Mount Vernon football roster features 19 freshmen

MOUNT VERNON — Mark Weber will not be deterred by a rugged first year on the Mount Vernon High School football coaching sidelines.

The Yellow Jackets are coming off a 2-8 campaign. But their second-year-head coach is looking forward to building his young squad into a cohesive unit.

With 19 freshmen listed on the roster, Weber, who has a total of 11 years of head coaching experience, knows that there will be some on-the-job training for the Yellow Jackets.

“Looking for a young team that will continue to grow and improve as the season progresses,” the coach said. 

One characteristic stands out above all others for the Yellow Jackets’ boss.

“TEAM!”

Mount Vernon will host the Marion Harding on Aug. 22 with a 7 p.m. kickoff. Lasst year the Yellow Jackets opened on the road against Marion Harding , losing a squeaker, 31-27.

“One of the strong points of this team is the togetherness they possess”, Weber said.  “They fight for one another. They are fearless, aggressive, explosive, relentless and they play as a TEAM.”

Another addition to the Mount Vernon Football lexicon is “culture.”

The Plus 2 University Training Program is part of the package, too. It combines traditional training with a more holistic approach.

“We are in year two of our system and culture,” Weber explained. “The biggest change was the Plus 2 University Training this off-season which has led to faster and stronger players.”

Because of the physical and psychological development of high school, players, the Plus 2 program works with teams using age-appropriate methodology. 

“We have a young team, but they are fast and fearless,” the coach said.