Norwalk switches to Wing-T offense

NORWALK — Back to the basics. At every level within the program, the Norwalk football team is going all-in on a traditional offense. The Truckers will be converting to the Wing-T offense from the fifth grade and up. Third-year head coach Keith Mora believes the run-heavy, deception-based offense with multiple backfield sets and misdirection plays is the answer to a lot of questions for Norwalk, which is coming off a 2-9 season in 2024. "We're young in some ways, but with 13 seniors, we're also old in some ways," Mora said. "So we will rely heavily on those guys. I think a big thing is when you come in and you have a plan and you're trying to learn who the kids are. "A lot of it is finding the right fit and finding things kids can be bought into across the board. We needed to set the foundation for what we want to be about as a program." In his first two seasons as head coach, the Truckers were a combined 5-16. But they started 3-3 in 2023 and 2-1 in 2024 before struggling down the stretch. "We've done some searching here for two years," Mora said. "I think this year, regardless of what our record is, we've found something that can be good for us. "Our Junior Trucker program and the middle school team are running it, and for the first time, we really seem to be in full alignment from our youth up to the high school levels." Mora cautioned, however, that the program needs to stay fully committed moving forward. "We have to continue to take the correct steps and not change just because we don't like the results of something or be shortsighted about it," he said. "If we do that, then I think really good things can happen." The Truckers also used fewer of their camp days this summer on football activities with a stronger approach to the weight room and conditioning drills. "We really kind of just reevaluated ourselves, and it's something we've reestablished for this year," Mora said. "That's the foundation. I like where we are. We just need to find ways to work to improve every day." Offense Forced into action for the last four games of 2024, junior quarterback Brady Singer (5-foot-10, 165 pounds) is back under center. He was 14-for-38 passing for 197 yards with a pair of touchdowns, but is in a much different role this season. "Brady got a full offseason to lead the offense," Mora said. "If you ask him to do something, he works his hardest to do that thing. He doesn't complain about results or what he thinks others should be doing, which is important because the quarterback has to be a little more stoic and even-keeled than the rest of the team. "In this offense, he doesn't have to be the man; he just has to manage and run the offense and get the ball to where people have to get the ball." Norwalk is green along the offensive line. Junior Kaiden Moskus (5-11, 2-10) is at left tackle, with senior Nate King (5-11, 230) at left guard. Sophomore Luis Ramirez (5-9, 210) is the center, senior Cooper Gee (5-11, 240) is at right guard, and sophomore Jared Ramirez (5-11, 205) is at right tackle. Sophomore Cade Evans (6-3, 175) is the tight end, giving the Truckers three sophomores along the interior line. "That's a group that will be tested right away," Mora said. "It's all rules-based blocking, and they have to trust the rule. Don't get hung up on what the front is or what the jersey says across from them. It's about what the rule is of the blocking assignment. "They just have to trust the rule and not get hung up on all the different looks we will see and be good teammates for each other." Senior Carter Harp (5-10, 170) is the receiver starting on the edge. The backfield features senior AJ Weilnau (5-11, 190) at fullback, senior Gavin Lepley (6-1, 180) at wingback, and senior halfback Kaedyn Warner (6-0, 170). Warner caught 10 passes for 136 yards last season and returned six kicks for 127 yards. "I think this is where we have to understand we are pursuing something that Norwalk hasn't done to my knowledge, ever," Mora said of the Wing-T. "What I see right now is a team that is undersized on the line. We have running backs now, and we have some backs coming through our youth and middle school programs. "We have the ability to get into the shotgun, but just haven't done it yet. In years when we have a really strong QB, we can be in the gun and throw the ball around more — but we have to keep our roots in the offensive system and be about something." Defense The Truckers will run a four-man front once again, with Gee (17 tackles) and King at the tackles and Evans and Moskus (6.5 tackles) at the end positions. Senior Nico Helton (5-10, 175) is at outside linebacker and made 51 tackles in 2024. He's joined at the position by senior Colby Ferguson (5-10, 175), while Weilnau (36.5 tackles, one sack) and senior Brady Case (5-10, 180) return in the middle. Case had 25 tackles last season. Lepley (15.5 tackles) and senior Gabe Bellamy (5-10, 165) are at defensive back, with Harp (29 tackles, one interception, two forced fumbles) at free safety. Warner added 17 tackles with an interception last season as well. "We have to be correctly aligned on every play," Mora said. "That's where a lot of teams get beat. They don't get lined up right. We have to be correct in coverage. We're not super complex, but we have to be smart there. But our league likes to run the ball, so you have to be able to stop the run. "Last year we ran high looks too much, and so we're trying to go with a 4-4 and more of a single-high look when possible." Special teams Senior Tommy Vanderpool (6-1, 170) is back after earning SBC Lake first team and Division III Northwest District honorable mention honors last season. He made his lone field goal attempt of the season and was 5 for 7 on extra points. He also punted 38 times for a 33.9-yard average. "Tommy looks good," Mora said. "We ran three kickoffs in our first scrimmage (vs. Clear Fork), and they were all touchbacks. Two of those were eight or nine yards deep in the end zone, so we know that's a weapon with his leg. "We have to be able to block and get good snaps and holds so he can be a weapon for us on field goals, too. It's a good feeling to know if you can get across the 30-yard line, you have a good chance for a field goal — especially for what we want to do." Norwalk opens at Toledo Start, a team that went 7-3 last season. Other non-league games include Ontario, Galion, Bellevue, Edison and Vermilion. Then comes the grueling SBC Lake schedule. Mora knows it's a big challenge ahead for the Truckers. "If we can all be patient and watch this thing grow and believe what it can do for us, we will see kids coming up in high school who have been running this offense already for three or four years," he said. "The kids here now are the foundation. "This offense is not going to 'wow' you, but it's about getting three or four yards per play and wearing down a defense the best we can. And if we're blocking it correctly, it can spring for big plays." 2025 schedule Aug. 22: at Toledo Start, 7 p.m. Aug. 29: Ontario, 7 p.m. Sept. 5: Galion, 7 p.m. Sept. 12: at Bellevue, 7 p.m. Sept. 19: at Edison, 7 p.m. Sept. 26: Vermilion, 7 p.m. Oct. 3: Tiffin Columbian, 7 p.m. Oct. 10: at Perkins, 7 p.m. Oct. 17: Sandusky, 7 p.m. Oct. 24: at Clyde, 7 p.m. 2024 results (2-9) Norwalk 26, Toledo Start 7 Eastlake North 17, Norwalk 12 Norwalk 7, Toledo Rogers 6 Bellevue 21, Norwalk 18 Edison 35, Norwalk 0 Vermilion 21, Norwalk 0 Sandusky 42, Norwalk 0 Perkins 49, Norwalk 0 Tiffin Columbian 47, Norwalk 20 Clyde 34, Norwalk 0 Playoffs Medina Buckeye 42, Norwalk 7 2025 roster No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. 1 LJ O'Dell WR/DB 5-10 155 10 2 Nico Helton RB/LB 5-10 175 12 3 Cam Evans TE/DL 6-3 175 10 4 Tyson Corbin WR/DB 6-3 155 11 5 Brady Singer QB/DB 5-10 165 11 6 Carter Harp WR/DB 5-10 170 12 7 Austin Gentry WR/DB 6-2 170 10 8 Brady Case FB/LB 5-10 180 12 9 Gabe Bellamy RB/DB 5-10 165 12 11 Kaedyn Warner RB/DB 6-0 170 12 12 Ethan Fields WR/DB 5-11 165 11 16 Westin Sage LB/TE 6-0 175 12 17 Kadden Gede TE/DL 5-11 170 10 18 Wessen Metro WR/DB 5-7 145 9 19 Colby Ferguson RB/LB 5-10 175 12 20 Gavin Lepley RB/DB 6-1 180 12 22 Cade Evans TE/DL 6-3 175 10 24 Ayden Hudson-Brown RB/DB 6-0 175 10 27 Tyson Roth TE/LB 5-7 145 9 28 Caiden Wilson RB/LB 5-11 165 11 40 AJ Weilnau FB/LB 5-11 190 12 42 Lyric Shipp RB/LB 5-10 160 9 44 Josue Ogaldez Cruz WR/LB 5-10 155 10 47 Zao Roderick TE/LB 6-1 170 12 50 Jared Ramirez OL/DL 5-11 205 10 53 Kingston Green OL/DL 6-3 255 12 56 Oscar Avila OL/LB 5-7 170 9 64 Keaton Williams OL/DL 5-10 205 10 65 Luis Ramirez OL/DL 5-9 210 10 67 Kaiden Moskus OL/DL 5-11 5-11 210 11 59/69 Liam Vandersluis OL/DL 6-4 290 10 70 Matthew Dotson OL/DL 5-10 285 12 71 Colby Metcalf OL/DL 6-3 230 9 72 Leyland Price OL/DL 6-3 240 9 73 Brayden Hockenberry OL/DL 6-0 230 10 76 Troy Blystone OL/DL 5-8 200 10 78 Nathan King OL/DL 5-11 230 12 79 Gee Cooper OL/DL 5-11 240 12 80 Thomas Vanderpool K/P 6-1 170 12 87 William Biller RB/DB 5-11 175 10