New Arlington coach Inbody keeps standards high, even with inexperienced roster

ARLINGTON – A year ago, Arlington's football team relied heavily on its seniors. It was a talented bunch, and a tight-knit group. Players like Caden Russell, Luke Metzger, Mason Cavinee and others were part of a veteran squad that helped the Red Devils overcome injuries and adversity to finish 6-4 and win a playoff game at Lucas before falling to Patrick Henry in the second round. Now, in 2024, all of those seniors are gone. So is longtime head coach Josh McGrain, who stepped down after the 2023 season concluded. In their place is a first-year mentor and a roster filled with youth and some inexperience. "We graduated a great senior class," said new Arlington coach Nick Inbody. "That will be extremely challenging to replace, especially considering we only have two seniors in the program." One of those seniors is wide receiver/defensive back Brady Griggs. The other is Elijah Frysinger, who played tight end and on the defensive line. But Frysinger was injured playing basketball and will miss the entire football season. That leaves the Red Devils will one senior who will see the field. It's a challenge for Inbody, an Arlington graduate who has never been a head coach. But Inbody is not new to the program. The former receiver and defensive back has been on the Arlington coaching staff since 2007, and has been the defensive coordinator for the past decade. He knows these players, and that has helped the transition. "We're keeping the program standards as high as they ever are, whether we have a lot of experience back or not," Inbody said. "The kids kind of know my expectations and how I coach." And while the Arlington roster might lack seniors, it certainly does not lack talent. Arlington's offense is usually run-heavy, and it is expected to be that way again in 2024. So, it's nice to have Ayden Cavinee, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound junior, back in the fold. Last season, Cavinee – despite suffering an injury and missing the final three weeks of the regular season – rushed for 680 yards and 10 touchdowns. Also back is the team's quarterback, another junior, Trenton Heacock. A dual threat, Heacock threw for 642 yards while rushing for 403 yards and seven scores. The production is one thing, but Inbody will be looking to his junior class for more than that. "Trenton Heacock's played a lot of football for us, Ayden Cavinee has played a lot of football for us," Inbody said. "Those guys need to step up, and even though they're not seniors, they need to take on leadership roles." At wide receiver, Arlington will be looking to Lukas McIlroy, and also to Calvin Willow, who also could see time at tight end. Willow, who is listed at 6-foot-10 and 200 pounds, won the state title in the high jump last spring. He could be a nightmare for defensive backs to cover. "We're trying to find a way, with his skill set, height, to get him the ball," Inbody said. One of the places where Arlington will have question marks is on the offensive line, where all five starters graduated. "We have an all-new crew up front there, but they're coming along well," Inbody said. "With our offense, we rely on them to win the line of scrimmage, and we want to be a ball-possession team, keep it away from the other team, chew up clock and shorten games." As is the case with most Division VII teams, most of Arlington's players will play offense and defense. So, anything felt on the offensive line will also be felt up front on defense. "We're gonna rely on some juniors and more JV players, but they're stepping up and becoming varsity players," Inbody said. Arlington has a bit more experience with its linebackers and secondary. Drew Metzger will be back at linebacker after starting there last season. Heacock figures to bounce between the secondary and linebacker spots, while Ayden Cavinee will play in the defensive backfield, as will Griggs. "That's where our experience is," Inbody said. Arlington finished 4-2 in the BVC last season, and can expect tough competition in the league this year. Not only will the Red Devils face the usual top teams in the league (Liberty-Benton, McComb, Pandora-Gilboa, among others), but will also take on Leipsic, which returned to the conference after a stint in the NWC. "We haven't mentioned any opponents by name, but I think just the BVC, every week is gonna be a challenge," Inbody said.