By RICHIE HALL
A young coach is ready to take the Noblesville football team back to the old school.
Dave Sharpe was hired as the Millers new head football coach Tuesday during the Noblesville Schools’ regular board meeting. Sharpe’s tenure as coach officially begins in January, but he is already preparing for the new job, and was talking with some of his future players minutes after his hiring was made official.
“It’s a big small town,” said Sharpe. “And I like that in a school. It’s one big high school right in the middle of the community.”
Sharpe spent the 2019 season at Hamilton Southeastern, where he served as the team’s defensive coordinator. As a result, he has first-hand knowledge of the Hoosier Crossroads Conference, which he said “is as good a conference as there is in the entire Midwest, so we’re going to play some great competition.”
“There’s no bad teams,” said Sharpe. “Every week anybody can beat anybody. The rosters are so big, everybody’s too platooned. It’s a level playing field for most schools in the league.”
“Coach Sharpe has a great football pedigree and 14 years of strong, successful coaching experience,” said NHS Athletic Director Leah Wooldridge. “He knows we’ve been a team in transition and he’s committed to bringing stability and leadership to build our program. His focus on kids and his great football mind will be huge assets. I’m excited to see what we can accomplish together moving forward.”
Sharpe’s football pedigree comes from Jimtown, as he is the son of legendary Jimmies coach Bill Sharpe, who compiled a 288-54 record in 28 seasons (1980-2007) and four state championships (1991, 1997, 1998 and 2005). Dave Sharpe graduated from Jimtown in 2000, then attended Purdue University, graduating from there in 2004 with an education degree. He will teach physical education at Noblesville High School.
Dave Sharpe began his career as an assistant for the Jimmies, first under his father, then for current coach Michael Campbell, who took over in 2008 after Bill Sharpe retired. Dave Sharpe’s first head coaching job was at John Glenn, where he went 13-9 in two seasons.
In 2015, Sharpe became the head coach at La Porte – another “big small town.” In four seasons with the Slicers, Sharpe compiled a 26-17 record, including a Duneland Conference championship in 2016.
“My vision for Noblesville is to be the polar opposite offensively,” said Sharpe. “We’re going to go incredibly old-school. We’re going to go double tights. We’re going to go a full house T offense, and we want to be the oddball in the league. With everybody going to a full spread offense, we’re going to give opponents something that they only get to prepare for once a year.”
Sharpe said his plans for the next couple weeks include getting to know his players and to “continue to evaluate the kids from the game films that I just inherited.” His top priority is to hire a coaching staff. “And then just setting the groundwork of what we envision the program with going forward,” he said.
Noblesville High School hired Dave Sharpe as its new head football coach at the Noblesville Schools board meeting on Tuesday. Sharpe was the defensive coordinator at Hamilton Southeastern this past season and previously served as head coach at La Porte and John Glenn. (Jeff Jellison)
Man, this is concerning. What if Noblesville only has two big lineman, no dominate blocking TE’s, 3 talented WR’s and a QB that can sling it? You’re announcing that your plan is to lineup in the fullhouse and try to ram it down teams’ throats? I’ve not seen a great coach (in the modern era) win by only playing, “their system” regardless of the talent at their school. Sure, you may win some games but in the HCC you WILL lose more than you win over the long haul. This mindset in the HCC is a death sentence unless you have the personnel to do it. Coach Sharpe lines up in the double tight full house and allows, say Avon, to put 8-9 in the box. Millers may lose by 60. Quite honestly, I’m shocked he would come out and make such a bold statement.
The “spread” was created for two very simple reasons. One, to make teams defend sideline to sideline thus getting players out of the box. Two, it was created to equate numbers in the running game. “Spread” doesn’t mean you have to throw it 50 times a game. For him to come out and basically say Noblesville needs to be different to win in this conference tells me he believes this is his only chance to be competitive. Really bold statement. Good luck Coach Sharpe.
This makes no sense. As the previous comment, there is a reason you don’t see the full house formation anymore except for goal situations. What do kids see every Saturday and Sunday? Spread offense. Why would a QB want to play in this style of offense? Noblesville is never going to be overpowering. That is why the spread came about. What do you tell you kids that want to be receivers. I completely agree with Dawson. Also you can change the temp of the offense and the is really big plus.