FC COACHES COMMENTS ON FORMER STARS

NOTE: When offensive linemen Elliot Hood, Zach Odle and John Wolf contributed to Franklin Central's unbeaten regular football season in 2002, Lance Scheib was in his second year as the Flashes' varsity head coach. Scott Houser, who now works with the Franklin Central freshman program, was the offensive line coach back then and Jerry Lantz, who now serves as varsity offensive line coach, was in his first season as a member of the FC coaching staff. Their comments on the former prep stars follow:

Head Coach Lance Scheib:

“Elliot Hood was fun to coach. He had great feet and was able to use his ability to move his feet to be a great high school lineman. I used to tell Elliot that he had the mind of a wide receiver and a body of a lineman. Elliott worked hard and was successful due to his work ethic. I am proud of the job he did for us and the job he has done at Vanderbilt.”

“Zach Odle was an awesome young man to coach. One thing that has always stuck with me about Zach was how unselfish a player he was. From the first time I met Zach he was concerned about how we could make our team better; he was not concerned about his individual success, but what would allow us to win on Friday night. I think might Zach might be a coach some day – he really liked to think about the big picture in football which I think is the way most coaches view the game.”

“John Wolf was as hard a worker as I have had in my 15 years of coaching. He was successful due to some God-given ability and a lot of work. He made himself a great player by working hard in the weight room. He was usually the first one in the weight room and the last to leave. John has the one of the best attitudes about football that I have coached in a while – one very similar to the young man I coached a Lebanon named Craig Terrill. John was what I call a war daddy, which means if I were going into battle I would want an army of John Wolfs.”

Assistant Coach Scott Houser:

“Elliot Hood, Zach Odle and John Wolf were a part of a group that was one of the best offensive lines I've ever coached.”

“Reflecting on that group, the first thing that comes to mind is that those guys were athletes. Elliot started on the basketball team and threw the shot put and discus on the track team for three years. Zach Odle was also a track athlete. He was a regional qualifier in discus in 2003, and holds the 13th longest discus throw in FC history at 145 feet, 3 inches. John Wolf was a two-way starter on that team at center and defensive tackle. John was the varsity heavyweight wrestler in his junior and senior years, and was the state runner-up as a heavyweight wrestler his senior year. He was also a starter on the baseball team. These guys were very good high school athletes.”

“This group of offensive linemen was also very strong in the weight room. Both Elliot and Zach were over 900 pounds in the combined lifts (bench, squat and clean). Wolf's combined lifts totaled 835 pounds. Zach also posted a 4.95 seconds timing in the 40-yard dash.”

“Casual observations led me to believe all three were fine students as well. This translated to the field as well. They had the ability to communicate what defensive lines were doing to cause us problems. We were able to talk about adjustments on the sidelines and make them happen on the field. I consider myself lucky to have coached such a good group of offensive linemen.”

Assistant Coach Jerry Lantz:

“We played an unbalanced line that year with one lineman and a tight end to the one side of the center. John Wolf was the center. Zach Odle was the inside tackle and Elliot Hood was the outside tackle.

“Wolf played both ways (center and defensive tackle) and was a very good center who blocked well. He would have been even better had he played only one way.”

“Zach Odle was probably the dark horse of the group. He developed later than the other two. He probably would have been a good guard in high school, but he did a great job at the inside tackle position. He would do a lot of down blocks in that position.”

“Elliot Hood was probably the one with the most upside of the group because he was so young. He didn't turn 18 until he was a freshman at Vandy. He had good feet for an offensive lineman. I think that was one reason colleges liked him – that and his height and his potential growth. He had a great attitude and worked hard.”

“All of the offensive linemen worked hard. And, by the way, this was the first group of linemen in my coaching experience that I could look eye to eye with!”

- FTONEWS.com -