Streator wants to run, but don’t sleep on Isaiah Weibel-Matt Williamson connection

As the first of his team’s three scheduled intrasquad scrimmages last week was winding down, first-year Streator Bulldogs coach Matt Cloe called Matt Williamson over to him and told the senior wide receiver the varsity offense would be running five final plays against host Dwight, all inside the red zone.

“At least three of them are going to be iso[lation] plays for you,” Cloe said with a smile mirrored by Williamson’s own.

Cloe – a former strength and conditioning coach – has made the weight room Priority 1 for a Bulldogs team coming off back-to-back 2-7 seasons. He has made no secret of the fact he plans for Streator to become more of a running team than it has been in recent seasons, including the past four under former all-state quarterback Kyle Tutt, who resigned last November.

“My goal is more of a 50/50 type offense,” Cloe said at Tuesday’s rain-soaked 7-on-7 at Dwight. “In my experience, that’s been the most productive of any teams I’ve ever coached.”

Cloe wasn’t shy to admit the Bulldogs’ offensive line and especially running back corps still have a lot of work to do to be ready to shoulder that type of load by the scheduled season opener Aug. 30 at a new opponent on the Streator schedule, Decatur Eisenhower.

More positively, Cloe also wasn’t hesitant to recognize the strong on-the-field link on display at the all-passing 7-on-7 between Williamson and new Bulldogs starting quarterback/fellow senior Isaiah Weibel.

“They kind of have a bit of an unspoken connection,” Cloe said. “They’re on the same page, no doubt, and with a simple look they both pretty much know what they’re going to run.

“You can tell they’ve played together.”

“We grew up together,” Williamson said. “We’re really good friends off the field, and on the field it’s just about pushing each other. I feel like we’ve been doing that.

“It’s all about reps. Reps are everything, and we’re getting it done.”

Williamson already is a proven commodity. A two-time Times All-Area first-team selection, the 6-3, 175-pound Williamson followed up a 43-reception, 481-yard, two-touchdown sophomore season with last fall’s 44-catch, 681-yard, 10-touchdown performance. Helping his understanding of the passing game was his time as a youth and underclass quarterback before converting to receiver.

Nearly all his receptions, yards and touchdowns, it should be noted, were posted with now-graduated all-state quarterback Christian Benning under center. Weibel did finish one game and start another – a 47-26 home loss to Manteno – last season when Benning was out with an injury, and while effective did more damage with his feet (123 rushing yards, three TDs) than his arm (8 for 18 passing for 85 yards with no TDs or INTs).

There was no doubt watching last Tuesday’s 7-on-7, however, that Weibel has progressed as a passer and a varsity leader. That looked especially true when he was throwing Williamson’s way.

“Just [have to] keep practicing with him, put in the work and keep hanging out,” said Weibel, also a standout linebacker/safety for Streator. “I feel like that helps a lot, being childhood friends.

“That Manteno game, we had it, and that boosted my confidence a lot being able to start that game, putting in the work, seeing some success, all that. Now I feel like I can go out there and compete with anybody, and I feel like our guys have been showing up a lot more [this summer] and working in the weight room, everything.”

Williamson agreed that getting on the same page with his new starting quarterback and the rest of his teammates while learning a new playbook has been the focus of summer.

“Just chemistry with my quarterback and everybody else,” he said. “Everything passing, you need to be able to flow with everybody and their routes; and with the throws, timing is everything.”

So far, the Weibel-to-Williamson connection is one aspect that has proven to be ahead of the curve. The Bulldogs will utilize the rest of the summer and the preseason trying to get everything else up to speed.

“We’ve got the ability,” Cloe said, “and we’ve built some strength since January. We definitely have the skill kids to run multiple sets, which we will. I think just execution is the thing we’ve got to get better at, and some strength.

“We’ve got another month and a half to build the strength we need to build to be able to do what we want to do on offense.”