Gorman named defensive coordinator for JCHS varsity team
BY AARON OTTIS
SPORTS EDITOR
Maybe you know him as a teacher at Illini Middle School, or maybe you know him from the Wellness Center. Perhaps you've had a child participate in the football program in Jerseyville; perhaps you played in Jerseyville's football program alongside him.

Either way, Jamie Gorman is a familiar face to many within Jersey County. From his teaching position at IMS, to his coaching positions throughout Jersey District 100 and his own days under the Friday night lights, Gorman's passion for Panthers football is easily recognized.

Now Gorman will get a chance to put his imprint on a key part of Jersey's game plan, as he was named defensive coordinator by head coach Gary Carter, who begins his second year atop the Jersey Community High School Panthers football program.

"It is a big challenge," Gorman says of his new position. "We went 1-8 last year, and defense is big part of winning football games. Simply put, the less they score, the better chance we have of winning football games. It is a big challenge. This is my hometown. There is a little pressure to do well."

Gorman began his coaching career at Carrollton for two years, then moved to Calhoun for a year and Gillespie for another year. He has been coaching within District 100 for about 10 years. That includes a lot of football, but he has also handled basketball and volleyball coaching duties. His last year as a varsity assistant was 2003, under Chris Skinner, before Jack Holmes retired from IMS and Gorman took over the eighth grade football position.

Knowing the athletes from his time at IMS means that Gorman already knows what many of his players bring to the table talent-wise, and he knows what it will take to get the most from his players.

"I have coached almost all of these kids," Gorman explained. "I have had them at the lower levels, just about every one of them. They are good kids. They are very respectful to me and all the other coaches on the staff. They are not a problem."

The defensive game plan for Jerseyville seems easy enough under Gorman, who says, "I try to keep things very simple. I guess I am a simple person, and I figure that everyone out there that is playing football for me is pretty simple, too. I give them a job and then I let them be athletes and chase the ball. If they do that one simple job, then go and chase the football, it is pretty easy."

Gorman's addition to the staff allows Carter some breathing room on the sidelines. Carter was in charge of instituting his new-to-these-Panthers "Wing-T" offense and a new look on defense last season. Ultimately, Carter knows he is responsible for the success of the team, but he said the Panthers defense is Gorman's project.

"It takes a lot of pressure off me to change gears in the middle of a game," Carter said about adding a defensive coordinator to the fold. "I know it does (remove some pressure) during the middle of the week, as far as preparation. Obviously, Jamie is going to call it all. He is a good football guy with a good football mind. But we will collaberate, too. He is not out there by himself, and neither am I with the offense. We are going to work together. He can help us out on the other side of the ball."

Carter said that Gorman will plan what his defense will practice every week, and they will develop an approach from there. With the various style present in the Mississippi Valley Conference, and the addition of two new non-conference opponents in Rochester and Morton, Gorman will have his work cut out for him.

"There is probably a lot more preparation necessary from week to week on the defensive side of the ball once the season starts," Carter said. "Most of the offensive work is about tweaking some things and perfecting the plays. It is not as big as what he has to do. He's got to go out and stop their best plays."

Even though Carter and Gorman both want to see the football program succeed, Carter said Gorman's personality fits well with the bigger picture of preparing kids to excell in the high school classroom and later in life.

"He is a good guy, and the kids like him," Carter said. "The more I do this, the more it is about the relationships than it is about the wins and losses. We are teaching kids how to be better young men. I feel better about a kid coming back ten years after playing football and seeing that he is successful. It sounds kinda corny, but I will remember that more than I will what record we had that year. Jamie's position at Illini will help us keep the young kids involved and move this program forward."