Tyler Plantz inspires belief in Providence’s run to IHSA Class 4A semifinals

Tyler Plantz had a simple request for Providence when he took over the program in December.

Believe.

The Celtics alumnus and former college assistant coach at Notre Dame asked his players to believe in his process as a first-time head coach, to believe in his coaching staff and to believe in their teammates.

“Believe, and I swear the results will come,” Plantz told them last winter.

The Providence community believed, and the results came as Plantz brought in a fresh perspective. The Celtics will play St. Francis on Saturday in the Class 4A semifinals for a chance to return to their first state-title game since 2014 and an opportunity to win the program’s 11th state championship.

Plantz wanted “believe” to be the heart of his program. He learned about the principle from longtime offensive line coach Harry Hiestand, whom he worked with at Notre Dame.

Hiestand learned the principle from Dan Radakovich, who is considered by many to be the best college football assistant coach of all time. Radakovich taught that belief in technique was the most important principle a player could have, and no matter how good they were, if they believed in their technique, they could succeed.

“I’ve continued to morph that belief in the fundamentals, believe in the small things, believe in your teammates, believe in your coaches, believe in what we’re trying to get done,” Plantz said. “That’s become something these guys have rallied around.”

Senior quarterback Lucas Proudfoot and his teammates committed to believing the first time they heard from Plantz. They quickly learned what the standard of the program meant during one of the first workouts of the offseason. The team met at 6 a.m. and practiced outside in the cold while it snowed.

But the Celtics appreciated how Plantz kept the same values at Providence while bringing in modern approaches from the college game. They quickly bought in.

“When coach Plantz walks in, you feel the presence of a leader,” Proudfoot said. “He’s a really good leader, he’s a really good coach, and we all just bought in.”

Plantz spent a majority of the offseason teaching his players how to get stronger and dedicate themselves in the weight room since many didn’t learn proper technique because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He also used his past to help build his new program. Plantz spent the summer talking with coaches who’d visit him at Providence, such as Notre Dame offensive coordinator Tommy Reese and former Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini. The sources gave him advice on how to use the players he inherited.

But Plantz dedicated himself to the team in order for his players to believe. He used the work ethic that helped him walk on to Notre Dame to create game plans for each week and left no stone unturned.

“His work ethic is just something our kids and families have bought in,” Providence athletic director Doug Ternik said. “There’s nobody that’s out there working harder than him right now. That’s been the most fun watching, the different way things are run.”

Providence started the season 2-2 with losses to Wheaton North and Joliet Catholic and wins against Fenwick and Indiana’s Lake Central. Plantz thought the Celtics made every mistake they could, but they continued to grow and never stopped believing.

The Celtics couldn’t make plays to beat Loyola or St. Rita in Weeks 7 and 8, but they learned from those losses to beat Wheaton Academy (17-3) in the opening week of the playoffs, Joliet Catholic (24-14) in the second round and top-seeded Richmond-Burton (31-14) in the quarterfinals. They became comfortable with the speed of the game and their assignments, and the wins came.

“The more these guys have taken more reps, got more comfortable with each other, believing in the process, believing in the team, believing in the coaching staff and most importantly believing in themselves,” Plantz said. “That progression has been awesome to see. That’s been the biggest thing since Week 1 to where we’re standing.”

Plantz won’t diverge from focusing on St. Francis this weekend. He knows the Spartans have posed a challenge for every team they’ve played this season, and he doesn’t expect Saturday to be any different.

But the Celtics are one game away from returning to the state championship in Plantz’s first season back at his alma mater. It’s hard not to imagine what a victory Saturday would feel like.

“If that situation does come, obviously that’s something we’re going to be excited about, and when I look at the scoreboard and it happens to be in our favor on Saturday,” Plantz said. “I can only imagine what it’s going to feel like.”

He just has to believe.