Tyrone coach John Franco was forced to accept some hard truths over the last four years coaching at Tyrone.
For most of his career, especially coaching in the borough, Franco was a coach who drove his teams to achieve offensive balance, but it always began with the running game. The problem was, from 2021 through 2024, the Eagles weren’t really built for that style of play. The line was undersized, and for two of those seasons it wasn’t clear who would be the featured back. Tyrone also happened to have an all-time quarterback in Ashton Walk, so the primary element of the offense became the passing game.
It was pass first, run second, but this season Tyrone (1-1) has the personnel to change that and return to a more conventional look.
Tyrone’s 49-6 win over Westmont Hilltop last week, when the Eagles rushed for 265 yards and five touchdowns, was a step in the right direction. They’d like to keep that going this week when they travel to Roaring Spring to face 1-1 Central in a Laurel Highlands East Division I game.
“It would be nice to be able to control the ball with a running game,” Franco said. “We’re searching for a running game identity. That was a big focus of our week this week. We know if you’re going to beat Central, you’ve got to be able to run the ball. You can’t just throw it.”
Both the Dragons and the Eagles are coming off games where it’s difficult to assess how well that plan will come to fruition. While Tyrone’s ground game overwhelmed the winless Hilltoppers, it would be fair to say the Eagles didn’t face the stiffest of resistance. Tyrone’s line pushed Westmont up and down the field, and the only time the Hilltoppers ended a play for negative yards was when Caleb Whitby fell on his own dropped ball in the backfield.
We’re searching for a running game identity. That was a big focus of our week this week. We know if you’re going to beat Central, you’ve got to be able to run the ball.
Coach John Franco
Central, meanwhile, limited Greater Johnstown to 79 yards on 23 attempts, but the Trojans, who have produced a little more than 420 yards this season, have only gained 129 yards on the ground in two games. When the Dragons played run-heavy Philipsburg-Osceola, they surrendered 341 yards to the run.
However, Franco still says his biggest concern is Central’s defense.
“Year-in, year-out, they always have an outstanding defense,” he said. “They sort of lean on that. Last year, we couldn’t move the ball on them. We’ve been working awfully hard to try to run the ball on them and get the matchups we want.”
Tyrone’s ground attack begins with an offensive line that made strides against Westmont, one that includes guard John Stanton, tackle Owen Oakes, center Kayden Ansman, and guard Lucas Bonsell – all players who entered the season with starting experience. It’s bolstered by tackle Caden Harris and tight end Ben Walk.
That group opened holes well enough against the Hilltoppers that Caleb Whitby was able to run for 188 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Fullback Ashton Emigh also rushed for two scores.
It was a performance Franco appreciated because it took pressure off quarterback Eli Woomer, who has played exceptionally well in his first two starts as the Eagles’ signal-caller. He has completed 19 of 34 passes for 383 yards and three touchdowns, but although he has looked sharp and capable of expanding his role, Franco doesn’t want to see the load placed too heavily on his shoulders.
“We think our passing game is coming along. Eli is developing as a pretty good quarterback,” he said, “but we can’t put all the pressure on him. We’ve got to run the ball and keep (Central) off the field.”
Like Tyrone, Central is hoping to figure out some things about itself offensively, as well. For most of the last two seasons, the Dragons were directed by Eli Muthler, who passed for more than 4,400 yards in his career. Now, the job has fallen to his younger brother Jesse, and the sophomore has shown some of the same attributes that made his brother an All-LHAC player in 2023 and 2024.
Jesse Muthler has completed 30 of 51 passes for 364 yards, but his success hasn’t translated into an abundance of points. Against the Trojans last week, the Dragons needed a last-second rushing touchdown from Muthler to win a close one, 14-6. (It came at the end of a 17-play drive in the fourth quarter.)
Also like the Eagles, Central’s running game is unproven. While Semaj Musei ran for 154 yards against Johnstown, the team had just 113 yards on the ground against PO.
With the exception of a couple big plays surrendered against Bellefonte, Tyrone has been fairly stout against the run, giving up just over 93 yards per game.
They’ve also got a strong secondary that should test Muthler. Mason Emigh has emerged as one of the top cover corners in the LHAC, and Woomer is in his third season as a starter at the other corner. Meanwhile, Ashton Emigh, who leads the team with 4.5 tackles for loss, and Kyler Suhoney, who has 2 sacks, have applied consistent pressure on quarterbacks.
It all works together to create a typical Week 3 matchup, one where teams are beginning to settle into who they are and how to best win games.
Franco and the Eagles are hoping that means winning with the run and building on a performance they would like to be the norm and not an anomaly.
ORANGE AND BLACK 