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Independence, MO —
One of Darby Raines' most embarrassing football moments doubles as an example of just how dominant the Fort Osage defense has been in 2012.
It happened during last week’s 48-0 victory over Raytown when a host of Indians brought down a Blue Jay ball carrier. Sitting in the press box, Fort Osage announcer Maude Ashby decided it would be easier to call out the one player who wasn’t in on the play. That happened to be Raines, the senior cornerback who was playing coverage on the other side of the field.
“Everyone on the tackle except for Darby Raines,” Ashby called out.
Taken the wrong way, it sounds like a shot at Raines. But really, it illustrates the mentality that permeates through the entire unit.
“If you watch every play, watch until the whistle blows and see how many guys are at the point of attack,” said Fort Osage defensive coordinator Jon Oyler. “They’re right where the ball carrier is. Every snap. ... It shows that there’s an expectation that everybody is going to fly to the ball every play.”
That attitude is reinforced before every snap when the Fort defense breaks each huddle by repeating the word “swarm.” Through five games, the Class 5 No. 3-ranked Indians (5-0, 2-0 conference) have done that as well as any team in the state. Entering Friday night’s Suburban Middle Seven Conference showdown with defending Class 5 champion and fifth-ranked Staley (3-2, 3-0), they’ve allowed only 17 points – all of which were surrendered in a 38-17 win over Liberty North. Only four teams in the state (Orchard Farm, Salisbury, Strafford and Westran) have given up fewer points, and the four shutouts Fort has posted is already a school record.
“Swarm is just the mentality of our defense,” said senior safety Samson Sia. “Everybody wants to get out and play and get a tackle.”
In eight seasons at Fort, coach Ryan Schartz and Oyler have built a program that churns out hard-hitting defenses every year, but this edition stands out. Three of the Indians’ five games have been against teams that have been in the state rankings at some point, including defending Class 6 champ Blue Springs South, but they’ve given up a microscopic 3.4 points per game. That mark is more than six points better than Schartz’ previous top defense, the 2009 unit that allowed 9.9 points per contest and finished as the state runner-up.
“Slowly, we’ve kind of evolved to the next level,” Schartz said. “Every year I think it gets a little better.”
One of Darby Raines' most embarrassing football moments doubles as an example of just how dominant the Fort Osage defense has been in 2012.
It happened during last week’s 48-0 victory over Raytown when a host of Indians brought down a Blue Jay ball carrier. Sitting in the press box, Fort Osage announcer Maude Ashby decided it would be easier to call out the one player who wasn’t in on the play. That happened to be Raines, the senior cornerback who was playing coverage on the other side of the field.
“Everyone on the tackle except for Darby Raines,” Ashby called out.
Taken the wrong way, it sounds like a shot at Raines. But really, it illustrates the mentality that permeates through the entire unit.
“If you watch every play, watch until the whistle blows and see how many guys are at the point of attack,” said Fort Osage defensive coordinator Jon Oyler. “They’re right where the ball carrier is. Every snap. ... It shows that there’s an expectation that everybody is going to fly to the ball every play.”
That attitude is reinforced before every snap when the Fort defense breaks each huddle by repeating the word “swarm.” Through five games, the Class 5 No. 3-ranked Indians (5-0, 2-0 conference) have done that as well as any team in the state. Entering Friday night’s Suburban Middle Seven Conference showdown with defending Class 5 champion and fifth-ranked Staley (3-2, 3-0), they’ve allowed only 17 points – all of which were surrendered in a 38-17 win over Liberty North. Only four teams in the state (Orchard Farm, Salisbury, Strafford and Westran) have given up fewer points, and the four shutouts Fort has posted is already a school record.
“Swarm is just the mentality of our defense,” said senior safety Samson Sia. “Everybody wants to get out and play and get a tackle.”
In eight seasons at Fort, coach Ryan Schartz and Oyler have built a program that churns out hard-hitting defenses every year, but this edition stands out. Three of the Indians’ five games have been against teams that have been in the state rankings at some point, including defending Class 6 champ Blue Springs South, but they’ve given up a microscopic 3.4 points per game. That mark is more than six points better than Schartz’ previous top defense, the 2009 unit that allowed 9.9 points per contest and finished as the state runner-up.
“Slowly, we’ve kind of evolved to the next level,” Schartz said. “Every year I think it gets a little better.”
Schartz and Oyler both said they expected this year’s defense to eventually be a very good group. But after graduating two all-staters in defensive lineman Tony Tanumai and linebacker Ryan Stick, they expected the process to be gradual.
Instead, the defense has progressed more rapidly than in any other season. Oyler said part of that was because Fort ditched its typical offseason of 7-on-7 camps and focused more on team camps. That allowed the Indians to implement the same schemes and use the exact terminology in the summer that they’re using now.
Oyler, who was quick to compliment defensive backs coach Brock Bult for developing various wrinkles in Fort’s schemes over the last eight years, said the coaches tried to simplify the defensive system this season. Traditionally, the Indians have utilized a 3-3-5 alignment. But as offenses have started using multiple formations, the Indians switched to what Oyler calls a 3-4 slide that allows linebackers to roll in and out of coverage.
“It’s way more easier and they can just go play,” Oyler said. “And we have some phenomenal athletes.”
Schartz said what stands out about this group is its balance. In year’s past, the defense has been dominated by standouts like E.J. Gaines (now starting for the University of Missouri) and Nathan Hancock (now starting at Minnesota State). This year, there’s not one star, and that’s reflected in Fort’s statistics. Six players have at least 20 tackles, led by senior safety Joseph Tuimaseve’s 37, and seven have registered at least one sack.
“Everybody’s looking out for each other,” said Fort junior linebacker Nathan Iloilo, who has drawn interest from the University of Illinois and Arizona. “There’s nobody that wants to be left out of the play. And when they do get left out, they get excited for their teammates just like they made the play.”
Oyler, a former all-state linebacker and assistant coach at Blue Springs South, also called this the deepest defense he’s coached at Fort. Three starters were knocked out of last week’s game with injuries, but the Indians didn’t budge.
“Throughout the year it’s been a struggle just finding who’s gonna start,” said senior linebacker Mamu Tauiautusa. “Every single week it’s a fight for your position. ... It’s really cool to see how hard these guys are working. They know it’s not just for them, it’s not just for me, it’s a team thing.”
On Friday, the Indians will face one of their toughest challenges to date as well as their most personal one. The Falcons have ended their season the last two years, and last year’s 7-6 Class 5 state quarterfinal defeat still stings.
And with Staley now in the Middle Seven after last year’s conference realignment, this is likely Fort’s biggest hurdle to winning its sixth conference crown in the last seven years.
“We were so close to the seniors last year who put everything out on the field to fall just short,” said Iloilo, who received a Facebook message this week from Tanumai wishing him luck. “They’ve been talking to us all week telling us to be ready. ... We just really want to play for us and each other on the field but also represent our community and families and all our friends who graduated last year.”
