Colonials alum takes lead as head coach, says team has improved physically in off-season
COLONIAL HEIGHTS — When Kyle Krupp took the reigns as the head coach of Colonial Heights football in April, his message was that the key to turning around a program that hasn’t had a winning season since 2005 was off-season strength and conditioning.
One summer in to his tenure, it seems his team has taken that message to heart.
“People who come out to practice talk about how big we look, how much faster we’ve gotten,” Krupp said.
Around 30 players were regularly in the weight room four days a week, Krupp said. With a smaller roster than some area schools, 30 players dedicated to bettering themselves physically will make a world of difference this season, Krupp hopes.
“It’s hard to say it’s going to impact wins and losses, but we’ll definitely play better,” Krupp said.
The off-season workout regiment led to several school records being broken, including the fastest 40-yard-dash time a Colonial has ever had, Krupp said.
“We’re going to be in a lot better position to be contending for wins now,” he said. “Just from the player at the top of our depth chart to the player at the bottom, we are way stronger and faster. I think we’re way better conditioned than in years past.”
With the gains of the off-season behind him, Krupp is now fully focused the Colonials’ first opponent of the season, Thomas Jefferson. He’s so focused, in fact, that he hasn’t taken the time to reflect on the significance of his first game in charge.
“I’m not sure that it’s really set in yet,” he said. “It’s one of those things, just trying to get ready. I get so deep in preparing for a contest, that I don’t really think about, ‘Oh, this is my first game as a head coach.’”
Doubtless, his coaching debut will be meaningful, if he ever allows himself to pause and take a breath. Krupp is a Colonial Heights graduate, and his father was a long time coach at the school. Krupp said in April upon taking the job that he grew up with Colonials football.
Now, he’s the head coach.
“I’m sure it’ll set in when I go out there for the first time,” he said. “But right now, my mind is locked in.”
His new role will be a departure from his defensive coordinator position that he held last year. Now, instead of focusing on one side of the ball, everything that happens on the field falls under his purview.
“I was very much to myself when we were on offense,” Krupp said of his game routine as defensive coordinator. “I would typically go to the other end of the field and start working on what I was going to be doing the next series. I can’t do that anymore. I’m going to have to rely on my assistants more.”
One of those assistant, Corey Watkins, will be especially important to Krupp as his offensive coordinator. Last season, the Colonials offense was run by now departed head coach Adam Tiller, who called the plays himself. Now, Watkins steps into that role.
“Corey’s done a fantastic job,” Krupp said.
Watkins and Krupp spent the off-season developing an offensive system from scratch.
“I wanna say everyday during our planning period this spring, me and him were in there [preparing],” Krupp said. “They would call to my [class]room looking for him, we were together so much.”
The pair developed a scheme that fits into Krupp’s overall vision for the team, and it will be a power-run, run-pass option-based offense, that puts the ball in the quarterback’s hands and allows him to read the defense to make plays.
“It’s two things that don’t sound like they’d work together,” Krupp said of the power-run, option combination. “But I think we’ve done a good job of finding ways to work both of those at the same time.”
5-foot-11 junior Tyler White won the quarterback battle, and will be a key component in that style that puts pressure on the signal caller to read and react.
“He has looked very good the past couple of weeks. He’s really athletic,” Krupp said. “He makes really good decisions with the football.”
Krupp, who was also the offensive-line coach last season, believes that his offensive front will be able to create holes for that running game. Junior Nyzheir Warner will anchor the line at 6-foot-2 300 pounds.
“Really great feet, really strong, really good work ethic,” Krupp said of Warner.
The Colonials will also sport talented skill players, Krupp said, that should be able to keep defenses on their toes in ways they haven’t been in recent seasons.
“We have enough tools in the bag to where if we get stopped with one thing, there’s another tool we can pull out,” Krupp said. “I don’t think we’re a one-dimensional team this year.”
Defensively, Colonial Heights will be “anchored” by junior Wayne Wolfe and sophomore Tucker Booth, of the linebacker corps.
“They’re both returning as two-year starters. Dedicated kids in the weight room everyday,” Krupp said. “They really know the defense. They know what I’m trying to get out of them, and they pull the guys around them and make them better.”
With just five seniors on the entire roster, Krupp has needed his team to mature, and they’ve done that, he said, with the dedication they showed in the off-season. Now comes the payoff.
“For all the work they’ve put in, I hope they get a result that matches that.”
By Jeff Milby, Progress-Index StaffThe Progress-Index