New look, new energy at Prairie

CEDAR RAPIDS -- Win or lose, the football team from Cedar Rapids Prairie will be virtually unrecognizable.

The Hawks have joined the 21st Century.

"We're going to do a lot of different things in terms of formation," said first-year head coach Mike Morrissey. "We're going to be more balanced."

If the Hawks' first official practice Monday was any indication, it's obvious you can't spell "Prairie" without "A-I-R" in 2011. A hefty share of the 2 1/2-hour morning workout was spent developing a passing game.

"We got a lot accomplished today," said Jace Hanna, who looked like the front-runner at quarterback. "We have a lot to learn -- a whole new offense."

It won't be the three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust attack that prevailed through the Craig Jelinek Era, which ended last year with a 2-7 record and no postseason.

For one thing, there will be no dust (or mud) at refurbished John Wall Field, which now houses FieldTurf -- and added seating on the home side of the stadium.

For another, the Hawks will be spreading things out. Morrissey inherits a playmaker in junior DeMetrius Harper, who led the team in receptions (35, for 643 yards and two touchdowns) last year.

"He has a tremendous upside," Morrissey said. "We want to be creative and find ways to get him the ball."

At 28, Morrissey is young for a head coach at the 4A level. But he has a good pedigree -- his father, Ed, was a Hall of Fame coach at Pleasant Valley.

And with youth comes energy.

"It makes you excited to play," said Jason Vizzini, a linebacker and special-teams player. "Last year, to be honest, a lot of us didn't put in the work. Now, there's a new energy."

Morrissey was hired in March and visualizes big things for the Prairie program.

"When I interviewed here, I was blown away by the facilities and the school's attitude toward athletics and academics," he said.

"I want to set the standard high. I want to make the playoffs. I want to compete for conference and state championships. We have high expectations and we're going to shoot for them."

Morrissey coined the slogan "Total Effort" for this year's team. He and Vizzini both described Monday's morning workout as "flat."

That won't do.

"If we come out flat, we're in big trouble," Morrissey said.

Especially against a grueling early schedule. Prairie opens Aug. 26 at home against Cedar Rapids Washington. Then, in successive weeks, the Hawks are at Cedar Rapids Xavier, at Cedar Falls, at Iowa City West and home against Linn-Mar.

That's five straight potential top-10 teams, right out of the chute.

The Hawks' fate, Vizzini said, "all depends on how hard we work. If everybody goes hard all the time, we'll be better."