‘It starts this week.’ Northwestern is 9-0, but coach is taking nothing for granted

Northwestern is 9-0 and can secure one of the top seeds in the state football playoffs with a victory Friday night.

But head coach Page Wofford isn’t taking anything for granted going into the game at Indian Land (5-4.).

“We’ve been here before,” Wofford said. “We’ve had really good seasons before, so (the coaching staff) just keeps telling the players to keep getting better. So, hopefully they are trying to improve. We are coming off a bye week, so those aren’t a lot of fun for high school kids, just because it is a different schedule for them than they are used to.... And, if today’s build up to practice was any indication, I feel like they will be ready to play.”

Many might think that Northwestern should win comfortably, but Wofford knows how good all the teams are in the Rock Hill area, and he plans on treating Indian Land as if the Warriors are the opponent standing in the way of a state championship.

“(Indian Land) is good and they are good enough to beat us,” Wofford said. “Just like everybody else is good enough to beat us. If we don’t play well or don’t execute the way we need to, they can beat us. They have been rotating some guys at quarterback and they have a good wildcat package as well with a very good defensive back (Sequel Patterson). When he isn’t in there (Matt Kucia) is the quarterback. He is young, but he has been getting better. You don’t want to be the team that gives them a lot of confidence. They are very good players and they are very well coached.”

Wofford said the message to his team remains the same; each week is about Northwestern and no one else.

“When we get to games like this and even bigger ones, our process doesn’t change,” Wofford said. “Nothing changes for us. Nothing changes in the practice plan and nothing changes with how we approach each opponent. We are trying to win, simple as that. We are looking to go 1-0 this week. It is really a good way to approach the playoffs.... . We want to go in on a high note. After this week, we have two weeks before we know who our next opponent is. But, nothing will change in the preparation and I wouldn’t expect anything less from the guys this week.”

Trojans quarterback Finley Polk is all business heading into the final game of the regular season.

“We have to focus on the little things and get right for this week,” Polk said. “They have some good guys over there (at Indian Land) and we have to make sure our stuff is sharp and focus on playing them before we worry about anything else.”

Polk, a senior, said he and his teammates have aspirations that go beyond a perfect regular season.

“I don’t put too much emphasis on that if I am being honest,” Polk said. “We have had bigger goals all year, and that is winning a championship. That is what we are hoping to do. But, first we have to get the job done this week.”

Wofford said he has learned a lot about his team this season and believes his coaching style resonates well with them.

“They have come to work and prepared every day,” Wofford said of his team. “We haven’t had a really bad practice all year. Can’t always say that about teams in the past. No matter how I’ve acted in practice, they respond. That is good to see. But, going into the playoffs all the mistakes will be magnified. So, we’ve been talking with them about that and working on that. We’ve got some guys who a bunch of them played in the state championship two years ago. We have that experience We’ve been in good positions before, but we have to keep finding ways to get better.

“It starts this week.”