Jackson Memorial High School graduate Walt Krystopik (l) joins Athletic Director John Lamela on familiar turf — the Jaguars’ football field. Krystopik, who played for the Jaguars in the early 1990s, has been named the school’s new varsity football coach. JEFF GRANIT staff Walt Krystopik finished one of the most successful girls track and field seasons in recent memory at Jackson Memorial High School with three of the Jaguars’ student-athletes he coached reaching the NJSIAA Meet of Champions.
The exhilaration of that success got a boost when Krystopik was appointed the Jaguars’ new varsity football coach by the Jackson Board of Education.
Krystopik was the defensive coordinator under head coach Michael Smith, who resigned after the 2010 football season. Smith spent eight seasons at the helm of the Jaguars and compiled a 54-32 record.
During that time, the Jaguars qualified for the state playoffs five times, the last in 2007. The Jaguars won the 2005 NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV title with a dramatic 30-28 victory over Brick Memorial High School on the last play of the game.
The Jaguars’ 6-4 record in 2010 was the team’s first winning season since 2006, however.
“I’ve been there [on Jackson Memorial’s coaching staff] since 1998 and have learned under some very good coaches,” Krystopik said. “I take a little from each one.”
Krystopik, a former player at Jackson Memorial who graduated in 1993, came back to coach at the school for one year in 1998 with Chris Barnes, and then with Reggie Lawrence up to the 2003 season when Smith became head coach.
“I think this appointment is a great thing because it keeps the tradition and the culture alive in terms of training, preparation and commitment,” Athletic Director John Lamela said.
Now that the school year has ended, Krystopik will watch his returning players in the weeks ahead. The Jaguars began summer workouts last week. Preseason camp will start in mid-August.
Krystopik is still assembling his staff. He may lose assistant coach Rob Dahl, who is awaiting an appointment as the head football coach at Brick Township High School.
Bill Rankin, the offensive coordinator at Toms River South two years ago, is on Jackson Memorial’s staff. Krystopik said he has not decided on an offensive coordinator. He will continue to run the defense, which aligns in a 4-3 scheme.
Krystopik said he expects to stay with the spread offense that was brought in by Smith last year and featured the running of junior Brandon Winston in a one-back formation.
“He had a big year, and he’ll be back,” Krystopik said of Winston.
Winston, who also punted for the Jaguars last season, rushed for more than 1,000 yards on a senior-dominated offense that was beset by injuries through the first half of the season.
As the injured players returned to the lineup, the Jaguars won their last five games to finish 6-4, including a 20-13 victory over Thanksgiving rival Jackson Liberty.
“The big thing is we have to replace five seniors on the offensive line, and all three in the middle are tough to replace,” said Krystopik, who especially will miss the performance of center and defensive lineman Joe Nolan.
Ian Leary, one of many players who rotated at receiver, is the only underclassman back at the skill positions, aside from Winston.
“It’s a big rebuilding year, but in terms of that, I believe the program is going in the right direction,” Lamela said. “He [Krystopik] will steady the ship by preparing the next core group of athletes with the seniors for this season. He is ready to do the job.” Quarterback Fred Scheer has graduated and junior Joe Celdinio is in the mix for that position.
The Jaguars are scheduled to open the 2011 season on Sept. 11 at home against Manalapan.
Six seniors graduated off the defense, but three players are gearing up for a strong senior season this fall. Krystopik is looking for big things from strong safety Maurice Jackson, who had an injured spleen that sidelined him for much of 2010.
There is good experience at linebacker, where a number of players were rotated into the lineup, including rising seniors Roscoe Rogers and Dylan Harrington. But like the offensive side, the defense has a lot of holes to fill up front, and line play could determine whether the Jaguars make a return to the state playoffs in 2011.