'Why not Ozark?' New coach Jeremy Cordell working to establish belief in Tigers football
Jeremy Cordell said he and his family always talked about the idea of moving out of Chicagoland and figuring out what would be his best opportunity. They just didn't know where it would be.
The 46-year-old head coach has already accomplished a lot after a successful stint at Lincoln-Way Central High in the Chicago suburb of New Lenox, where he helped build a state contender in one of the largest and toughest conferences in Illinois.
This offseason, Cordell had several opportunities but he found himself attracted to a school right down the street from Lambert's Cafe in the heart of Christian County. He saw a challenge at a school that plays in one of the toughest conferences in Missouri with one winning season over the last five years.
"It doesn't bother me one bit," Cordell said. "Why not Ozark? That's my thought and my statement to these guys. Why not Ozark? All it takes is a little bit of belief and a little bit of grit. We've done some restructuring and our kids believe. I'm excited to see them reap the benefits of the hard work they put in this summer."
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Cordell's Tigers made their debut on Friday night in front of their home crowd during a jamboree with Nixa and Kickapoo. They showcased a different energy on the sideline that is contagious from their head coach — who showcased an upbeat attitude in the wee hours of the morning throughout the entirety of the summer.
Workouts started as early as 5:30 a.m. An excited group of players wanted to be a part of the change and got their stretches in so they could be in the weight room by 6. It's a needed intensity that Cordell brings. Standout junior linebacker Parker Elliott said he can tell that everything is done with a purpose and the Tigers are going to benefit from it.
"We want to be on that track to winning and I feel like that's what he brings over here," Elliott said. "He doesn't care about the past. It's a new Ozark and that's what he preaches to us all the time."
Leaving the past behind is one of the first things Cordell told the team upon his arrival. Instead of previous defeats, Cordell wants his team to believe in the new culture that's being installed. It's something Central Ozark Conference rival Nixa has seen with the rise of its program under John Perry over the last four years and it's what Republic is currently seeing come into fruition heading into Ryan Cornelsen's third season.
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A newfound belief can do wonders — COC schools have invested in hiring successful coaches from outside the area. Cordell will try to become the latest example.
"It's all about culture and expectation," Cordell said. "You set the tone and I'm a big believer in that and that players will follow. They believe in each other and they've seen the results of what it can be. I think that's exciting for them."
Having a player like Elliott isn't a bad building block. The son of Lady Bears legend Melody Howard Elliott and cousin of Missouri State outside linebacker Cooper Roy, he appears to be poised for a breakout season and to establish himself as one of the best linebackers in the area.
Elliott looked the part on Friday night when causing problems in the backfield for both Nixa and Kickapoo. He has great speed and instincts at the middle linebacker position and is a sure tackler in the hole.
The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder is already echoing what his new coach is preaching.
"We don't care about the past," Elliott said. "We want to just set the tone for a new night. I just want to come out here and dominate."
Cordell will get his first taste of the COC on Friday, when the Tigers travel to Carl Junction to begin the regular season. He will then take on two of the league's favorites with Republic in Week 2 and following with a trip to Joplin.
Getting the Tigers to believe they can be successful will be his first step. Winning on Friday nights will follow.
"It's all about believing in doing the little things right and if you do the little things right, it'll add up to big things and being successful," Cordell said. "We always talk about keeping the easy things easy and being 1-0 on every play. You might not win every play, but you need to be able to flush that and win the next play and the next play and so on."
Wyatt D. Wheeler is a reporter and columnist with the Springfield News-Leader. You can contact him at 417-371-6987, by email at wwheeler@news-leader.com or X at @WyattWheeler_NL. He's also the host of the weekly "Wyatt's World Podcast" on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other podcasting platforms.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Ozark football coach Jeremy Cordell working to establish belief
