Trait Smith was happy when they got 30 days of offseason work in previous years. He wanted more, but that is all they were able to get.
That is no longer the case.
This summer, Lockport worked out for 79 days. Even one day before camp started the work was continuing.
On the final day before camp got underway, 35 Lockport players took it upon themselves to hold a practice at Max D. Lederer Field.
It is a welcome change that gives Smith confidence heading into the season.
It is that work which is trying to change the ways of a moribund program that has gone a combined 2-18
over the last two years.
“In the 27 years I’ve been here we’ve never done that much,” Smith said. “… This group here has shown up every day. We’ve had anywhere between 27 and 40 kids show up every day. So they are willing to put the time in. So we’re hoping that it’s going to be a lot better than last year.”
Lockport is in need of a bounce back season this year after going 1-8 last year with the team’s win coming against Hutch Tech on Sept. 13. Despite the struggles of each of the last two seasons, Stowe and his teammates do not feel a tremendous amount of pressure to turn the fortunes of the program around.
One of those players on the field leading the practice on the day before camp began was senior quarterback Scott Stowe, who returns after a season in which he completed 57% of his passes for 979 yards, nine touchdowns and 19 interceptions.
This season, Stowe is looking to spend a lot of time outside of practice with his wide receivers on the routes and playing defensive back to try to get in their heads. He is hoping that work will help him cut down on interceptions. He is hoping the work that he has already put in will help the team this season.
Heading into this season, Stowe is one of 26 returners with the group including the Lions’ top five rushing yards leaders and their top two tackle leaders.
“I think it builds more of a team chemistry than having coaches call us out here,” Stowe said. “We call captain practices more than often this year. Last year we didn’t do that at all. So I think it’s going to help a lot.”
One thing that will make a difference if Lockport is to have a winning season is if Stowe can cut down on his interceptions. It is something that has been the focus of Stowe’s offseason as he tries to cut down on the turnovers.
Smith is hoping one of the ways Stowe can do that is through an improved offensive line will help improve a rushing attack that struggled last season.
Lockport was held to a total of 750 rushing yards, with Stowe accounting for 431 of those. A more efficient running game keeps defenses honest and it’s another way to capitalize on Stowe’s play-making ability.
“We haven’t had the run game in a long time because we just didn’t have the lineman to do that and the personnel to run the ball,” Smith said. “ … Now we’re two-dimensional, not just one-dimensional. So it’s going to open things up for a lot and I think Scott on the run is putting him, putting the other teams in danger. I mean when he moves he can throw across his body. He’s got good vision outside the pocket.”
If the program does bounce back and finish above .500, it will be its first winning season since 2023 when it went 7-4 and reached the Section VI championship game. In week one, Lockport has a chance to immediately change its fortunes and do something the team hasn’t done since 2013, win a season opener. That opportunity comes at 7 p.m. on Sept. 5 when they host South Park.
After last season, Smith has made changes to his coaching staff. The biggest of those moves was moving Marcus Wyche from JV head coach to varsity defensive coordinator, while Dorian Polk was moved from varsity defensive coordinator to JV defensive coordinator.
Last season, Lockport gave up 380 total points and 42.2 points per game. The moves have come as Smith is positioning his staff for a future without him, as he knows this is his penultimate season as the Lions head coach.
“I’m letting them do their job and I’m just trying to oversee everything and trying to keep everything in order,” Smith said. “Literally, I have two years left … So I’m trying to get them to learn all the things that I’ve learned in the last 28 years and get them to do a better job and keep this program afloat.”
During training camp, Smith has high expectations for his team. He made that clear when his players arrived and they all sat in the film room. He told them that he wants to be a high character team and that they need to be receptive to criticism.
During the first practice, his message was clear. He continually bellowed out to his players to concentrate on the little details and that working on the little details translates to the bigger details.
“I want to see them being energetic,” Smith said. “I want to see them working. I want to see them wanting it more than us coaches. The past few years, the coaches wanted it more than the players and you could tell. This year with the offseason I think the players are starting to buy in. … It’s (the buy in) very important. You can’t have a program without it.”