COMMENTARY
MORGANTOWN – Coaches often talk about a culture of “expecting to win,” so much so it can often go in one ear and out the other, dismissed as coach’s speak. But when a coach insists his team must “deserve to win,” your ears perk up.
When Sean Biser took to the podium for the first time as the head football coach for Morgantown High School, he dropped a line that should have grabbed the attention of every player on his new team. Before Morgantown can expect to win, it must deserve to win.
Biser, admitted he borrowed the phrase from Mohigans’ boys basketball coach Dave Tallman, but the approach speaks to the type of culture he instilled during his 16 seasons at Keyser. Biser’s Golden Tornado teams missed the playoffs just twice and finished runner-up in 2012.
“They’re going to have to learn to trust me and I’m going to have to learn to trust them and I think that’s going to happen as we get to know each other,” noted Biser.
Morgantown has always expected to win.
It was a dominant force in Class AAA, winning four state titles between 2000 and 2006. However, the Mohigans are now 14 years removed from their last state championship and haven’t won a playoff game since 2016 when they reached the semifinals. Most of the current Morgantown players were either in diapers or not even born the last time the Mohigans hoisted the state championship trophy.
So, what makes a team worthy of expecting to win? According to Biser, it starts far away from the Friday night lights. Deserving to win begins in the weight room.
“The number one place to make that happen is in the weight room,” Biser said. “You’re going to build some toughness, some work ethic and a camaraderie in there you can’t get anywhere else.
“We’re going to do what’s right. We’re going to what’s right on the field, in the classroom, and in the community.”
Biser plans to implement the Wing-T offense he ran at Keyser, the same base offense Morgantown ran to perfection in its championship seasons of 2000, 2002, 2005 and 2006. The throwback offense requires toughness and discipline that Biser believes is learned during workouts when no one but teammates and coaches are watching.
“We’re going to build our team to be physical and fast and we’re going to do that through our strength and conditioning program,” Biser said. “We’re going to build our culture through the weight room. If you’re not willing to go in and work hard in the weight room, we’re not going to be successful on the football field.”
Coaches are ultimately measured by wins and losses, but Biser brings an unquantifiable quality to the job that was on full display in the outpouring of support from the Keyser community after he was named the new coach in Morgantown.
His impact on the community and former players can’t be measured in any statistical category, and if Biser can have a similar impact in Morgantown, wins won’t be far behind.
Leave no doubt that Biser deserved the chance to lead a proud Mohigan football program striving to regain the prominence it once enjoyed in Class AAA and that under his leadership Morgantown will deserve to win.