VINTON, Va. – The 1st and 10 Camp Tour checks in on the Celtics of Roanoke Catholic, where after 21 years there’s a new sheriff in town--new to the program but familiar to the area.
Howard Tucker has been tabbed to lead Celtics football. He has a wealth of experience from recreation league teams and middle school programs in Roanoke City. On the job for just over a month, he and his experienced staff have hit the ground running. They bring a military background so structure will be big. Lots of things are being revamped--from small things like weight training to the more pressing things like installing new schemes on each side of the ball. It’s all in an effort to hopefully bring some wins in 2024.
“To get them to buy in and understand you have to work as a group to get something accomplished, just like in life,” Tucker said. “We’ve been talking about life lessons, explaining you will have to work with people from different backgrounds all your life if you want to succeed.”
Kaleb Hustead is one of roughly 10 seniors on the team this season and foresees great things this season and beyond with a refreshed mindset from the new staff.
“Most of these guys, we’ve been playing together for 2-3 years so we still have all the brotherhood and comradery but the new coaches bringing in new things for us to do--new drills, new experience,” Hustead said. “I think the (staff’s) military experience will also help.”
“It’s been really exciting. I’m ready to learn the new offense and stuff,” said Demarcus Brown. He’s in his third season with the Celtics program as he enters his sophomore season. “We have a new defense as well and I’m ready to learn as a team. I feel like this is going to be a breakout season for Roanoke Catholic.”
Coach Tucker said there’s a possibility that the team will field more players after school starts. One of the Celtics strongest position groups will be the offensive and defensive lines. Much of their size and experience is up front, as was evident in practice. Schematically, Roanoke Catholic hopes to be more of a spread team on offense--something new to the Celtics who was a run dominant team in the latter years under longtime coach Bob Price. Defensively, their installing a 4-3 set.
Roanoke Catholic opens its season on the road at St. Anne’s-Belfield on August 23.