By GARY VAN CLEAVE
Salina Post Contributor
Salina South’s football fortunes haven’t been so fortunate over the past eight years, but things may be shifting to Salina’s south side.
The Cougar culture is changing... for the better.
“We’re trying to get ‘we’re gonna lose every game’ out of our mind and believe we can beat any team,” incoming junior wide receiver/return man Jaxon Myers said. “Right now, we’re slowly working towards that and getting better every day.”
The Cougars enter the 2024 season having lost 24 consecutive football games dating back to a 34-16 win over Haysville-Campus on Sept. 17, 2021.
They have lost 27 of their last 28 and 32 of their last 35. The team's last .500 or better season came in 2015 at 5-5.
Belief in the coaches, working in the weight room, and getting better every day; that's what Myers believes it will take to change the culture of back-to-back winless campaigns.
“It’s been frustrating," Myers said. "Some people don't want to work and get better. Last year people came in thinking we’re not gonna win, we suck and all that but I can see the change coming.”
Myers is far from the only player in the Cougar locker room who feels the changing of the winds.
“We know what has to change," junior Jalen Cheeks said. "It starts by winning practice reps, weight reps, and attendance.” We’re trying to put respect back into the program which will hopefully bring wins and more.”
“We might not be able to win every home game, but we want to win more than we lose and be better than people think,” junior tight end Bryce Doonan said.
First-year head coach Christien Ozores, who came from Russell, sees improvement in the making.
“The kids are starting to understand why the little things are so important in creating our own identity,” Ozores said. “We still have a lot of work to do, but you can feel the excitement from the kids as they gain confidence.”
South’s opponents scored 50 points in six of their nine games last season and the Cougars were outscored 473-129 overall.
“I’m trying to establish a committed system that the underclassmen can look up to,” senior quarterback Landon Putman said. “I also want to establish a work ethic that this program hasn’t seen in a long time. I want people to be held accountable across the board and I want other sports to look at the football team and say ‘If they turned it around, we can too."
It’s started with a commitment to greatness in the weight room.
“Conditioning has had a major increase in attendance,” Putman said. “The culture is starting to change. Everyone is not entirely bought in, but there has for sure been an increase in that as well.”
Despite the challenges of a new system, Putnam and the team have found fast chemistry with their new leader and staff.
“It gets pretty difficult at times learning new concepts," Putnam said. but starting to bond with the coaches has been easy.”
Work ethic has been a big focal point as well.
“You can't just be there to check a box and say I went,” Putman said. “Whether that’s practice, weights, or film, you are there to make yourself and others better, and you can't just show up on Friday nights and expect everything to go your way, you need to show up in June as well.”
“We have seen a lot of improvement, especially with the fundamentals not just with football but in the weight room as well,” Ozores said. “Our change of direction and explosiveness has improved since February.”
The Cougars open their 2024 campaign against the cross-town rival Mustangs on September 6.