High school football: How the McKim-Kmiecik partnership has New Prairie rolling
NEW CARLISLE — There are times where the relationship between the New Prairie football coaching staff and starting quarterback Marshall Kmiechik is more like buddy-buddy than player-coach.
In practice, especially during Monday's session ahead of the Cougars' big Northern Indiana Conference road game at Penn (5-2, 3-0 NIC) the jokes were flying. One coach had something to say about Kmiecik's arm strength, and the junior came right back with a witty response. All fun and games, though.
"His ability to handle his emotions, to come in and work hard every day but also keep it light and fun," New Prairie head coach Casey McKim said. "His mentality fits exactly what we want as a staff and what we believe in."
That relationship didn't just start one day in the middle of the season. It was built over the last three years, from the time McKim came to New Prairie after coaching at Valparaiso, and Kmiecik blossomed into one of the area's top quarterbacks.
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Kmiecik, has been McKim's quarterback since he took over three seasons ago. He made his first start in a frozen, rainy sectional game against Plymouth at the end of his freshman year and has taken off since.
"I lacked confidence a lot," said Kmiecik of his first varsity start. "I didn't think I was ready for it and got thrown in there. I think my confidence the last two years has grown a lot and I am ready for everything."
New Prairie was a solid football program before McKim and Kmiecik arrived. But their partnership has made it as consistent as it comes in the South Bend area.
In the past two seasons as New Prairie's full-time starter Kmiecik has led the Cougars to an 18-3 record (7-0, 4-0 NIC this season), on the verge of a second consecutive 10-plus win season for the first time since 2013-14, and a semi-state appearance last year for the first time since 2014.
"It's always fun winning and easier to play football and be excited when you are winning," Kmiecik said. "Building a program is a lot easier when you are winning. I love to be a part of it. As a little kid I watched Chase Ketterer play and looked at him like an NFL player. Being able to fill a little bit of his footsteps, it feels good to be able to keep winning."
And keep growing. Kmiecik made the quick jump to New Prairie's varsity team as a freshman because he was clearly the best player on the field. He showed that on a brief stint with JV, too. During last year's offseason, he dedicated himself to the weightroom, allowing him to become more of a running threat and finished with 952 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns.
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This year, Kmiecik's maturity has spoken volumes. In seven games, he has recorded 601 rushing yards, six touchdowns, 618 passing yards and six scores.
McKim said he is telling other guys what do and helping them grow. He is asking deeper questions, wanting to know what other positions are doing to understand the purpose of each play call.
"I give him a lot of trust and so does coach (Bill) Gumm (New Prairie offensive coordinator), to get us into other things, give us some feedback on what he sees every play," McKim said. "The biggest thing, he is the kind of person you could tell him he did a great job or absolutely horrible and it won't phase him. He is always trying to get better and it makes it really easy to coach him."
For New Prairie, that has made the last three seasons fun. The winning, the jokes at practice all playing into that.
The relationship between coaching staff and starting quarterback has been the perfect match. McKim and Kmiecik, who has one more season left at New Prairie, have the Cougars headed in the right direction, now and for the future.
"We are playing for now," McKim said, "Now is the future all the time and when you are a competitor, that is the case."
Current standings
NIC East/West: New Prairie (7-0, 3-0 NIC), Penn (5-2, 3-0 NIC), Elkhart (6-1, 2-1 NIC), Marian (2-5, 1-2 NIC), South Bend Saint Joseph (2-5, 1-3 NIC), South Bend Adams (1-6, 0-4 NIC)
NIC North/South: Jimtown (5-2, 4-0 NIC), Bremen (4-3, 2-1 NIC), South Bend Riley (4-3, 2-1 NIC), Glenn (3-4, 1-2 NIC), South Bend Washington (1-6, 1-3 NIC), South Bend Clay (0-7, 0-3 NIC)
NLC: NorthWood (7-0, 5-0 NLC), Mishawaka (6-1, 4-1 NLC), Warsaw (5-2, 3-2 NLC), Northridge (4-3, 3-2 NLC), Concord (3-4, 2-3 NLC), Goshen (2-5, 2-3 NLC), Wawasee (1-6, 1-4 NLC), Plymouth (0-7, 0-5 NLC)
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: IHSAA football: Player-coach partnership has New Prairie team rolling
