Seniors Ben Plummer, Ethyn Bradley, Jake Mangas and Caleb Wooldridge (shown above left to right) will be key performers for Warsaw this fall.

WARSAW – The Warsaw football team will definitely have a new look to it this season.

That look has nothing to do with uniforms or helmets.

The look has everything to do with a new offense that differs dramatically from the past.

The Tigers, with the graduation of record-setting tailback Tristan McClone, will go with a spread offense, featuring a shotgun formation with plenty of emphasis on the passing game.

Warsaw coach Phil Jensen says his young team is excited about the change.

“Our kids are excited about it and are having fun with it,” said Jensen at a recent preseason practice. “We’ve totally reinvented who we are, but this gives us the best chance to win.

“You look at the personnel you have and you coach who you have. We had Tristan the past couple of years and with a player of that calibre everybody got it.”

McClone helped lead the Tigers to a 7-4 mark last year. He rushed for 1,522 yards and 18 touchdowns last fall after setting a single-season rushing record in a breakout junior year. Warsaw averaged 200 yards rushing and 66 yards passing per game in 2013.

Warsaw lost a stellar senior group from last year’s squad that finished 5-2 in the Northern Lakes Conference and lost 42-7 at Carroll in a Class 6-A sectional title game.  Key losses included All-State linebacker/defensive back Gabe Furnivall, All-NLC receiver Tanner Balazs and offensive lineman Anthony Hendrickson.

Jensen admits that in a perfect World he would still feature a two-back set and just pound the football at opponents with a running attack.

“I don’t want to do this, but like I said with our personnel this puts us in the best position to win,”  said Jensen, who played at Penn and Butler. “We still want to control the ball.

“The thing is that we basically have no starters back on offense so that’s good in that we had a blank slate to work with in this new offense. We have a good group that’s been working hard.”

The new-look attack, which looked good in last Friday night’s scrimmage with Tippecanoe Valley, will be run by Jake Mangas. The 6-2, 170-pound senior quarterback started several games two seasons ago.

“Jake is just a very smart quarterback and super coachable,” remarked Jensen. “He just needs to take care of the football and make good decisions in the offense for us.”

The Tigers boast a bevy of tall and athletic players for Mangas to throw the pigskin to this fall. The talented, yet inexperienced group, includes the likes of 6-2 sophomore Kyle Mangas, 6-3 junior Thomas Hickerson, 6-3 junior Sterling Hay, 6-4 junior Riley Rhoades, 6-2 junior Brock Riley and 6-3 sophomore tight end Jeremy David.  Rhoades, who was injured last season, also adds a key dimension as a threat at quarterback in the shotgun set. Slated to get work in the backfield carrying the ball are seniors Jakub Wood and Ethyn Bradley.

The Warsaw defense boasts more experience and key returnees, led by senior standouts Ben Plummer and Caleb Wooldridge on the line. The Tiger defense will also count on seniors Bradley and Brett Fancil in the secondary and senior linebacker Darrin Schaefer.

“The key for our defense again this year is to not give up the big plays,” said Jensen. “We have to make teams work for what they get.”

The Tigers also welcome back a big weapon in Caleb Klusman. The senior will once again handle the punting and place kicking duties after hitting on 19-of-21 extra points and making two field goals in 2013.

“We have to win the special teams part of the game this year and Caleb is a great place to start with that,” noted Jensen.

Jensen also knows that he will need some younger guys to step up this fall with just 11  seniors on the roster.

“How fast our young kids grow up is going to be important to us,” Jensen said. “The NLC is going to be a grind again.”

Warsaw opens the season at Columbia City Aug. 22 at 7 p.m.

Warsaw Schedule

Aug. 22 – At Columbia City
Aug. 29 – East Noble
Sept. 5 – At Plymouth
Sept. 12 –  Elkhart Memorial
Sept. 19 – At Northridge
Sept. 26 – Goshen
Oct. 3 – At Wawasee
Oct. 10 – At NorthWood
Oct. 17 – Concord