Nick Wilson brings experience to his first year coaching staff at Morenci
MORENCI — Alan Boydston has one more chapter to write on his hall of fame coaching career.
It happens to be back where it all began.
Boydston, 66, has joined an all-new Morenci coaching staff as the Bulldogs attempt to bring back some football glory to the school.
“Nick (Wilson, Morenci head coach) tried to talk me into coming here the last couple of times there has been an opening,” Boydston said. “This is a unique opportunity for me to come home. It was a situation where the timing was just right. It’s the right time.”
Wilson is also a Morenci graduate who was named head coach in the offseason, his first time as head coach. He’s rebuilt the Bulldog coaching staff, with Boydston as the offensive coordinator and other new coaches in Ryan McDowell, Travis Kruse, Joe Farquhar and Elliott Synder. Snyder is the only one among the group who is not a Morenci graduate.
“Ryan is former coach Mike McDowell’s son, Travis goes back to the Dome era and Joe is Morenci through and through,” Wilson said. “Morenci is known for its toughness. That’s the mentality we are trying to re-establish. Everyone on staff has that same mentality.”
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Boydston was inducted into the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2009 after more than 30 years of coaching at Comstock and Caro schools. Most recently he’s coached at Onsted with head coach Dan Terryberry and last year with first-year coach Aaron Amthor.
Moving to the 8-Player football game is something new on his resume, but not something he is unfamiliar with. While coaching in the thumb area he got to know several 8-Player coaches and watched some games.
“Eight-man has been big in the thumb area for a decade,” he said.
When he decided on joining the Morenci staff, he also got some info from Amthor, who coached 8-player football before coming to Onsted.
“I have his playbook,” Boydston said. “We are doing a lot of stuff he was doing, with some adjustments. Erik Johnson (Britton Deerfield coach) has been great, Max Clark from Concord has been great. I’ve talked to coaches in Oklahoma.
“One thing about 8-man football is there is a different camaraderie among 8-man coaches. They share like crazy. Everyone is secret in 11-man.”
Boydston also doesn’t mind lending a hand to Wilson.
“Nick has been a position coach, but he’s never been a head coach,” he said. “I thought I could do more here to help. Plus, this is where I grew up. I’ve known every coach that’s come through here for years and years. I’ve always kept track of Morenci.”
Boydston said he’s had fun getting back into coaching at Morenci.
“We’re trying to change the culture," he said. "Morenci has struggled the last couple of years. Nick is trying to establish a few things. I understand what he’s trying to do, and I agree with it. It’s a process – you have to get kids in the weight room, get kids here in the summer.
“It’s been a good summer because we made strides, but we didn’t get enough done as we wanted to get done.”
Wilson is thankful for having Boydston at his side.
“He said he was interested in coming back home and maybe end his career where it all started,” he said. “I met with him and talked over a game plan, telling him kind of what I had in mind. We were in sync with one another.
“He’s running with it. Forty years plus experience. It’s made a big difference. I can’t say enough about him.”
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: First year Morenci coach, Wilson, brings experience to coaching staff
