BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER
EDINBURG — The energy at Edinburg Vela spring football practices is electric.
“We like to say, ‘There is always juice coming out to practice,’” sophomore linebacker Luis Gutierrez said. “We are always pumped up. We are always ready for practice.”
On April 19, ECISD announced the hiring of John Campbell as the new Vela head coach. Campbell’s first head coaching job was at San Antonio John Jay in 2004.
He coached in Katy for a year before taking the head coaching job at Brandeis. Campbell was the first coach at the newly opened Brandeis and spent seven years there developing the program into a perennial contender. In 2015, Campbell went to Texas A&M-Commerce, where he was an assistant. Last year, he was the head coach at San Antonio Madison.
During practice, the SaberCats are split into groups with their position coaches. Campbell, meanwhile, works his way around the practice, stopping with each group and routinely giving players individualized feedback.
“I like how he is everywhere,” Gutierrez said. “He is trying to help out all the coaches. He is really active throughout practice. And that’s a good thing, because it pumps up the team, seeing our coach all over the place trying to get us hyped up.”
Campbell brought in a staff that could match his energy. Two of his assistants were playing Division I football within the last three years. Defensive Backs coach Mauricio Sanchez graduated from UTSA in 2015 after playing defensive back for four years. Similarly, Scott Inskeep played guard at UTSA before graduating in 2014. Last year, Inskeep was a coach at Los Fresnos.
That youth and excitement spreads to the players.
“It’s been good getting to know the coaches better,” sophomore tight end Nico Rodriguez said. “We really feed off of them.”
“We are learning a bunch of new things,” junior quarterback Nathan Garcia said. “It’s exciting and fun to get to know these new things.”
Campbell is excited about his staff and the connection they are already starting to form with the players.
“I think we have assembled a pretty good group of guys that can bring some influence from other areas, but at the same time have a familiarity either within the Valley or having played against the teams in the Valley, having success against those teams,” Campbell said.
STOPPERS
The Vela defense last year wasn’t always the team’s strong suit. The unit allowed an average of 23 points per game. Campbell has a plan to change that, and it starts with defensive coordinator Ross Matt. Matt was an assistant at Judson High School last season.
Much like Campbell, Matt goes back and forth between his groups in practice. He may be showing a defensive lineman how to line up in one moment and teaching a safety how to defend a curl route the next.
“His defense, he understands what he is trying to do with it,” Gutierrez said. “He sees everything, and he communicates it to us. He moves around a lot during practices. He goes to the DBs, then to the linebackers, then the D-line. He’s always around, so he is really getting interactive with us.”
Last year, Vela ran a 4-2-5 system. This year, the SaberCats are learning the new system brought in by Matt and Campbell. They will be in a 3-4 base.
One of the leaders of the defense will be junior free safety Nick Enriquez. He is the leading tackler from 2016 with 200 total tackles on the year.
“He’s got speed, and he’s got good length,” Campbell said. “He’s picked up some of the changes that we are bringing. A very intelligent football player.”
RUNNING MAN
In 2016, Vela had two phenomenal backs carrying the ball. Senior Robert Guerra was the big-name player, and despite only playing in five games, he amassed 1,179 yards and 20 TDs. The player who got the bulk of the carries while Guerra was out was sophomore Cristian Flores. Flores put up 984 yards and 11 TDs.
With Guerra graduating and Flores transferring out of the school, Vela has an opening at running back.
“That is one position that we haven’t quite stamped, but we feel good with about four or five kids,” Campbell said. “If we have to, it will be by committee, but we would like for a guy to emerge and be the starter. We feel good with the productivity of the guys that we are repping right now.”
One player who may fill that role is sophomore second-string quarterback Marc Buhidar. Last year, Buhidar picked up 221 yards and two TDs on 40 carries, most of which came while he was at the quarterback position.
“He’s a good power running back,” Garcia said, “He’s got a big body. He’s a very strong kid, very fast on his feet, quick. He’s a good running back.”
Campbell didn’t want to divulge who else was in the running.
“We are not going to tell everybody, yet, exactly who we have, being one week into spring,” Campbell said. “But, we have plenty of weapons.”
EDINBURG VELA
Returning starters (O/D): 5/6
Returning letterman: 30
Key players: QB Nathan Garcia, FS Nick Enriquez, LB Luis Gutierrez, TE Nico Rodriguez
Coach: John Campbell, 1st year at school
2016 Record: 9-2, 7-0