Dwight eyeing a good turn

Updated: August 24, 2011 7:39PM

With 17 players on his varsity roster, Andy Pittenger’s first year as coach at Dwight will be determined not by wins or losses but rather the laying of the foundation for a program he hopes will compete for conference titles for years to come.

Coming off a 3-6 season as offensive coordinator, Pittenger’s first head coaching job comes after a disappointing season compared to expectations.

“I think last year fell short of our expectations,” Pittenger said. “We had a strong senior class, but we had a few key injuries. That kind of put a damper on the start of the season and it was hard to recover from.”

Pittenger will keep the program similar to last season with changes such as emphasis on tackling and special teams in practice, as well as more intensity throughout the week in practice. He knows the task at hand isn’t easy.

“I’m definitely excited,” he said. “It’s been a goal since I decided to go into coaching. It’s a challenge with the program because we’ve been down for the past few years, but I’ve accepted the challenge of turning the program around. I know it’s a process and doesn’t happen overnight. I’m up for the challenge.”

Pittenger is counting on junior quarterback Jack Steichen, junior running back Luke Arnold, and senior linebacker Jimmy Sassenger. Steichen is the key.

“He’s what makes our offense goes,” Pittenger said. “He leads by example. He’s a very intelligent football player. He knows what to do in certain situations, and he’s very good at throwing the ball and extending plays.”

Arnold is what Pittenger describes as “raw.” Moving from wide receiver, Pittenger said getting Arnold experience in the backfield early is important. Sassenger is part of a linebacking core that Pittenger sees as the strength of the team, along with the secondary, led by Arnold as well.

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