New coach, new scheme at Prairie

CEDAR RAPIDS - Mark Bliss met Jim Dostal at something called the Down Under Bowl, about 20 years ago in Australia.

It led to a friendship that lasts today. It's a friendship that brought Bliss to Cedar Rapids.

'Before we retired, we always wanted to coach together,” Bliss said. 'It has always been a goal of ours. And I'm blessed that I get to fulfill it.”

A four-time state champion coach at Conway Springs (Kan.), the 51-year-old Bliss brings his single-wing attack to Prairie High School. Dostal, who coached Cedar Rapids Jefferson to prominence and has served recently at Coe College, will serve as Bliss' defensive coordinator and as assistant head coach.

'Jim and I, we're going to go out together,” Bliss said. 'This will be my last head-coaching job. I hope to be here 7 to 10 years. I've been blessed; I've always been able to leave my previous jobs on my own terms.”

An Oklahoma native, Bliss has coached at a number of schools in Illinois, Missouri, Colorado, Kansas and Florida. His team at Ozark (Mo.) was 5-6 last season.

His career record is 159-57 in 19 years.

At Prairie, Bliss succeeds Mike Morrissey, who posted a 19-22 mark in four years, including 4-6 last season. The Hawks were playoff qualifiers three times under Morrissey.

Bliss is a strength-and-conditioning teacher at Prairie. His wife, Jill, has been hired to teach family consumer science. Their youngest of four daughters, Natalie, will be a senior at Prairie.

They moved to Iowa on May 31.

'The thing we learned first is that Iowa has some of the nicest people I've been around in 27 years,” Bliss said. 'On the streets, in businesses, people are just nice and supportive.”

Now, those supporters in the Prairie community will try to embrace the old-school single wing, which is predicated on deception.

'We're going to run a lot of different stuff,” said wideout Jalen Rima, a state track champion and a four-sport standout. 'It sounds difficult, but once you do it a lot, it's pretty easy.”

Bliss said he began to sell his team on the single wing shortly after his arrival.

'I popped in a highlight film, and they saw that we do all sorts of variations out of it,” Bliss said. 'My first year here will have more in the playbook of any of my first years anywhere.

'We'll do a little of everything. We have the single wing. We have a (variation) of the spread. We have a hybrid package. The kids will run a little of all three.”

Bliss inherits a good receiving tandem in seniors Rima (23 receptions, 302 yards, 3 touchdowns) and Jojuan Simpson (29 catches, 343 yards, 1 TD). Dakota Simonsen took over the quarterbacking duties last year after starter Trey Beckman was sidelined, and returns for his junior season.

'We've got some really nice skill kids,” Bliss said. 'We have 22 seniors. They have those little intangibles that you look for in a player. They have a lot of good qualities. I hope that transfers to the field on Friday nights.

'When you combine talent with good character, you're going to be successful, and I think we've got that here.”

The Hawks open at Linn-Mar on Friday, Aug. 28. Their district season begins Sept. 25, at home against Burlington.

CEDAR RAPIDS PRAIRIE, at a glance

Coach: Mark Bliss (1st year, 0-0; 20th year overall, 159-57)

Last year: 4-6 overall, 2-3 Class 4A District 6 (tie-3rd), 4A playoffs qualifier (lost to Pleasant Valley, 31-24, OT, in first round)

Returning starters (according to IHSAA football yearbook): QB Ty Nunemaker, sr.; QB Dakota Simonsen, jr.; OL/LB Alex Mixon, sr.; OL/DL Taylor Mehmen, sr.; RB Joe Meyer, jr.; WR Jalen Rima, sr.; WR Jojuan Simpson, sr.; LB Jaydon Goos, soph.; DB Ty Bolden, sr.; DB Joe Vizzini, sr.

Key losses: QB Trey Beckman, RB Keagan Pinter, OL/DL Bryce Meeker, LB Ben Boldt, LB JoJo Simpson

Key to making the playoffs: Learn the new offensive and defensive schemes quickly, win two of three swing games (against Iowa City High, Muscatine and Ottumwa).

Games to watch: Aug. 28, at Linn-Mar; Oct. 2, Iowa City High (home).

Schedule (*district game)

Aug. 28 - at Linn-Mar

Sept. 4 - Cedar Rapids Jefferson

Sept. 11 - at North Scott

Sept. 18 - Dubuque Senior

Sept. 25 - *Burlington

Oct. 2 - *Iowa City High

Oct. 8 - *at Cedar Rapids Washington

Oct. 16 - *Muscatine

Oct. 23 - *at Ottumwa

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com