If North Callaway football head coach Kevin O’Neal had to describe last season in one word, it would be weird.

After five straight years of finishing with at least seven wins, the Thunderbirds last year wrapped up the 2021 season with a 4-5 record.

O’Neal, who returns in the role after three years, said when he was rehired that he wanted to bring stability back to the program but acknowledged North Callaway was dealt a bad hand early with injuries and a COVID-19 outbreak that canceled a home game against Holden.

“Last year, they started strong and ran into a tough Strafford team, came out of that with a couple injuries and then that is what led to the inconsistent play toward the end of the year,” O’Neal said. “It was just a weird year.”

The Thunderbirds only allowed six points in the first three games of the year before losing 48-14 at Strafford and only scored at least 20 points once the rest of the season in a 44-27 victory against Wright City. The other games resulted in losses.

There was an emphasis on running the football a year ago, with graduated players Trevor Ray and Manny Moreno carrying most of the load at 59 percent of the team’s rushing yards, and O’Neal believes they can be strong in that area again.

The offense will have a new look this year, with it being the third different one in three years, as North Callaway had two different head coaches the previous couple years. O’Neal said he expects there to be mistakes early in the season as the players adjust to yet another system but is one that should pay off.

“The biggest thing we have focused on as an offensive staff this year is simplifying as much as we can,” O’Neal said. “Using our explosive players, finding a way to get the ball into their hands while staying as simple as possible offensively. I think we’ll be balanced. We have the ability to throw the ball, but we also have explosive players to be able to run the ball.”

O’Neal said it is important that the coaches don’t overwhelm the players early on with offensive schemes as new wrinkles can be added as the season goes on. He will be counting on his son, senior Braydn O’Neal, to keep the offense on track in what will be his third year as the starting quarterback.

As a quarterback in North Callaway’s triple option offense a year ago, O’Neal averaged 102.8 passing yards per game and ran for 52.9 per game.

O’Neal said his son is part of the senior leadership that he thinks can help the Thunderbirds improve their play, especially early in games as they allowed 25.2 first-half points in the final six games of the year.

“We have a solid senior class that has quite a bit of experience playing,” O’Neal said. “Most of them were starters last year, and I think our leadership will be key this year with our seniors.”

Three of North Callaway’s five offensive linemen are seniors including center/defensive lineman Brandon Speight and tackle/middle linebacker Davis Woods. AJ Siegel should have a bigger role in the wide receiver core and secondary as a safety.

Along with Siegel, junior Sergio Moreno is expected to have a bigger role this season on the offensive side of the ball. Moreno, who was the quarterback of the 6-1 junior varsity squad last year and will be the varsity backup this year, can catch and carry the ball and show some of the explosiveness North Callaway seeks this season.

Defensively, North Callaway will resemble the defense they had the last several years under coach Ronnie Kimbley with an emphasis on being
“responsibility-oriented.”

“Everyone is doing their job and not trying to do somebody else’s job,” O’Neal said. “That is something we had a lot of focus on in camp and throughout the first couple practices. The key defensively is to stay aggressive.”

Along with Speight up front, junior Cooper Wortmann will be counted on in the defensive line. All-Eastern Missouri Conference players Blake Whipple and Payton Olsson graduated along with their combined 85 tackles and six interceptions, but O’Neal said North Callaway has much experience in this year’s secondary of O’Neal, Moreno, Siegel, and juniors Lane Kimbley and Cashton Holloway.

O’Neal said he doesn’t expect the EMO conference to be any easier this season with reigning champion Bowling Green and perennial competitive teams like Montgomery County and Mark Twain.

“Conference-wise, we just need to be consistent and improve each week on what we do,” O’Neal said.

Before getting into that conference schedule, North Callaway faces Westran (Aug. 26 on the road) and Macon (Sept. 2 at home) each for the first time before rekindling its Callaway Cup rivalry with South Callaway – a matchup that has seen the teams alternate wins the previous four games with the Thunderbirds winning 26-6 last season.