Aug 22, 2017 4 min read

What’s in a new title?

Normally, it means a promotion, more responsibility and, in most cases, a pay raise.

When that title is Interim Head Coach of the Waynesburg University football team, well, it means a promotion, more responsibility, a pay raise and a lot of questions for Chris Smithley.

Last year’s offensive coordinator under Rick Shepas, Smithley was the surprise choice to take over the program when Shepas suddenly retired.

A committee was formed to make a recommendation for Shepas’ replacement and the group could not unify behind a candidate. So university president Douglas Lee invited Smithley into a meeting, where he offered the job with one stipulation.

It would be on an interim basis.

So as players were trying to impress the new head coach in camp, the head coach was trying to impress the administration to remove the interim title.

That’s where it gets a little tricky.

The PAC Preseason football poll had the Yellow Jackets in 10th place out of the 11-team field. Smithley doesn’t want the players to feel extra pressure from a possible losing streak that might determine whether Smithley keeps his job.

Enter Brent Blacharczyk.

The senior linebacker from McGuffey called an informal team meeting to discuss that situation.

“While this whole process was going on, I pretty much sat the team down and said, ‘Listen guys. No matter where we go with this, whoever they hire at the end of the day, we’re the ones who have to go out and play,'” said Blacharczyk, who transferred to Waynesburg from Division II Seton Hill after his sophomore season.

“No matter who is in here coaching, we have to go out there and do our job. They get us prepared and we have to execute the game plan. So, I’m not really concerned that will happen. We know the task at hand and what we have to do.”

Smithley said he has received support from the administration and doesn’t expect that to be a problem.

“They have really instilled a lot of confidence in me that I’ll have this tag removed from me at the end of the season,” said Smithley. “That’s the way I’m going to approach it. I’m the head coach right now and that’s the way I’m going to approach it.

“I think our players our OK. They knew this could have been a whole staff overturn. … Having that continuity is huge for the team. We’re in a good place with that. I just want them to go out and play football.”

The Yellow Jackets began and ended last season with a four-game losing streak. This year, there are questions at two key positions: quarterback and running back.

Three games into last season, junior Jake Dougherty was lost to a shoulder injury. Sophomore Tyler Perrone stepped in and the two combined for 1,987 yards with eight touchdowns and nine interceptions.

“The spring was an opportunity to see them post experience and see them battle,” Smithley said. “They both have a ton of experience and that’s not something we’re lacking. We have some great quarterbacks coming in. The playing field is going to be level and everyone is going to get an opportunity.”

The running game was just as unstable with no player rushing for more than 286 yards. All four – Whitney White, Ben Ciero, Chad Walker and run-pass quarterback Aaron Jenkins – were underclassmen.

As one might think, the Yellow Jackets’ offense did not fare well in the PAC, finishing tied for 10th with winless Grove City. Waynesburg was 10th in total offense, last in rushing offense and 10th in the standings.

Worse, the Yellow Jackets most effective wide receivers last year – Tim Cooper and Kevin Barnes – graduated.

Blacharczyk returns to a defense after a 72-tackle, two-sack effort last season. Waynesburg was a middle-of-the-pack team in stopping the run and the pass.

“It all starts with us finishing plays,” he said. “We’ve stayed in games but we need to get past that. We let a lot of teams hang around in the first half and then they come out in the second half and pull away. We definitely need to stay on top of that. Our defense has always been a part of that. We have had a powerful presence over the years and we need to be that way again.” n