BENTONVILLE — A new era begins for Elkins football this season as Thurman Shaw takes over for Aaron Clark.
While Shaw, the Elks’ previous defensive coordinator, provides a change at the top of the program, the leader in the lockerroom will remain the same.
Profile
DAKOTA KEYS
SCHOOL: Elkins
HEIGHT: 5-8
WEIGHT: 200
POSITION: Inside Linebacker/Fullback
NOTABLE: Three-year starter who also played for varsity as a freshman. … Among team leaders with more than 100 tackles as a junior. … Moves from offensive line to fullback on offense.
Dakota Keys, a 5-foot-8, 200-pound senior inside linebacker, is the unquestioned leader on the field. A three-year starter, Keys has played a big role for Elkins the last three years as a two-way player.
This season, that role will only increase.
“He never comes off the field,” Shaw said. “Even as a 10th grader, he never came off the field. He’s been doing that for three years.
“Even as a ninth grader he played in our playoff game, and he’s started every year since the 10th grade and he’s just one of our real big leaders.”
Keys paired with graduated linebacker Tyler Casebolt to help form one of the top 1-2 defensive tandems in the 3A-1 Conference the last two seasons. But with Casebolt now gone, the job to lead the Elkins’ defense rests on Keys’ shoulders alone.
“I take over a little more responsibility this year,” he said. “I kind of lose my right hand man (in Tyler Casebolt), so I’ve got more responsibility. But we’ve got a lot of other good linebackers around me.”
Keys admits playing such a big part is something he relishes. And with Elkins coming off a 2-8 season, he’s determined to make sure things get turned around before his days in an Elks uniform are complete.
“It’s something that’s been a weight on my mind since last year,” Keys said. “We had some games we should have won that we didn’t wrap up. This year, we’re definitely going to be more focused.”
While defense is a main focus, an shown Monday during a weekly 7-on-7 passing league event at Tiger Stadium in Bentonville, Keys also will be vital to the Elks’ offensive success as well. Switching from offensive line to fullback, the senior should provide much-needed blocking for an Elkins rushing attack, while the youthful offensive line gains experience.
“Our offensive line this year is real young,” Shaw said. “We’ve just got two guys on the line who have played, and they’re seniors, but other than that we’re starting fresh. So he’ll be real important for us at fullback.”
Keys promises fans will see plenty of changes this season.
“There’s no doubt who our leader is. It’s not one of those things you have to say, ‘Dakota Keys is our man.’ He’s our leader,” Shaw said. “We’ve got some other guys with potential to lead. But there’s no doubt who our guy is.”