Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com

By Ray Hamill — The McKinleyville Panthers are looking for a fresh start on the football fields this fall after posting back-to-back winless campaigns.

But with a new head coach, a new attitude and the largest roster the program has seen in years, there’s every reason to believe they can do just that.

The McKinleyville players will report for their first official practice of the season next Monday, with their season opener at home against Fort Bragg on Friday, Aug. 29.

They have been working hard for much of the offseason and the coaches are hoping that can translate into success on the field this fall.

“I’m really excited to see how we do,” said new head coach Jason Benge, who took over this offseason from Fel Barlow. 

So too are the players, and with around 60 expected to be a part of the varsity and JV programs combined, numbers should no longer be a concern.

It’s something the coaches have pushed for after back-to-back seasons where even fielding 11 players on varsity was a problem at times as injuries and low numbers took their toll.

“Our biggest thing was to get the numbers up,” Benge said. “It’s been really about building that foundation of getting the kids to buy in.

“What we’re really striving to do is to create an atmosphere where the kids want to come back.”

About 40 of the players have been slowing up regularly for the spring and summer workouts, which have included seven-on-seven passing sessions against most of the the H-DNL teams, as well as volunteer practices.

The Panthers also participated at the Sutter Camp, which was organized by longtime Sutter head coach and McKinleyville High graduate Ryan Reynolds and held at McKinleyville High in June.

Weight room participation, however, remains a problem for the program and the coaches know it’s a crucial aspect of the team culture they need to reestablish.

“The weight room is something we have to work on,” the new head coach admitted.

One of the biggest bright spots this offseason has been the preparation and leadership of senior quarterback Ruger Baxter.

Baxter and his receivers have been putting in extra work on their own, and he was also named QB MVP at the recent Sutter Camp.

“I’m really happy with what I’ve seen from my quarterback this year,” Benge said. “He has impressed the coaches.

“Our boys did really well at the Sutter Camp and it built our confidence.”

Trevor Marsh will battle for the starting QB spot and also has been impressing the coaches.

Benge is hoping the Panthers will be balanced on offense, with Caleb Martinez stepping in as the team’s new offensive coordinator.

The schedule also should be a little easier this fall, although there remains several challenging games ahead, including non-conference showdowns against St. Bernard’s and University Prep (along with Fort Bragg and Cloverdale), as well as a pair of Little 4 showdowns against both Ferndale and Arcata.

“My expectation is to compete,” Benge said. “Everybody wants to win and I want us to compete on the field, but I also want my players to be respected and I want them to respect themselves.

“I want to play the game with integrity and to create decent young men in our program that our community can be proud of.”

The community is backing the new beginning and has welcomed the coach with a lot of support behind the scenes.

“It’s not only the players that are buying in, but the parents and community are buying in as well,” said Benge, who joins the Panthers after four years coaching McKinleyville youth football. “I want to thank the community for the support we’ve gotten.”

Several of the league coaches have also reached out to offer their support, including Eureka High’s Sam Edmonds, who went through the transition of taking over a struggling Loggers program last year and turned it around.

Longtime H-DNL coaches Matt Tomlin of St. Bernard’s and Mike Benbow of Fortuna have also offered their support.

Helping to make the transition easier, Benge has brought on a large and experienced coaching staff of 11.

“I totally lucked out with such a great group,” he said.

The Panthers will need all of that experience as they look to end a 21-game losing streak that dates back to a playoff win over Willits in the fall of 2023.

“The numbers are there and the kids are buying in,” Benge said. “And hopefully it will translate into success on the field.”