Second-year Coach Joe Allen has switched the offense from a Wing-T to a spread option due to Boross and the team's talent at wide receiver.
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BETHESDA-CHEVY CHASE BARONS
Coach: Joe Allen, 2nd year
Record: 2-8, 2007; 2-8, Career
Returning Starters: Offense 8; Defense 6
Players to Watch: Jake Boross (Sr., QB, 6-0, 190); Casey Fitzgerald (Jr., FS, 6-0, 170); Casey Shamma (Sr., WR, 5-10, 160); Matt Bookman (Soph., RB/WR, 5-7, 150); Reid Williams (Sr., OL/LB, 6-0, 175)

TEAM LINKS:
Click here to visit Bethesda-Chevy Chase's school homepage
Click here to visit Bethesda-Chevy Chase's football team page
Click here to visit Montgomery County football Sports Central

EXPERIENCE, LEADERSHIP SETTING THE TONE FOR BETHESDA-CHEVY CHASE
By Ryan Mink
rmink@digitalsports.com

According to Bethesda-Chevy Chase players, last year’s 2-8 season can be attributed to a problem in leadership. So this year, there’s a whole new regime at the top.

Senior quarterback Jake Boross and the Barons’ 14 returning starters are taking it upon themselves to turn things around this season and Bethesda-Chevy Chase is also welcoming in five new coaches under second-year head coach Joe Allen.

“Everyone would kind of quit on each other when something would go wrong,” Boross said of last year. “I think we’ll be able to handle adversity better this year. The team chemistry is a lot better. It’s a tight-knit group.”

Boross said he can tell that a lot of his teammates look up to him. He has made an effort during the offseason to not only be a vocal leader but also show his teammates the path towards a winning season with increased workouts.

“It was a challenge to come out here every week [last year],” Boross said. “Hopefully it will be easier this year. … The team chemistry is a lot better than it was last year and I think our seniors leaders are going to step up and do their jobs.”

Boross was one of three quarterbacks playing for Bethesda-Chevy Chase last year. This season, he is entrenched as the starter, giving the Barons more stability than it had last season. Boross started the final four games of last season, in which the Barons won two of the last three after opening the season on a seven-game losing streak.

“Our leadership this year is better. Our captain, Jake Boross, is really good,” junior Casey Fitzgerald said. “He makes sure everybody is doing all the time. He stays hard on everyone.”

Bethesda-Chevy Chase’s late-season turnaround could also be attributed by a switch to a spread formation. The formation works well for the team this year considering it returns all of its receivers, including Gibb Jenkins and Casey Shamma.

“With Jake Boross coming back, he’s a pretty accurate thrower,” second-year Coach Joe Allen said. “We have a lot of wide receivers coming back so we thought the best thing would be to kind of spread them out and throw the football. The kids are really excited about throwing the football so we’re really looking forward to a productive year.”

Allen, a St. John’s (DC) graduate, brought in five new coaches, most notably including defensive coordinator Darryl Hodge. Hodge spent the past two years at St. John’s coaching the offensive and defensive lines and wanted to move up the ranks to take over a defense.

Coach Wayne See, who spent time playing Arena football and spent the past two years learning from former West Virginia University Coach Rich Rodriguez, also joins the staff.

“I think the coaching staff has been upgraded,” Allen said. “We brought up some experienced guys. … I think we’ll be more successful this year than we were last year.”

RUNNING GAME IN FLUX:

Returning senior starting running back Joe Poore decided not to play football this season, Coach Allen said.

That seemingly would leave a gap at running back, but look out for sophomore running back Matt Bookman, who Coach Allen pointed to as a potential standout performer.

“We’re looking for big things from him,” Allen said.

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