Logan Larson embraces Hall tradition

All the signs are there everywhere he looks around the Hall football complex.

Two state champion and one state runner-up banners on the Richard Nesti Stadium scoreboard.

The school’s athletic director, who played on the first state championship team in 1996.

An assistant coach, who played on the first state championship team and the following state runner-up team.

Another assistant coach, who played on the second state championship team in 2001.

I’m here for the kids and I want them to be the best and being able to experience those Friday Night Lights and do something special. Those Friday Night Lights are something special.”

—  Logan Larson, Hall coach

New Hall-Putnam County head coach Logan Larson is embracing the Hall Red Devil tradition and aiming to add to it.

He knows it’s a daunting task.

“I did my research before I got the job,” said Larson, who was an assistant coach at Class 2A runner-up Athens. “Our athletic director played on a state championship team and there’s other people in the community who played on state championship teams. Got a coach who played on a state championship team. Got kids’ dads who played on a state championship team. You look at the scoreboard and there it is right there.

“It’s there. And people will want it. How do we get revamped and get back in to it? Football’s changed a little bit. When they won those state championships, it was 1995 and 2001. Hudl (film) wasn’t around. Just stuff like that. It’s how you revamp it and almost modernize in a way to do the things everybody else is doing. The joint practices and stuff like that in the summer. That’s stuff kind of new and things getting newer and newer. If you’re not on the cutting edge that the top programs are doing, you’re going to fall behind. It’s going to happen quickly.”

It’s been a bit of a sale’s job for Larson to stick himself in the middle of all the Hall tradition. He’s the first head coach with no ties to the program in 45 years following Randy Tieman’s second stint as the Red Devils coach.

The last head coach to come into the program from the outside was John Fippinger, who came to Hall from LeRoy in 1979 and coached through the 1984 season. He was followed by his assistant Gary Vicini, who had a highly successful 25-year tenure from 1985 to 2008 with 20 playoff appearances, including two state championships and a state runner-up finish.

Prior to Fippinger’s tenure, Lou Zecca came to Hall via Wyanet as head coach from 1976-78.

“It’s me wanting the best for the community, for these guys, this program, school and everything,” Larson said. “I’ve heard good things (from the community), whether it’s true or not. That’s what I’m getting told. Just the person I am. I’m here for the kids and I want them to be the best and being able to experience those Friday Night Lights and do something special. Those Friday Night Lights are something special.”

The new coach said getting to know his players was the biggest thing he wanted to accomplish over the summer.

“The first thing I did was have individual meetings. Get their point of view on football and whether they like it or not and everything they felt and things they wanted to see changed,” Larson said. “That’s a big thing for me, being a player-led program. And that’s the best teams, being player-led.

“It’s what they want and what they want to see. Kind of see what work they’re going to put in and that kind of stuff.”

Things are clicking for Larson and his squad in the second week of practices. They are utilizing a lot of film time as a learning tool from practices.

“A big thing for me that I always push is watching a lot of film on Hudl,” he said. “Right now, we have seven guys that have watched over an hour of film in the last week, five guys with over two hours and one guy with over three hours.

“We’ve got a lot of guys really buying in watching film. It’s something I’ve pushed and asked for and keep constantly coaching them on. They’re buying in to it.”

The players say it’s been a pretty smooth transition.

“There’s a lot of changes and we’re all adjusting pretty quickly to it. We’re always watching film and it’s coming along pretty easily,” said Jack Jablonski, a senior wide receiver and safety. “We’re learning a new offense and new plays and everything. And the entire practice has changed too.”

“It took a little bit, but I think now we’re on a good page with everybody overall. I’ve really enjoyed it so far,” senior Cameron Spradlings, of PC, said. “The biggest adjustment has been understanding and learning from your coach, seeing his personality and building off of it.”

Both players said Larson brings a lot of energy and the enthusiasm and “puts an emphasis on making sure we’re getting things done, getting to weight room and watching film,” Spradlings added.

The Red Devils will put it all on the line in the season opener at home against Orion on Friday, Aug. 30.