colton Crawford, Andrew Bailey and Aden Sosbe, tackles Aidan Wasson, Willie Ball, and Mitch Ryan. Hayden Baugh and Jared Schweitzer play TE, with a speedy core of wide receivers led by Brad Schultz, Chase Chandler, Anthony Dunville, Tristen Huffman, and Mason Compton. We return our leading rusher for the past two seasons tailback Ray Crawford. Also, Brayden Wilkins, Courtney Dunville, Lucas Kleeman, and Sam Kemper. Our quarterback returns with one season under his belt in 6’3 Jace Stuckey. He is a dual-threat and brings balance to our offense by throwing and being able to run it too. We have Chase Chandler (who started 2 games last year), Tristen Huffman, and Sam Collier all with game experience returning.

Question 5

The Indiana Crossroads is a solid football conference with a nice mix of different size schools as well as both public and private members. What is your assessment of the competitive profile of the conference and do you see any imminent changes coming relative to either membership or structure, similar to what we are seeing in many other conferences around the state? Also, looking at your 2022 schedule, you've got New Castle and Indian Creek on your non conference slate.. What is your general approach to out of conference scheduling and are you looking to make any changes or adjustments in the foreseeable future?

Response

We feel the ICC creates a great deal of in-season competition that prepare all schools in the ICC for a strong tournament run every year. Again in 2022 the ICC we have elite teams with high expectations. We have not won the ICC since 2014. Winning our conference is a difficult task as each week you see numerous teams are rated in the top 10 in 1A, 2A, 3A, or 4A. Our out conference schedule has changed as we will travel to New Castle to battle the Trojans (who replaced Greensburg). Also, a side note in 2024 Cascade will leave the ICC to join the WIC conference. Our game one will change then and either a new conference member or another out of conference will replace the Cadets.

Question 6

We've spoken with many Indiana high school football coaches about the Success Factor and its impact on competitive balance. The SF certainly is a much bigger issue in the lower classes than the higher ones. What are your general thoughts on the SF as a tool to aid in maintaining competitive balance, has it achieved its objective, and would you be in favor of a proposal that eliminates all private schools from Class 1A football?

Response

I like the system we have now. I think every year coaches take the players they are blessed with and try to put their players in the best possible positions to succeed. When a team stays healthy, has the talent, adapts to different styles of play and weather conditions, stays healthy, and is peaking at the end of the season success is inevitable. We have beaten larger schools in all my stops as a coach. There are some advantages to private schools but also some advantages to having a public school.

Question 7

2021 was a very solid year for Indiana high school football, especially considering the pandemic related challenges of the prior season. In your view what are the two or three biggest challenges or issues facing coaches today at the high school level as they work to maintain excellence and consistency from year to year?

Response

It is important to have continuity in a program and obviously, the pandemic has caused many wrinkles in our rhythm and routines that make football the sport that it is. Step number one for any program is to establish high standards of expectations and a culture that unites many individuals to band together as one unit. At TC we believe in multi-sport athletes and that means we share athletes at TC as well as any school I have coached at. We have special comraderies amongst our sports and coaches at TC. I am blessed to be a part of an athletic department with an administration that supports and values extra-curricular activities. One battle we face with a school of usually around 500 students there is a constant battle to get enough linemen with size consistently.