Knause ready to tackle Trinity’s challenge
Mark Marietta
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Dan Knause, Trinity’s new head coach, directs preseason drills at Hiller Field.
New Trinity head coach Dan Knause works on handoff technique with freshman quarterback Jonah Williamson during preseason drills at Hiller Field.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
New Trinity head coach Dan Knause directs conditioning drills at Hiller Field.
Mark Marietta
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
New Trinity head coach Dan Knause demonstrates takeoff technique during preseason workouts with the Hillers.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Trinity's new head coach, Dan Knause, watches as junior quarterback Luke Lacock hands off to sophomore running back Julius Wise during preseason workouts at Hiller Field.
By Chris Dugan
Sports editor
dugan@observer-reporter.com
Dan Knause likes a good challenge.
He previously accepted two of them when he was tasked with turning around the football programs at Cornell and Chartiers Valley. All he did was pump life into the corpse and turn the Raiders and Colts into WPIAL playoffs teams.
Knause has taken on another challenge, hoping to work his magic for a third time. This time it’s at Trinity. And based on track records, the future could be bright for the Hillers.
“When I took the job at Cornell, people were telling me it’s the worst job in the WPIAL and that you can’t win there. At Chartiers Valley, they had almost a decade of losing,” said Knause, who was lured away from Chartiers Valley in April to replace Jon Miller, who had a 25-38 record.
“I love challenges. I love teaching kids how to look for solutions. When you take over a program where there hasn’t been consistent winning – for some reason I’ve done it three times and this is going to be the last – you have to get the kids to believe in daily development. Through that, they learn to believe in themselves and learn how to win.”
The Hillers won three games last year and finished 2-4 in the Class 4A Big Seven Conference, one game out of a playoff spot. How long will it take for Knause, who spent five years at Chartiers Valley, to get Trinity over the hump and back into the postseason?
“I never put a timetable on it,” he said. “Our slogan everywhere I’ve been has been ‘Make every day count.’ Be the best version of yourself today. If you’re not preparing with that mindset, then what are you doing?
“Our goal the first year is to hit the season not looking like a first-year program. The adjustment period was the summer. Our kids have bought in. They’re very coachable and hard working. We’re pleased at where we’re at.”
Trinity lost its quarterback and leading receiver from a year ago but the Hillers return an experienced group of linemen and a dual-threat running back in senior Andrew Durig.
“I was very impressed by what I saw of Durig on film,” Knause said. “They did some creative things with him. He had more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage and he can catch it out of the backfield. His game footage impressed me.”
Durig is a threat to score from anywhere on the field. He has game-breaking speed and was the fastest player at the Tri-County Football Coaches Association combine this summer.
He will be running behind what could be a strong offensive line. Seniors Ty Banco (6-1, 270), Mason Kraeer (5-10, 225) and Jimmy Lafferty (5-11, 260) return, as do juniors Jace Banco (6-2, 240) and Braeden Helmkamp (6-5, 245) and sophomore Aiden Davis (5-10, 210).
Who will be lining up behind that offensive line at quarterback was not determined as the Hillers began preseason camp. It will be either sophomore Luke Lacock or freshman Jonah Williamson, or a combination of both. The competition will play out to the start of the season.
“We’ve split the reps between them,” Knause said. “They’re both athletic and good-armed kids. Competition is a beautiful thing. It really is.”
The Hillers’ defense will be anchored by Ty Banco, who Knause said will line up at various spots to take advantage of his skillset.
“Our strength is our front. They started a lot of sophomores last year on the front. We have a lot of experience there,” Knause said. “We have the potential to be strong offensive and defensive fronts.”
Being more experienced on defense, especially at the point of attack, should help the Hillers, who yielded an average of 33.9 points per game last season.
Trinity will again play in the Class 4A Big Seven Conference, which lost Belle Vernon in the WPIAL’s realignment but added Latrobe and Connellsville, which finished in fifth and sixth place, respectively, in a Class 5A conference.
“Our goal is to be in a position to win in the fourth quarter of every game,” Knause said. “I don’t get caught up in predictions or say we have to be this by then. Progress will take its natural course.”
Trinity opens the season Friday at traditional power Central Valley. The home opener is Sept. 2 against a team Knause should be familiar with, Chartiers Valley.