After back-to-back losing seasons, new coach Elliott looks to return gridiron Cols to winning ways
(This article first appeared in the August print edition of the Hendersonian.)
After two straight losing seasons and the departure of longtime head coach Josh Boston, the Henderson County football team is ready to turn the page.
And who better to lead the next chapter than a Hall of Fame coach with nearly five decades of experience?
John Elliott, a familiar face in Henderson County and a recent inductee into the Indiana Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame, takes the reins of the Henderson County football program in 2025 with a clear mission to restore the winning tradition.
“I know what the program can be,” Elliott said. “We won a lot of football games under Clay (Clevenger) and in my last few years with Josh. I know that Henderson can be successful.”
Success hasn’t come easily in the past two years. After a 10-3 campaign and a trip to the state quarterfinals in 2022, the Colonels struggled to reload. But Elliott is laying down fresh concrete with a new philosophy known as “The County Way.”
“We started a new way of doing things,” he said. “We are going to practice at a certain tempo and do things at practice in a precise manner. The locker room has to be clean, and we expect certain behavior in the hallways and classrooms. We are terming all of that positive behavior and attitude ‘The County Way.’”
With 48 years of coaching under his belt across Indiana and Kentucky, including two prior stints on Henderson’s staff, he brings experience and credibility.
Returning as offensive coordinator is former HCHS quarterback and longtime assistant Andrew Proctor—his 14th season on staff. Coming in as defensive coordinator is a new face in Eric Schnur, most recently the head coach at Princeton (Ind.) Community High School.
“The opportunity to come and coach with Coach Elliott as he winds his career down and to be a part of building Henderson County back to what it has been in the past has seemed like a really intriguing opportunity,” Schnur said. “I’m excited to be here.”
Proctor is now adjusting to a roster with new faces and evolving strengths.
“We have a lot of new faces and new production coming in,” Proctor said. “When you lose guys at quarterback, wide receiver and running back, there’s got to be a lot of guys step up. But we’re excited about what they’ve done this offseason.”
One of the most important pieces is junior quarterback Brody Belt, who took over midway through last season after Davis went down with a shoulder injury. Belt threw for nine touchdowns and five interceptions in five games and now enters 2025 as the starter.
“We have a whole new receiving corps,” Belt said. “I think almost every receiver left, so I’m looking to build a bond with my receivers. I’m building on what I learned last year and being more consistent.”
At receiver, the Colonels are replacing nearly all their production from a year ago, losing 1,050 of the team’s 1,230 receiving yards and 14 of 17 receiving touchdowns. Stepping into those roles are seniors and juniors looking to make a name for themselves.
Senior Avant Baxter, who led the team in interceptions on defense last year, is expected to take a major step forward at wide receiver. Juniors Christian Haygan and Hezekiah Harris will round out the receiving corps, with Haygan, last year’s starting tight end, moving outside to use his 6’3 frame to become a primary target.
Senior Jack Ryan Reusch, the team’s leading tackler for two straight seasons, looks to handle primary running back duties after the graduation of two-year starter Anthony Burrus. Sophomore Kingston Shidler will serve as his backup, while junior Jack Dalton will compete for reps once he returns from a knee injury.
Up front, the Colonels return upperclassmen on the offensive line with seniors Gabe Sheffer, Jack Hampton and Preston Gogel, along with juniors Joe Hudson and Dominique Beamus.
“The chemistry is there,” Baxter said. “We just have to put it out on the field. Coach Elliott has a lot of experience, and I feel like he can help us win a lot of games.”
Special teams will also look different, as Miles Pryor takes over the kicking duties following the graduation of three-year starter Carson Weiss.
While the offense works to reload, the defense brings back experience and depth at every level.
The defensive line is anchored by seniors, including Myron Wright, Jack Logan, Alec Thomas and Wyatt Newman. Wright, who led the team in forced fumbles and was third in tackles last season, brings energy to a physical unit.
“One play at a time,” Wright said of his team’s mentality. “Work with our new coaches and listen to everything they say. We are getting better each day.”
At linebacker, Reusch returns as the heart of the defense, alongside senior Zarian Rideout. Reusch, considered a top linebacker in the state, recently received an NAIA offer from Georgetown College. Their production will set the tone for a defense that looks to turn heads in 2025.
In the secondary, the Colonels are bringing back experience. Baxter and Hayden Turner hold down the safety spots, while the Colonels have a scrappy cornerback group with juniors Kace Smith and returning starter Jack Dalton, who will rejoin the group when healthy.
“We’ve really sharpened our craft this summer,” Turner said. “We are breaking stuff down, working on form, then getting to the play and finishing the tackle.”
Schnur is instilling a mindset focused on effort and accountability.
“I want to create a mentality of winning with effort, loving each other, but holding each other accountable and making sure we’re communicating our responsibilities,” Schnur said.
With the summer wrapping up, they’ll begin a regular season that’s as much about restoring pride as it is about chasing wins. With a new approach and a determined senior class, the Colonels are hoping 2025 marks a return to form for Henderson County football.
“We’ve got a lot of seniors,” Elliott said. “These guys have committed to doing things the way that we want them done. As a class, we are going to count on a lot of them to play a lot of football for us.”
