Eric Pawlowski knew what he was getting into when he decided to accept the head coaching position at Snyder High School last year.
Pawlowski, who was a player and coach at Immaculata in Somerville, one of the most successful grid programs in Somerset County, knows full well what it’s like to be a winner.
Now, Pawlowski, who was an assistant at Snyder before being elevated to the top slot, knows what it’s like to take on the challenge of being with a perennial loser.
Unfortunately, the Snyder football program has been a doormat for over a decade. Over the last 11 years, the Tigers have won a total of 12 games. They have never won more than two games in a season. They have endured four winless campaigns. The combined record over the last 11 years is a staggering 12-92.
Pawlowski is currently in the midst of a 20-game losing streak, dating back to the 2011 season. It’s sincerely a gridiron nightmare – and Pawlowski is well aware.
“I knew what was going on,” said Pawlowski, who is an elementary school teacher at P.S. 33 in Jersey City. “We have a lot of first time football players who never played before. When we coach these kids, we’re coaching the very basic fundamentals. We’re all trying to stay positive. We’re trying to work it out, but it’s a very tough position.”
Pawlowski spent the summer months with the Tigers teaching them the sport of football.
“That’s the one thing we brought into the Snyder program,” Pawlowski said. “There never was a classroom aspect to the program. So we look at a lot of film of NFL games, college games, high school film. We did a lot of classroom stuff with them. We spent the summer teaching basics like stances, first steps. We went to different camps and clinics. We brought in people to teach specific positions, people who have been coaching for a long time. It was all about basics.”
Pawlowski said that everything about his program has been upbeat.
“I know the winning side of football,” Pawlowski said. “Now, I know the losing side. But what makes me happy as a coach is that these kids are working very hard every day. They do have some potential. Once we get a couple of wins and stay positive and keep moving on, things will get better.”
The schedule hasn’t been kind to the Tigers. They started the season with games against solid programs like Belleville and Indian Hills and ended up on the wrong side of lopsided losses. The Tigers have this week off, but return to action next weekend against Hoboken.
But Pawlowski remains strong and steadfast. He’s going to turn things around, despite the long history of failure.
“I’ve had other coaches tell me that they’re impressed that our kids don’t quit,” Pawlowski said. “If that’s the case, then it doesn’t matter how the game ends up. They’re playing hard. We’ve had very competitive weeks in practice.”
The Tigers are currently using two players at quarterback, namely senior Corey Walker (5-9, 165) and junior Peterson Dossous (5-11, 185).
“Right now, they’re splitting time,” Pawlowski said. “Corey is more of a running threat. But they are both doing well.”
The main running back is sophomore Nolan Burnes (5-11, 185), who has shown signs so far of being a capable back.
“He’s a tough running back,” Pawlowski said. “He’s a lot like Eddie George [the former Heisman Trophy winner and Tennessee Titans great]. He’s big and strong and has good speed. He’s also not afraid of the challenge.”
Another running back is senior Kwesi Owusu (5-10, 170), the University Charter track and field standout who gets to play football at Snyder because the school is in his home district. Owusu had four kickoff returns for touchdowns last year, three in one game. He has speed to burn.
“He’s a good complement to Nolan,” Pawlowski said. “He’s a very talented athlete.”
The wide receivers are senior Quadeir Malone (6-0, 175) and freshman Fabian Harris (5-8, 165).
The tight end is sophomore Charles Ransom (6-0, 225), whose father, Charles, Sr., was an All-County basketball player at Dickinson and went on to become an All-American player at Ramapo College in 2002-03.
The younger Ransom seems to have the same athleticism that his father had.
The offensive line has some tremendous size and strength.
The tackles are freshman Isaiah Herron (6-0, 250) and senior Assad Williams (6-1, 410). Yes, that size is not a misprint. Williams has that bulk, but handles it well.
“He can move,” Pawlowski said.
The guards are senior Jajuan Tharpe (5-11, 205) and junior Devon Jenkins (5-10, 250). The center is senior Trevor Hill (6-1, 205).
The Tigers utilize a 3-5 defensive formation, putting more linebackers on the field to make the most of the team’s speed.
Ransom and Jenkins are the defensive ends, with the hulking Williams at the nose guard, definitely taking up space there.
“He does a very good job at the nose,” Pawlowski said of Williams.
Herron is one of the linebackers. As a freshman and with two games under his belt, Herron has shown a ton of potential.
“He can be a player,” Pawlowski said.
Burnes and Dossous are two other linebackers, with freshman Titus Whitehead (6-1, 185) and sophomore Devin Faulkner (5-11, 185) at the other linebacker slots.
The cornerbacks are Harris and junior Dikim Lyons (5-9, 165), with Owusu at safety.
Pawlowski is certain that the program has turned the corner, but there have been other coaches over the past 20 years who have said the very same thing. It’s been a very long time since Snyder has produced a winning team.
“We’re definitely moving in the right direction,” Pawlowski said. “We’re getting more talented kids to get involved in the program.”
Pawlowski said that he’s working hard in keeping the Jersey City kids in the program and not head to places like Hoboken as part of Hoboken’s “School Choice” program. Many of Hoboken’s best players over the years are kids who lived in Snyder’s geographical district and would have attended Snyder, but went elsewhere.
If Pawlowski can manage to keep those kids at home, then that’s the first step towards making the Snyder program respectable once again. It’s surely a tough challenge, but one that Pawlowski seems ready to tackle, despite the current losing streak.
Jim Hague can be reached at OGSMAR@aol.com. You can also read Jim’s blog at www.jimhaguesports.blogspot.com.