Derry grad Justin Flack using veteran know-how to help lay foundation for Waynesburg football

Figuring out that Waynesburg running back Justin Flack oozes veteran savvy is easy. Just ask the fifth-year senior to rattle off the names of some young players who will take a step forward for the Yellow Jackets in 2023.

Three of the names he offers are sophomores Jacob Brisky (Latrobe), Isaiah Grenway and Dalton Scruggs. All offensive linemen.

The big boys up front might be a little more eager to open holes if shown some love by their running back.

Clearly a veteran move.

Flack (5-foot-7, 190 pounds) has found plenty of holes in his four seasons at Waynesburg. The Derry grad entered Saturday’s season opener against Allegheny with 2,711 career yards and 23 touchdowns on the ground.

Last season produced his best output yet: 811 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground and a personal best 23 receptions — more than in his first three seasons combined — 263 yards and a touchdown. Against Geneva he had 170 yards rushing on only 10 carries, two of which resulted in touchdowns. He had 151 and three scores against Thiel.

Perhaps not coincidentally, the Yellow Jackets won both of those games.

The downside for Waynesburg is it won only one other game in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference. That ran the team’s string of sub-.500 seasons in the PAC to eight.

But the 3-5 PAC mark — and 4-6 overall — was a sign of progress in the team’s first season under coach Cornelius Coleman, Ph.D. Coleman, who was an honorable mention All-American defensive end at Waynesburg, is intent on returning the program to its former competitive ways.

To do it, Coleman said, he is trying to lay a foundation with a lot of younger players. But he will look to veterans such as Flack to pave the way.

“It’s a blessing to have him back,” Coleman said. “To have a student-athlete of that magnitude in our program is significant for us, especially coaching staff-wise, going into Year 2, to have an older veteran guy with quality experience on the field.

“But off of the field is the biggest thing for us. … Being the older, veteran, seasoned guy, he brings in a lot of wisdom, teaching young players how to evaluate film, take care of their bodies. Just providing a blueprint of what college students are. … This is how you prepare for life after college.”

Flack enjoys talking about that aspect of his role on the team much more than any statistical contribution. Even though he might not be around to see the full fruits of his labors, he is satisfied knowing he is playing an important role in what the Yellow Jackets could become.

Still, he is optimistic that the team, despite its relative overall youth, can produce more wins.

“I have seen a lot of really positive things,” he said. “We have a lot of really young guys who are super athletic and are going to be extremely great players. They’re going to have a really successful career here, and I’m extremely excited for it.

“I think this is probably going to be one of the best football teams that comes through Waynesburg because of these young guys. They’re excited, and they’re hungry not only to play football but to turn around the culture here.”

While the underclassmen might be the future of the program, Flack still figures to be a huge part of the present.

Coleman said he believes the attention Flack will draw from opposing defenses will give the Yellow Jackets opportunities to make plays in the passing game. Flack, too, will continue to be part of the passing game coming off his best season catching the ball out of the backfield.

“We just want to get him touches at any cost,” Coleman said. “And I’ll be quite blunt: (Getting him so involved in the passing game) wasn’t even a target or a key area for us (last year). He’s just so dynamic. He’s a really good athlete, he has soft hands, he’s very twitchy. He’s able to shift gears and have defenders miss in space.”

Asked if he is excited about getting more touches, Flack responded in his typically understated way.

“I think any football player wants to get the ball in their hands and show what they can do and help their team in the best possible way,” he said.

Even when pressed about last season’s first-team All-PAC honor, Flack doesn’t bite. While he allowed that it is nice to see all of his hard work being recognized, he doesn’t put a lot of stock in it.

“I don’t really talk a lot about it now,” he said. “I think that kind of stuff is good for later on in life when you’re looking back and want to show your kids one day, things like that. I wouldn’t be able to do that without my team.”

Waynesburg will find out quickly how much progress it has made.

Its next three games are against PAC heavyweights Grove City, Carnegie Mellon — the defending conference champion and 16th-ranked team in the D3football.com preseason poll — and Westminster.

Last season, the Yellow Jackets pushed the Tartans to the limit. Carnegie Mellon needed a touchdown with just over a minute remaining to escape with a 27-20 victory.

Flack said he expects the close games to turn in Waynesburg’s favor this season. And beyond.

“I think last year was a building stone,” he said. “We should have won more games last year than we did. Now this year, we have kind of the training wheels off, so to speak. The older guys that were here last year, we know what to expect this year, and I think we’re going to have a really good team this year.

“I’m extremely excited for it.”