Change has grown into a constant for the Raiders.
Reed enters this winter with its third coach in as many years. Zach Stanford stepped down in June following his first season replacing Dustin Hall, and now it is Joe Genung’s turn.
Genung, 42, has an elaborate coaching history, in several sports, and has quickly learned about a challenge unique at Reed. The football team almost always plays into late November, preventing multi-sport athletes from joining the team until the fall season ends.
Just seven players are on the varsity roster until the football season ends.
“I have a small roster right now. Let’s just put it that way,” he said.
Genung said there are positives to a winning football program, however, despite it limiting the early-season roster. He said a dominant football team has a trickle down for other sports.
He’s seen that early and often in preseason practices.
“Their effort through tryouts, across the board, was really impressive. That’s indicative of a school that has a winning culture,” he said. “It’s not like I’m overhauling anything. It’s making small adjustments.
“I’ve thought for years that a quality football program guided the school culture because there are so many influential males that get into that. Even guys that don’t play football, they have a mindset of effort.”
Genung inherits a program that got into the postseason as the High Desert League No. 4 seed last season and brings back the top three players.
First-team all-league small forward Lincoln Turner is back for his senior campaign, as is second-team shooting guard Jeremy Ramos.
“They (Turner and Ramos) are critical,” Genung said. “Obviously, they can put up numbers. We’re going to try to be more dynamic as a team. If we can be more dynamic as a team and they can trust the process of the offense, they should put up the same numbers with hopefully more efficiency.”
Another player to watch is Matt Williams. Williams played with a lot of confidence as a freshman and is expected to take on an expanded role as a sophomore.
Genung has worked to put his offensive system in place all offseason, putting defense on the back shelf. That changed once practices officially started last Saturday. Execution on that end of the court will have a be a priority due to the Raiders’ absence of interior size.
“We’re a smaller team, so from a defensive standpoint, those details of making the court smaller is going to help us out (rebounding),” Genung said. “And get us into a position where we can get some boxing out taken care of. If there’s one area that we’re going to work really hard at is try to limit teams to one shot. And hopefully we can limit them to one bad shot that’s at least contested.”
The interior size does figure to get a boost when the football season ends.
4A North Schedule
Nov. 29 vs Damonte Ranch
Dec. 15 vs Carson
Dec. 16 vs Douglas
Dec. 19 at Bishop Manogue
Jan. 3 at Wooster
Jan. 6 at Galena
Jan. 10 vs North Valleys
Jan. 13 at Reno
Jan. 17 at McQueen
Jan. 20 vs Hug
Jan. 24 at Spanish Springs
Jan. 27 at North Valleys
Jan. 31 vs Reno
Feb. 3 vs McQueen
Feb. 7 at Hug
Feb. 10 vs Spanish Springs
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