UPPER MERION – Upper Merion has had a few different team mottos over the past few seasons – LEO (love each other), 11 as 1 and For The Ship.
Marquis Weeks was a member of the Vikings’ coaching staff, serving as offensive coordinator and running backs coach. In his first season as head coach, Weeks is implementing BUILD, which stands for reliability, endless effort, daily improvement, love and discipline.
“We preach that all the time,” said Weeks, who played college football at the University of Virginia before playing for the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL. “Are you reliable every day when you step on the field? When we work hard, are you giving endless effort? Are you improving daily? We want to see little things, it doesn’t have to be a super big jump, just if you do a drill better than you did before, that’s improvement. That’s what we’re looking for.
“We’re trying to really change the culture and hold these people to really high standards.”
“We’re getting guys to participate,” junior quarterback Jackson Solley said. “Last year, some of our better players didn’t participate in what we tried to do. I think we have guys that really want to go out there and win.”
Weeks previously served as head coach at Conestoga, where his teams went 2-8 in 2016 and 1-9 in 2017. He learned things from that experience that he will apply to his new role at Upper Merion.
“My first year of coaching, I was a lot more hands-on,” said Weeks, a Conestoga graduate (class of 2000) who rushed for more than 6,000 yards and scored more than 70 touchdowns in high school. “I was involved in everything. I ran the offense, I was involved in special teams. Even though I had a running backs coach, I was still involved in that a little bit. This year, I feel really comfortable and trust my team. I know they know what they’re doing because we’ve coached together for so long. We brought in two new coaches that I know are good coaches. I really trust them. I have other coaches that are involved in special teams. I coach running backs, but I don’t feel like I have to do as much. I can delegate some things and just let it flow. I’m really confident. I know there’s good coaching going on at every position.”
Solley returns as the starting quarterback after throwing for nearly 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns as a sophomore. He focused on his technique in the offseason and is seeing the results in his improved arm strength.
The 6-foot-2, 175-pound signal-caller also knows that leadership will be an important aspect of his game this year.
“I’ve been trying to work on my leadership,” he said. “I think I’m doing better than I did last year. As a sophomore, it’s hard to get everyone’s respect, but we have a lot of good leaders and I think I’m one of them.”
“Jackson does a really good job as a leader,” Weeks said. “When you see his maturity as a quarterback, he makes really good decisions and gets the ball out quickly, which is what we need. He does all those things.”
“Leadership and just understanding that it’s his team. Last year he was a sophomore, so he had some seniors stepping up to lead. Last year at the end of the year I told him, ‘Listen, you’re the starting quarterback now. You automatically have a leadership role.’ He’s handling it pretty well.”
Isaiah Robinson is expected to lead a strong running back room. The junior is a dynamic weapon who can run between the tackles and catch passes out of the backfield.
On defense, Kylee Hill is a player to keep an eye on. The junior is a returning starter who will primarily play cornerback but has the flexibility to move to the safety position if the team needs it.
“His knowledge of football – he’s very intellectual in that regard,” Weeks said. “He knows the game, he knows what position to play on the field. That helps. He’s also a fast guy, but if you can read receivers and their routes – he’s really good at that kind of thing.”
The Vikings also bring back two experienced linebackers, Teddy Walmsley and Hal Eaton.
“These guys have to step up this year,” Weeks said. “They may not be seniors, but they’re the big guys on campus. We’re just happy for all the hard work they’ve put in this summer to be there for us.”
schedule
23 August: in Plymouth Whitemarsh, 7pm
August 29: in Norristown, 5:30 p.m.
September 6: vs. West Chester East, 7 p.m.
September 13: in West Chester Henderson, 7 p.m.
September 20: in Pottstown, 7 p.m.
September 27: against Phoenixville, 7 p.m.
Oct. 4: against Upper Perkiomen, 7 p.m.
Oct. 11: in Pottsgrove, 7 p.m.
19.10.: with Pope John Paul II, 1 p.m.
October 25: TBA PAC Crossover
Originally published:
