Cavs on board with Mara’s new direction

The tide is turning in the John Carroll Catholic High School football program, and everyone on and around the team feels it.

Through the first few weeks of the season, the Cavaliers sat with a 3-2 record. Over the past decade or so, that would be cause for celebration. In 2020, the conversation is different.

“We’re six plays away from being 4-0,” first-year head coach Will Mara said in late September, ruing missed opportunities in the Cavs’ two losses to date. “We’ve got to focus on the little things. Those six plays can completely change your season.”

Mara is a 2011 graduate of John Carroll and still in his 20s, but he has quickly earned the respect of everyone. Walking from the locker room down to the practice field that late September day, one of Mara’s assistant coaches lauded his leadership.

“The fact that he’s gotten a bunch of middle-aged coaches to follow him completely says a lot about what he’s doing,” the assistant said.

SENIORS TAKING OWNERSHIP

The supporting coaches are not the only people following Mara’s direction with conviction. The senior players have taken an immense amount of pride in the program, with the hope of ending their careers in a positive manner.

“The seniors have really taken ownership and taken this team as their own, and they’ve completely bought in,” Mara said.

Whether that involves consistent effort at practice or ensuring the locker room is clean each day, the seniors have stepped up and assumed responsibility for all the details they can control.

“The senior class, we really want it,” safety and punter Luke Harris said. “We’re holding everyone accountable and doing the little things right.”

Winning certainly helps the cause, but Mara has seen those seniors rise to the occasion and become leaders.

“They want to leave [the program] in a better condition for future Cavaliers,” Mara said.

Harris added: “We want to be the class that’s remembered as the class that changed the program.”

A SELFLESS GROUP

Oftentimes, the skill players receive the accolades and headlines, as quarterbacks and running backs pile up touchdowns and bask in the praise of a successful game. But a group of John Carroll players willingly transitioned to one of the lowest profile positions on the field in order to help the team win.

The Cavs’ starting offensive line consists of five players better suited for other spots on the field. But John Carroll had a need up front, and those five guys sacrificed their preferences for the good of the team, which set a precedent noticed throughout the squad.

“They’ve all sacrificed, and they’ve bought in, which showed the rest of the team this is a team effort,” Mara said.

Davis Deason returns as the team’s center, although as a slender guy would be a better fit as a linebacker or slot receiver. At left tackle, Jacob McMahon has taken over, despite working with the slot receivers until three weeks before the season began.

Chase Botthof is at left guard for the Cavs. Botthof dedicated himself to his fitness in the offseason and shed 30 pounds, ready to slide into a linebacker role. Instead, he’s on the O-line. Greg Shunnarah slots in at right guard, although his skill set makes him a better fit on the defensive line. Campbell McFadden could play any position on the field, according to Mara, and has played some at right tackle.

That offense is not going to be mistaken for one of the most prolific throughout the state, but it is doing everything it can to help the team win games. After losing star running back Aaron Mason to injury mere days before the season began, guys like Martice Smith and Mauree Raby stepped up in his stead.

“We’re trying to control the ball and move it, and there’s times we show spurts and we put plays together, but there’s times where one or two plays back to back, we shoot ourselves in the foot. That’s been something we’re working on,” Mara said.

STRONG POINT

A significant difference with the Cavs this fall has been the improvement on the defensive side of the ball. John Carroll last allowed fewer than 30 points per game in the 2012 season, but through the first four games of 2020, the Cavs were surrendering just a shade over 15 points per contest.

“The defense right now is our strong point,” Mara said.

The most apparent trait of the defense is how the entire unit seemingly swarms to the ball on every play.

“They’ve got 11 guys flying to the ball every single play,” Mara said.

Senior middle linebacker Mitchell Walker said that the effort of getting to the ball on every play begins with the relationship he has with his teammates.

“We developed a brotherhood on this team,” he said. “If I see one of my guys on the other side of the field who needs help, I’m going to go help him.”

Chris Allarde coordinates the defense, particularly the defensive line and linebackers. Terrance Slaughter coaches the secondary and brought a new motto to the defense: only fear God. That message is plastered above the doorframe for each Cavs player to see as they exit the locker room.

“We have that mentality every game,” Harris said. “We’re not scared of the other team, and you can definitely see that.”

Mara said the team has built its season around that phrase and made it a mindset.

“We know we’re going to be smaller than most teams,” Mara said. “It doesn’t matter how big that dude is that’s running at me.”

PLENTY OF EXPERIENCE

Mara has assembled a coaching staff with plenty of experience around the game of football, despite being a first-year head man.

He coordinates the offense and calls the plays on Friday nights, but he has surrounded himself with quality coaches on both sides of the ball.

Allarde coached Mara when he was a player at John Carroll and helped Mara with the middle school team last fall. Slaughter played at South Alabama and his secondary “gives us fits” in practice, as Mara attempts to work with his offensive unit.

Vince Elliott, who played at UAB, coaches the linebackers and defensive ends. Scott Spencer helps out along the defensive line and Mike Plaia — who played at Army — coaches the linebackers.

On the offensive side of the ball, mainstay Rob Crawford coaches the offensive line. Crawford was on the only state championship team at John Carroll (1978). Kevin Drake played at UAB and in the NFL and Logan McAlpin played at Huntingdon, and both help coach the receivers.

Even former Auburn quarterback Stan White helps out on Friday nights and is currently coaching on the middle school team. Jeremy Williams’ strength program has also aided the program tremendously this season.

It’s a total team effort with the Cavs. They hope to continue those winning ways as 2020winds down.

“Everyone out here is buying in, giving 100% every day,” Walker said.