It's hard to build on a season in which a team wins the state Super Bowl in its division — the highest accomplishment possible for a high school squad.
But that won't stop coach Kevin Bradley and his Whittier Wildcats from trying.
"We have high expectations here," Bradley said. "We want to expand on (last season), and we can do that."
Bradley would certainly know.
He's in his ninth year coaching at Whittier, and has a lengthy college resume, as well, including offensive coaching positions at Norwich University, Plymouth State, West Virginia Tech. and Villanova.
Bradley, who is also Whittier's athletic director, head girls basketball coach and a physical education teacher, has coached his team to state playoff berths in four out of the last five seasons — including last season's state title, in which the team was undefeated.
"That's the elite, the dream," he said.
The Wildcats' offense is known for its flexibility, and often changes completely depending on the talents and skill sets of players on the squad. In Bradley's tenure, there have been three entirely different offenses.
"We're unique all the time," Bradley said. "Unbalanced."
This season, the offense will primarily feature the shotgun formation, including a variety of wildcat schemes. The wildcat offense typically has an unbalanced offensive line, with an extra player — usually a tight end — lined up next to either offensive tackle.
It requires quarterbacks who can run and halfbacks who can pass, and almost always has a skill player — a halfback or wide receiver — lined up next to the quarterback.
A signature wildcat play — which the Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs and Minnesota Vikings have used in the past two seasons — is a direct snap to the running back, who decides to either scamper through an opening in the line or look downfield for an open receiver.
"Our strength this year is our line," Bradley said. "They're just big kids, good footwork."
That praise goes for the defensive line, too.
Jim Carlson, defensive coordinator, will feature a 4-4 attacking-style defense, and will lean heavily on an experienced, skilled defensive foursome.
Three of the linemen attended a voluntary strength and conditioning workout Monday night, part of a schoolwide summer program available to all Whittier athletes.
Junior defensive tackle Ryan Tragakis and senior ends Matthew Asemota and Sean Ford worked on conditioning and power positions and are looking to build on last season's success.
"We've got a lot of chemistry already," Asemota said.
Depth will also play a role in the line's season-long goal of defensive stinginess.
"(This season) we'll have different line packages," Tragakis said, explaining that the different defensive looks and personnel will allow the starters to stay fresh throughout the season.
Carlson, who is a social studies teacher at Whittier and has defensive coaching experience at Greater Lawrence Tech., Merrimack College and the University of Massachusetts Lowell, believes that good students make better football players.
"They work hard on and off the field," he said. "If you're not doing the job in the classroom, you won't be on the team."
Bradley agrees, and says that even though the team lost a large number of skill players to graduation in 2010, the team has every opportunity to get back to the promised land.
"We want to be in the state Super Bowl," he said. "These kids know what it takes to get there, and they believe in it."
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