St. Louis first-year head coach Charlie Cryer has gone soft.

According to him, there maybe isn’t as much screaming as he used to do when he first arrived at the school at the beginning of the year.

Talking to him and comparing quotes from before the season, there seems to be evidence of that.

Before the season began, he said it was “going to be hard” for his team.

Maybe he meant the process of rebuilding the program in his image. Perhaps he meant in terms of wins and losses.

He’d have every reason to believe either was true with his replacing local legend Mike Johns and the team coming off of a 3-8 record in 2013.

Now, he praises his team for its physical play and evolution as a team.

While the Saints haven’t played flawlessly all season, they still find themselves with an outside shot at a share of the District 4-3A championship heading into the final week of the regular season.

That’s quite the turnaround from a year ago and, according to Cryer, the Saints have made a complete 180-degree turnaround even from the beginning of the season.

His team has already surpassed its win total from last season, but more than that the team and coach have grown together this year.

“I’m extremely pleased with where we’re at as a football team,” Cryer said. “We were meeting (Saturday) and I told the coaches that four or five weeks ago we would’ve lost (last Friday’s game to Westlake) with all the mistakes we made in the first quarter. Four or five weeks ago, we would’ve folded, gotten mad and probably lost that game.

“I didn’t think we’d get here that fast, either. First they had to learn me and I had to learn them. The only thing we’ve preached is to play hard and physical.”

They’ve done exactly that in earning district wins over run-first, run-often programs like Jennings and South Beauregard.

It’s hard to think of St. Louis taking its personality from anywhere but it’s coach. He comes off as kind and cordial but also as the kind of coach who can get as tough as is needed.

According to St. Louis athletic director Jason Oertling, he was an ideal hire in replacing Johns.

“I think Coach Cryer brings a lot of enthusiasm into the program and into the school,” he said. “Everywhere he’s been he’s been a winner. He just wanted to bring that enthusiasm with him and he has a great appreciation for all the great things Coach Johns did and wanted to build upon those and try to make them better.”

It seems to be the new flavor Cryer offers that has pushed good athletes at St. Louis, such as Colby Rodriguez and DeKeinen Francois, over the top.

It makes Cryer proud knowing that his rebuild of the St. Louis football program is ahead of schedule.

Maybe that’s why he’s saving his vocal chords a little more.

“I’ve backed off a little these past five weeks,” he said.

By doing so, he has the Saints headed upward.

(Rick Hickman/American Press)

Rick Hickman