After trimming offensive playbook, Freedom looks to improve

By: Ted Sarneso
Saturday, August 17, 2024 | 6:01 AM

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Ron Balog’s whirlwind beginning as head football coach at Freedom last year opened with the most important task when starting fresh in a new locale.

“The biggest expectation for me was to get here and build relationships,” said Balog, who was the offensive coordinator at North Catholic before coming to Freedom.

“It was very important to get to know the players, the school district and the community,” Balog added. “The welcome I received from all those different groups was great.”

Balog’s relationship building took him until June and he still had to put a staff together. Then it was August and he needed to install a brand-new offense.

The swift way in which Balog asked his quarterbacks to learn the offense hampered their ability to digest the new playbook as well as the Bulldogs’ offense, as the team went 3-7 overall and 2-5 in the Midwestern Conference.

“I put way too much on Ty Schulteis and Isaiah Leasha’s plates last year from a passing-game standpoint,” Balog acknowledged. “Those guys had never played in that type of offense before. Both guys are talented. It was just a lot to ask.”

Schulteis, who graduated, passed for 839 yards last year and seven touchdowns. That means Leasha, a senior, is the starting quarterback this season.

Balog slimmed down the playbook for Leasha this season, not because he isn’t talented enough, but because Balog wants to run an offense more suited to his abilities.

“I’m very high on what Isaiah can do for us as a leader and as a playmaker,” Balog said. “The kids all really like him. He definitely understood what we were trying to do, but this year, I wanted to make sure we weren’t overloading his plate.”

Leasha will have a new cast around him at the skill positions as the Bulldogs lost leading receiver Cody Patterson, who caught 41 passes for 659 yards and seven touchdowns, and leading rusher Tyler Welsh and his 615 yards.

To make up for the loss of Patterson’s production, Freedom has a pair of senior wideouts in Cooper Young and Dekota Roberts. Both targets are hard to miss.

“Both guys very talented with good speed and great hands,” Balog said. “Each stand at 6-1 or 6-2 and are 200 pounds apiece. We expect a lot from those guys.”

At tailback, the Bulldogs have a full stable of six or seven backs who will compete for the starting job and vie for playing time during the season.

Kayden Bailey is currently the front runner at the position.

“He is lightning fast and the younger brother of girls basketball star Shaye Bailey, so obviously some great DNA in that family,” said Balog.

Young and Roberts will factor in the running game as well, in some form or fashion.

The offensive line returns four starters in seniors Ryan Lewis, Jake Hilberry, JT Tatko and junior Eli Cottrill. Sophomore Troy Gorajewski, who played a lot of snaps as a freshman, rounds out the group.

“All these guys took a lot of snaps and are big, strong guys who all had a great offseason in our weight program,” Balog said. “We’re very excited about this starting group and there are a bunch of younger guys at depth positions who we think will help us.”

Balog wants to see more consistency and longer drives from his offense. The Bulldogs look to bring balance to their points for (10.7) and points against (27.9) numbers they finished with last year.

“When we installed our offense, which was a pure spread, pass-first offense, we had way too many three-and-outs that took 30 seconds,” Balog said. “Then most of the kids had to turn around immediately and play on defense.”

To counter any attrition Freedom could encounter from short offensive drives, Balog brings a long a deep freshman class and went out and got arguably the best strength trainer in the area.

“We turned our weight program over to Rick Daman, who own’s Daman’s strength training in Beaver,” Balog said. “He’s been doing it for over 20 years. Last seven years, he’s been running Central Valley’s weight training program. All the kids love the program.”

Defensively, the Bulldogs are solid on the line as the starters on the offensive line will rotate throughout the game to remain fresh.

The linebacking position excites Balog the most.

Mason O’Donnell, who started a few games at the end of the season as a freshman, should a factor and senior Austin Anderson looks to replicate his solid junior year on the outside.

The most interesting piece is senior Adam Rhoades, who didn’t come out for the team until the fifth game of the season last year.

“He wanted to play, but didn’t as a freshman and sophomore,” said Balog. “Last year, his buddies finally pestered him enough and he came out for us. He’s a smart kid, a good kid. He also plays basketball, which shows how talented he is as an athlete. I wish we had him for all 10 games last year.”

Rhoades’ athleticism allows him to play either on the defensive line or at linebacker, which gives the Bulldogs the chance to be more flexible and serve up different looks.

“Depending on what our DC decides to go with, he could end up in either spot,” Balog said. “He’s got really good feet and runs well laterally.”

In the secondary, Bailey, Roberts, Young and Leasha will be the starters with sophomore Riley Henley seeing some playing time.

On special teams, the Bulldogs return probably the best leg in Class 2A.

Junior Garrett Drutarosky played as a freshman, but lost his sophomore season to a knee injury at the end of the basketball season his freshman year.

He returns after competing in Kohl’s camps, a premier camp for kickers and long snappers in the winter and summer. Drutarosky kicked the longest field goal out of 300 kids his age group with a 53-yarder.

“He is an unbelievable kicker and will both kick and punt for us,” said Balog. “But he’s also super-talented from an offensive standpoint, so he will see time in our offense.”

With everything he’s implemented the last two years, Balog hopes to have the Bulldogs in the running for a playoff spot out of the Midwestern Athletic Conference.

The path would seem easier with new coaches at Riverside, New Brighton and Beaver Falls, but with Mohawk still formidable, the addition of Union and Ellwood City only losing two seniors, there are obstacles in Freedom’s way.

“It’s crazy. I really don’t know what to expect,” said Balog. “We do know Mohawk will still be a solid team. Dan Bradley has a great program up in Ellwood City and Kim Niedbala of Union is a great coach and they’ll have a solid group of players.”

Freedom

Coach: Ron Balog

2023 record: 3-7, 2-5 in Class 2A Midwestern Conference

All-time record: 432-557-54

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.23 Quaker Valley, 7

8.30 at Rochester, 7

9.6 Summit Academy, 7

9.13 at New Brighton*, 7

9.20 Ellwood City*, 7

9.27 at Beaver Falls*, 7

10.4 Riverside*, 7

10.11 at Union*, 7

10.18 Mohawk*, 7

10.25 Western Beaver*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Tyler Schulteis*

64-150, 839 yards, 7 TDs

Rushing: Tyler Welsh*

148-615, 3 TDs

Receiving: Cody Patterson*

41-659, 7 TDs

*Graduated

FAST FACTS

• The Bulldogs were 2-3 at home last season and 1-4 on the road.

• Freedom looks to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2019.

• The Bulldogs made the playoffs four consecutive years from 2016-2019.

• This is coach Ron Balog’s second stint with Freedom. He was the head coach at Quaker Valley from 2018-2021 and North Catholic’s offensive coordinator in 2022.

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