It’s been said that leaders come in different shapes and sizes. Likewise, on the football field, some leaders are vocal with their words and others speak with their actions.
For Todd Vargas, Madill’s head football coach, his job takes both actions and words.
While Vargas will speak his mind to players during practice, he is quick to reward them for their work including a recent post-practice watermelon feast.
Although he was glad to see his players enjoy some relaxation, Vargas was keen to discuss what he has seen as he starts his second year in Madill.
He said the team is picking up the offensive and defensive schemes better this season.
“Absolutely, there is a world of difference between this time last year and today,” he said. “Of experience and the kids understanding what we’re doing and why we’re doing it. They’re doing a fantastic job.
Vargas pointed to conditioning as a needed area of improvement for the Wildcats.
“Over the summer our biggest need was physical strength,” he said. “We went leaps and bounds on our physical strength. [This was] kids gaining weight and muscle so that we could physically compete with our district. That’s probably the biggest improvement. It’s what we needed most.”
The team’s offensive coordinator, Shawn McClellan said the team has some core principals under their head man.
“Coach Vargas bases our program principles around toughness, energy, brotherhood and discipline,” he said.
Vargas found his own way to speak the non-playing calling part of his philosophy.
“ We focus on ourseflves,” he said. “We’re trying to get better every single day. Games, focus on one at a time. Right now we’ve got Washington this Thursday [for final scrimmage] and then we open up at Sulphur. And so that’s what we’re concentrating on that right now.”
A challenging district
Vargas said the team is aware of the challenge ahead after moving to Class 4A last year.
“Well I mean, obviously if you look at the leaderboard from last year Tuttle won the state title and Bethany was in the state championship game,” he said.
Vargas said after those two squads, the rest of the district’s team fall in line from there.
“We don’t, to be honest, in district focus on who’s the best,” he said. “We just focus on ourselves and trying to get ourselves better every day.”
In the midst of our conversation, Vargas stops to check on his team and their progress with the watermelon.
“What are they waiting on,” the coach asks.
Upon hearing hearing he is the hold up, Vargas is quick to tell everyone to go ahead and eat.
The squad’s camraderie is clear even their break is shot.
“That’s just who we are,” Vargas said returing to the conversation. “Getting better at our technique and at what we do. We don’t change much. We are who we are. Just trying to get better at doing what we do.”
Talking tactics
Vargas said the team should think it’s eight starters back on offense. The squad utilizes the triple option.
“Yea, we’re a triple option team so our [goal] is to run the football. There’s no doubt about that. We pass when we need to or we want to but we’re gonna establish the run. We think that gives us the best chance to win every game that we play.”
Vargas said his favorite thing about the triple option is is it gives any team the chance to be successful.
“That we don’t have to necessarily have the best players,” he said. “That said, we have some good players, but we don’t have to be the most talented team on the field I believe for us to be successful with the offense.”
Although the defense only returns four starters, Vargas isn’t worried.
“We got a lot of young kids and the guys that we do return are good players,” he said. “They’re experienced and we have a lot seniors.”