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Former MSU-N standouts Keno Detrick, Garrett Jerricoff join head coach Ryan Gatch's football staff
Havre High assistant football coach Keno Detrick works through a drill during this week's Blue Pony Football Camp Monday night at the HHS practice fields. Detrick, a former NAIA All-American for the Montana Stater University-Northern Lights, is in his first season on the Blue Pony staff.
HHS assistant coach Garrett Jerricoff demonstrates throwing during the Blue Pony Football Camp Monday night in Havre. Jerricoff is also new to the Havre High staff under third-year head coach Ryan Gatch. Jerricoff was a starting safety for the MSU-Northern Lights, graduating in 2017. The Blue Ponies wrapped up camp on Wednesday night, and will begin the 2018 season with their first practice Aug. 10.
Havre High head football coach Ryan Gatch is getting ready to start his third season at the helm of the Blue Ponies and joining him on the sidelines in 2018, will be some fresh, but familiar faces.
For the most part, much of the staff that was in place last season will return, with two departures as former coaches Scott Leeds and Jason Christenson will not assist Gatch in 2018. However, the third-year head coach will have a number of returners on his staff, such as Will DeVries, Jake Criner, Beau Briese and David Coy.
“Since I got here, I have had some really quality coaches,” Gatch said. “So that has been a big plus for me and I feel like I have a really great staff surrounding me this year as well. We have some new guys coming on that we are excited about but it’s a good group. We have lots of experience coaching and playing the game of football.”
One of the biggest shakeups will be the offensive play calling. Leeds handled those duties with input from Gatch in 2017, however, this season, Gatch will take over the play-calling duties on offense. While Gatch will continue to have a strong input on the defensive signals, he said those duties may eventually go to Jake Criner.
“I am going to have to take on a bigger role with the offense this year,” Gatch said. “I will be calling the plays. Defensively, we might have a co-coordinator situation. Either way, Jake is going to be a big help. He has really been progressing these past couple of years and I think he is ready to step into that role. That’s something we will figure out.”
While Criner will be a big part of the defensive coaching staff, he will get assisted on that side of the ball by newcomer Garrett Jerricoff, a former defensive back for Montana State University-Northern. According to Gatch, he will coach wide receivers and the secondary.
Also joining the staff is former Lights great Keno Detrick, who just happened to be one of the greatest pass rushers MSU-N has ever seen. Back in 2001, Detrick set the Lights single-season record for sacks with 11.5, a mark that still stands today.
“It’s a blessing,” Detrick said. “It’s great to get a chance to be around the game again.”
Detrick is going to coach on the defensive side of the ball, but he will also coach running backs with Coy. Briese will help coach wide receivers with Jerricoff. DeVries will be back in his position coaching both the offensive and defensive lines. And in addition to calling plays, Gatch said he would take over coaching quarterbacks.
“I have a lot of good guys on staff,” Gatch said. “It’s been a lot of fun. We have a lot of good coaches and a lot of good teachers on our staff and it’s went really well. The kids are really responding.”
Havre will open its season Aug. 25 against Hardin inside Blue Pony Stadium. The Ponies will begin the 2018 season Aug. 10 with their first practice of the year.
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