KANSAS, Okla. -- Worthy applicants of a head football coaching job are lucky enough to get interviews for the open position.
Jimmy Dushane gets a season-long audition.
Dushane was named the interim head coach of the Kansas (Okla.) Comets football program back in June after Steve Patterson resigned his position as head football coach and athletics director.
Patterson's resignation came so late, that the Kansas School Board and administration determined it was in the best interest of the Comets football program that an interim coach be named for the 2017 season and that the coaching position be re-evaluated at the end of the year.
"They chose to go ahead and keep things as normal as they could," said Dushane, who had been the team's offensive coordinator. "I was able to become the interim head coach."
The title of Kansas head coach is one Dushane would like to have on a permanent basis.
"Sure, I would like to be the head coach here," Dushane said. "I have a year-long audition."
Dushane will be 52 at the end of this month, and his current position is actually the fifth time he's been a head coach. Dushane was head coach at South Coffeyville (Okla.) for five seasons before moving to Fox (Okla.) as head coach. He was the head coach at Fairland for two years and also the head coach at Diamond (Mo.) before coming to Kansas in 2015.
He'll have a heck of a challenge at Kansas, which went a combined 3-27 in three seasons under Patterson.
"I'd love the challenge of that," Dushane said. "With the exception of going to Fox, the other places I've been a head coach have been at a program that's been down. That's the challenge I like. I like helping to rebuild programs. I guess that's my drive. I don't like to be mediocre."
Kansas is coming off an 0-10 season in 2016. But there is hope that better days are ahead.
Numbers for the varsity program are in the mid 30s, which is decent for a Class 2A school in Oklahoma.
The Comets were state champions in power lifting from seventh grade all the way through 12th grade this past winter.
"That's a great place to start," Dushane said. "I think we had really good success there. Hopefully through that success we can push it over to the football field."
Dushane said the Comets are ready to turn the corner.
"They're all hungry to be on that successful side," he said. "My juniors, as freshman, they went undefeated and last year (as sophomores) was a dose of reality. They saw it was a little bit different.
"I think through maturity and hard work in the weight room, that group has matured and we'll see an improvement over what we've had in the last year or two."
Much of what the Comets did under Patterson will remain the same at least for this season. When Patterson resigned, the coaches kept the workouts going like nothing had changed.
"We just kept on doing what we'd been doing," Dushane said. "Head coaching is kind of a title because as coaches here, we all stepped in and did what we have to do.
"As football players you're kind of conditioned for 'who's the next one up?' Kids are the same way. Whenever it comes to that they just say 'who's next?'"
Longtime Kansas assistant coach Todd Lankston will assume the role of defensive coordinator, while Dushane will call up the offense. Coach Todd Phillips helps out the Comets in a number of different areas on both offense and defense.
The Comets will run a multiple offense that they hope will be run heavy.
Senior Austin Glass (6-0, 170) will get the first crack at playing quarterback.
"He's kind of green, but he's made progress in doing what we're asking him to do," Dushane said.
Junior Christian Glass (5-6, 145) also is getting some reps at quarterback, while Keelin Davis (6-0, 165) could be an option at quarterback, but the coaches want him to play wide receiver.
"I want to get his speed back on the edge at wide receiver," Dushane said.
The Comets will use two primary running backs, and junior Daris Glass (5-6, 145) will be one of them. Daris Glass is short in stature, but he is "very powerful," Dushane said.
"He was the state champion powerlifter at 145 (pounds)," he said. "He's a very strong young man."
Senior Aaron Reeder (5-8, 140) will man the other running back spot.
"He's also a tough runner, but he's got a little more speed on the outside I think," Dushane said. "Hopefully that will help us."
Junior Wyatt Curtis (6-0, 180) will also get some looks at running back.
The Comets will also use a fullback, and the coach pointed out three players who will rotate in and out of that spot in senior Jerry Cochran (5-10, 210), sophomore William Houston (5-6, 155) and junior Ethan Vaughn (5-7, 170).
Fullbacks in the Comets' offense are mainly blockers, but they will carry the ball some.
At wide receiver, the Comets are "very excited" about Davis at the position. Junior Chance Kolysko, sophomore Deaven Noe, junior Brent Morikawa and Christian Glass, if he's not playing quarterback, will line up at wideout. Freshman Easton Wiggins also will get a look at receiver.
Sophomore Jager Pifer (5-10, 165), junior Josh Hix (6-0, 150) and sophomore Jake Morgan (5-9, 155) are all getting looks at tight end.
Dushane feels like the Comets' offensive line should be a team strength with seniors Kade Moore (6-2, 330) and Dustin Campbell (5-10, 270) returning.
"They're both seniors," Dushane said. "Those are the guys that we're going to hang a whole lot of our success on this year. ... Those two are going to be the backbone of the offensive line."
Moore will play left tackle, and sophomore Jacob Jones (5-10, 185) will line up next to him at left guard.
Junior Yeng Lee (5-6, 215) will line up at center
"Yeng's a powerful young man that will help us a lot," Dushane said.
Campbell plays right guard and junior Hayden Evans (6-1, 215) is at the right tackle.
"We have good experience and size," Dushane said.
Junior Zack Lamont (5-7, 240), senior Christian Kaiser (5-9, 185) and sophomore Warren Chewey (5-8, 205) could also be options on the offensive line.
Noland Perdue (5-8, 180), a sophomore also could get a chance to show what he can do.
Offensively, the Comets will be at their best controlling the ground game and the time of possession.
"We're running the ball and offensively we're running a lot of plays and taking a lot of time off the clock," Dushane said. "We're not going to try and speed it up and run clock like that. We want to play a power football game and be methodical as we go down the field. I'm kind of an old throwback, but I think that's what fits us best."
Defensively, the Comets will be multiple up front.
A lot of the same names along the offensive line will be on the defensive line.
Moore, Evans, Campbell, Lamont, Cochran and Curtis are guys who will be playing on the defensive line.
The Comets will use two to three linebackers depending on the situation.
Pifer, Daris Glass and either Vaughn or Houston will man the linebacker positions.
Davis, Morikawa, Reeder, Kolysko, Christian Glass, Noe, William Hall and Dustin Battiest will get a chance to prove what they can do in the secondary.
Bobby Honaker (5-8, 155), a sophomore, is also an "up and comer," Dushane said.
Sports on 08/23/2017