Central Noble is looking to find more success on the football field this fall.
For the second time in three years, there is a new head football coach at the school looking to help the program bounce back from a disappointing 2-8 season.
Columbia City resident Zach Baber works as an attorney with his father Brad at Baber & Baber, P.C. Coach Baber is the 10th head coach in Central Noble’s 50-year history of high school football. However, he is very familiar with the program as he spent last season as one of former coach Hayden Kilgore’s assistants.
Baber said this is a team that is very capable of having a very good season.
“We have a ton of talent on the team that will surprise people,” said Baber. “I know we had a down year last year. But expect big things out of them (this season).”
Philosophically, Baber wants to utilize more of the Cougars’ athletic potential. Offensively, they are focused on extending drives and protecting the ball. As for the defense, this is projected to be an aggressive unit that will pressure the quarterback and make plays.
Last season saw two individual program records being broken as junior Brody Morgan threw for 1,216 yards and senior Drew Pliett set a school record for receptions in a season with 38. However, Baber stated that Central Noble has other players that can also be playmakers such as notable senior returnees Tysen Deck, Tyler Shisler and Brayden Kirchner.
Central Noble has spent most of the past nine seasons in a very familiar spot: third place in the Small School Division. Over the last 20 years, the Cougars have recorded just four winning seasons and one division title (2017, a three-team share with Busco and Eastside).
However, this is a program that believes they can overcome the odds. Baber said the entire coaching staff has trust in the players’ ability to perform well, but their season hinges on whether the players can realize their potential.
“I think the change that needs to happen – and I think it will – is believing,” said Baber. “Once our players realize that and they believe they’re good enough to win every game, that’s where things are really going to start to shift for Central Noble.”
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