Coordinators help football coach Jon LeDonne build family atmosphere at Penn Hills

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, September 30, 2017 | 1:12 AM

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When a new coach takes over a football program, the ability to create his own environment can sometimes be tough. However, Penn Hills head coach Jon LeDonne's ability to establish his family environment in his first three months has contributed to the Indians' fast start.

Under the guidance of LeDonne and his coaching staff, the Indians opened the season 4-1 overall and 2-1 in the Class 6A Northern Seven Conference.

The Indians won three straight over Plum, Butler and Canon-McMillan before losing 43-6 to Pine-Richland on Sept. 15.

Coordinators Cam Saddler (offense) and Brian Tarrant (defense and special teams) attribute the success to the atmosphere cultivated by LeDonne.

“We are a family. With that atmosphere, we are always together and we know each other's kids. I think Jon has really cultivated that, and it really has really worked in our favor. It provides some cohesiveness,” Tarrant said.

Saddler, a former player at Gateway and Pitt, loves the togetherness LeDonne preaches with his staff and players.

“His thing is that we are in this together,” Saddler said. “Regardless of the outcome, we are in this thing together. It's me and you. It's never the offense's fault or the defense's fault. It's everybody's fault because we are in this thing together.”

Saddler, 28, believes the youth of the coaching staff provides the staff the ability to relate to the players and effectively get their message across.

“We like the same things, like music, clothes and shoes. It helps me relate to the guys and be able to get the message across to them because I can kind of speak their language a little bit,” Saddler said.

“I think that applies for our whole staff because for the most part we are a pretty young staff. It helps the guys just be themselves.”

The Indians offense, which is averaging 30.6 points in the first five games, has been led by junior quarterback Hollis Mathis and junior wide receivers Dante Cephas and Daequan Hardy.

The Indians haven't had the full services of Michigan State recruit Julian Majors, who has been battling a leg injury.

In the first five games, Mathis completed 62 of 108 passes for 1,088 yards, 12 touchdowns and one interception. Hardy has 355 yards on 14 receptions with five touchdowns, while Cephas has 338 yards on 18 catches with five touchdowns.

The backfield is led by a trio of runners — senior Tim Smith, senior Jaquay Sears and junior Terry Tank Smith. Sears leads the team in rushing with 229 yards on 29 carries with four touchdowns, while Terry Tank Smith has rushed for 215 yards on 44 carries with three touchdowns.

Even with the weapons at quarterback and receiver, Saddler still believes he needs to establish the run in order to be effective.

“In college, I was a receiver but I like to think I'm a running back at heart,” he said. “For me, winning ball games and running the ball is demoralizing. If you can run the ball down a team's throat, that is very demoralizing.”

Tarrant has led a defense, along with the direction of LeDonne as co-defensive coordinator, that has allowed 17.6 points per game, the sixth fewest points allowed in Class 6A. Tarrant is a former Cal (Pa.) secondary coach and Wilkinsburg secondary and head coach.

The defense is led by senior middle linebacker Darrell Mason, junior lineman George Freeman as well as a strong secondary, bolstered by senior free safety Keivonn Pasch'l, Cephas and Hardy.

“We strive to fly to the football and have 11 guys at the ball every single pursuit,” Tarrant said. “We are tough-minded guys, and we both like it done the right way. A lot of coaches will accept winning and take talent. But the discipline and doing things the right way is what builds character in men.”

Andrew John is a freelance writer.

Tags: Penn Hills