By Murray Gleffe
Correspondent
ASHWAUBENON – After going 14-16 the past three seasons combined, the Ashwaubenon football team is under new direction for 2019.
Brian Ryczkowski, a 2003 Bay Port graduate, takes over the reins for departed coach Mark Jonas after being in Little Chute the past six seasons, where he compiled a 53-19 record.
“Any time a guy thinks he should be a head coach, he’s wrong,” said Ryczkowski. “Six years ago when I became the leader at Little Chute, I wasn’t nearly as ready as I am now. I learned a lot in that time. I’m very fortunate to coach kids that have had great coaches in place the past couple of years at Ashwaubenon. It will make my job a bit easier – very grateful.”
The Jaguars have qualified for the WIAA playoffs for 21 straight seasons, but they have not advanced past the first round the last five years.
Ashwaubenon has the pieces in place to compete in the ever-difficult Fox River Classic Conference after defeating quality opponents De Pere and Green Bay Southwest last year.
The Jags will continue to run their pro-style, twins-and-trips offense and will hope to generate more firepower this season after scoring 17 or more points in only 3 of 10 contests last year.
“Right now, it’s about gaining the trust of the kids and vice-versa,” Ryczkowski said. “Every kid has an opportunity to earn a spot on this team with hard work. I bring energy and passion to the field and so should they.”
Junior quarterback Cadian Vang threw for almost 1,200 yards as a sophomore.
His favorite targets at tight end and receiver (Sam Nooyen, Luke Schroeder, Kyle Kreuger and Luke Jacobs) are all back.
Replacing Jon Maldonado and Cam Wheeler in the backfield will be no easy feat, but Marty Kiernan and Connor Ramage appear to be the early candidates.
“We’d like to be a 50-50 type football team in terms of running and passing the ball,” said Ryczkowski. “However, that doesn’t always ring true with the weather if you’re behind or how each of the skill kids are doing that night.”
On the flip side, the Jaguars’ defense brings back Riley Nissen, Evan VandenElzen, Torrey Heitzkey and Jakoby Harris from last season.
“We’ll bring a 3-4 defense to the table – nothing will change,” Ryczkowski said. “I think this type of scheme presents some problems. I’m very familiar with the style and know we’ll have kids step up and make plays.”
With any first-year coach, it usually takes time to develop the program and tendencies.
“I want the guys to know each and every day I have their back,” Ryczkowski added. “We will lift every day to get stronger, and that will hopefully translate to Friday nights – be better today than you were yesterday and so forth leading to the end of the season. That’s the message I relate to the guys as we open and close practice.”
Coach’s spotlight
Name: Brian Ryczkowski
School: Ashwaubenon
Years coaching at Ashwaubenon: 1
Other football coaching gigs: Little Chute, Big Foot, Fort Atkinson
Hometown: Suamico
Most memorable coaching moment: “The playoff run we had in 2014 to get to state at Little Chute. Specifically, the Level 4 game against Lodi where we had five turnovers in the first half, were trailing 20-0 midway through the second quarter and came back to win. Additionally, winning the Northeastern Conference championship in 2018 was special.”
Coaching mentor: “Mike Williquette from Bay Port. He taught me the right way to do things. I had a father growing up, but for kids that didn’t have a mentor growing up, Mike would be the right person to guide that figure toward adulthood.”
Best high school player you’ve coached against: “Grant Peissig and Trevor Howard from Menominee High School in 2002. Additionally, both of them [combined] went something like 161-1 in their last two years of wrestling. That program is unreal, year after year.”
Goals for 2019: “Get better every day, get a bunch of kids that work hard for years to come, establish the program and be a leader the administration, students, village and community trust and respect.”
My style of coaching is: “One as a student-athlete I’d like to play for.”
Ashwaubenon 2019 regular season schedule
8/22 – @ Green Bay Southwest
8/30 – Sheboygan North
9/6 – Green Bay Preble
9/13 – @ Sheboygan South
9/20 – Manitowoc Lincoln
9/27 – @ Notre Dame Academy
10/4 – Bay Port
10/11 – @ Pulaski
10/18 – @ De Pere
- All games begin at 7 p.m.