Written by: Brandon Baney
Western Idaho Conference Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year…20.5 career sacks at Boise State…NFL 1st round draft pick…Super Bowl champion.
Those are just some of the highlights that adorn Shea McClellin’s football resume. A 2007 graduate of Marsing High, there’s no denying that McClellin is one of Idaho’s biggest success stories ever in terms of gridiron glory.
Last year, McClellin decided to try his hand at coaching for the first time, and was the offensive coordinator at Cole Valley Christian. One year later, he’s returned to the place where it all started. The first-year head coach will try and rebuild a Marsing program that’s fallen on hard times.
Marsing hasn’t won a league game since 2013, when McClellin was a second-year linebacker with the Chicago Bears. But that hasn’t deterred McClellin as he prepares for his first season as a head coach.
“I’m really excited to see these guys compete and watch them grow and get better throughout the season,” McClellin said. “We have two seniors and three juniors. The rest are sophomores and freshmen, but a good amount of these sophomores had to play varsity last year, so even though they’re young, they do have a decent amount of experience.”
Senior quarterback Jordan Blas will lead the Marsing offense in 2022. “He’s the heart of our team and our silent leader,” McClellin said. Blas will be entrusted to bring along a trio of promising sophomores: running back Cache Hance, wide receiver Mason Enochson and tight end Luke Steinmeyer.
Blas, Hance, Enochson and Steinmeyer have been dubbed “The Four Horsemen of Owyhee County” by McClellin. “Our offense has a unique name,” McClellin said. “I call it ‘Basketball on Grass.’ We’ll look to get our playmakers the ball and create as many one-on-one matchups as we can so they can make plays.”
On defense, senior defensive back Braeden Davis will lead the charge. “Our strengths will be our secondary and our interior defensive line,” McClellin said. “We’ll put a big emphasis on tackling and physicality. We want to be a swarming defense that runs to the ball with relentless effort, tackles well and creates turnovers.”
Marsing faces an uphill climb in the WIC. Nampa Christian, Melba and Cole Valley Christian were playoff teams a year ago, and New Plymouth just missed the cut. For the Huskies, there’s only one way to go, and that’s up.
“Hopefully, we’ll be the surprise team of the season,” McClellin said. “With only five upperclassmen, I don’t think anyone expects us to win a game, but we hope to shock the world.”