OAK GROVE, Mo. — There were way more pros than cons for Ryan Schartz in taking over as head football coach at Oak Grove.
"I live five minutes from here," said Schartz, first-year head coach of the Panthers.
He's also got two sons on the team, which was a con at first but turned into a pro.
"I'm not going to lie to you, I'm not sure how excited they were about it at first," Schartz said. "We had many, many family discussions over dinner, and eventually they kind of came around to it."
Schartz had been out of coaching for eight years while serving as the athletic director at Fort Osage.
In fact, the last game Schartz coached was the 2015 Class 5 State Championship Game when his Fort Osage team hammered Chaminade 63-28.
"I've always been itching to get back into coaching," Schartz said. "I thought at some point I'd get back in, I just didn't know when."
Speaking of state title-winning coaches, Schartz replaced Pat Richard, who retired.
Richard was all the Panthers ever knew.
"I've been running the offense he had since, like, 5th grade," said senior running back Logan Pittman.
Senior safety Brayson Stewart said Richard's retirement was unexpected.
"Whenever he came to us and said he's done, it was just kind of shocking, ya know?" Steward said. "And it's just like, 'Welp, we're going to have to learn something new and adapt.'"
And adapt they have.
For instance, Oak Grove previously ran the ball a high percentage of the time.
"Definitely in the 90s (percentage) for sure," Stewart said.
Now, the Panthers are more spread out.
"I've been used to reading the bands (play sheet on players' arms) but now it's all play-calling from the signals and everything, so that's been a little rough," Pittman said.
But as it turns out, there are more pros than cons for the players, too.
"We know we're in the good hands of a good coach and think this year will be good," Stewart said.
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