MILAN – Jesse Hoskins is doing double duty this fall.
He is beginning his 15th season as the football coach at his alma mater. He also is coaching coaches.
Five of the seven members of the varsity coaching staff are new this year. Steven Price returns, but Max Protske, Mike Maurer, Brian Trolianm Gabe Burdette and Mike Whittaker all joined this year.
“One of the main jobs of the head coach is to coach the coaches,” Hoskins said.
It’s a job Hoskins takes very seriously.
“Anytime someone wants to invest in the program and the kids, that’s very special,” he said.
Hoskins and his assistants need to be on top of their game this fall. The players need a lot of guidance.
“No one in this group has ever played for a championship,” he said. “That’s why the first six days (of training camp) are so important. We have to establish how we are going to win.”
That was the point Hoskins pounded home during Milan’s first practice of the season on Monday, Aug. 11.
“Allow me to coach you and show you the way,” he told the players at the end of their first workout.
Milan has a roster that is small in numbers and thin in experience.
“We don’t have a big group and we don’t have a lot of big-game experience,” said Hoskins, whose team finished 3-6 last fall.
Hoskins and the other coaches will depend on the seniors for leadership.
“It’s more of a supervisory role,” said senior lineman Alexander Hamden said.
“We have a lot of new guys,” said senior running back-linebacker Shawn Ballard added. “It will be a challenge, but there are a lot of opportunities. … We don’t have a lot of numbers, but we have a good attitude.”
Fellow senior Jake Offerman, who will play defensive back and wide receiver, liked what he saw from the young guys during the first practice.
“We have a lot of inexperienced guys, but they were giving it all,” he said.
Ballard agreed.
“I saw us coming together today as a group,” he said.
TRAINING CAMPS
Airport
Monroe
MILAN SCHEDULE
Aug. 29: at Redford Westfield, 4 p.m.
Sept. 5: at Riverview, 7 p.m.
Sept. 12: JEFFERSON, 7 p.m.
Sept. 19: NEW BOSTON HURON, 7 p.m.
Sept. 26: at Grosse Ile, 7 p.m.
Oct. 3: SMCC, 7 p.m.
Oct. 10: FLAT ROCK, 7 p.m.
Oct. 17: at Airport, 7 p.m.
Oct. 24: at Eaton Rapids, 7 p.m.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Milan football coach Jesse Hoskins surrounded by new assistants
Reporting by Niles Kruger, The Monroe News / The Monroe News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
