Hope leaving own footsteps at William Penn
Charlie Hope Jr. isn't trying to follow in his father's footsteps.
Because his dad, Charlie Hope Sr., was 6-foot-3, 308 pounds during his football career. Those would be some awfully big footsteps.
"He'll never fill my shoes, but he's doing a great job of filling his own," Charlie Sr. said with a chuckle.
Charlie Jr. is forging his own path, a trail of hard hits that scatter opposing running backs. The William Penn senior made 100 tackles during the regular season, and kept up his stellar play last week as the Colonials defeated Sussex Central 38-21 in the opening round of the DIAA Division I playoffs.
That put William Penn in the D-I semifinals for the third straight season. The Colonials will travel to defending champion Smyrna for a 7:30 p.m. Saturday kickoff, when a big game from Hope will be critical against the high-flying Eagles.
"Charlie dictates a lot of what people do," William Penn coach Marvin Dooley said. "If you look at [against Sussex Central], they ran a lot of off-tackle stuff. They did not mess with the middle. Charlie Hope is a defensive menace."
The 6-foot-3, 225-pound senior is a returning first-team All-State pick, and his game is even better this season.
"I feel like I'm in on a lot more plays, and I'm moving across the field better," Charlie Jr. said. "I'm making a lot more tackles."
His father was one of the best players in William Penn's storied history. Charlie Sr. and Dooley were best friends when they helped the Colonials win a Division I football crown in 1987. Charlie Sr. went on to an All-American career as a guard and tackle at Central State (Ohio), then was signed as a free agent by the Miami Dolphins in 1992. He went on to spend 2½ years with the Green Bay Packers — playing six games in 1994 — and another year with the Frankfurt Galaxy in NFL Europe.
Now, Charlie Sr. is an assistant on Dooley's staff, and their strong bond continues. Charlie Jr.'s best friend is Marvin's son Brandon, an All-State lineman who graduated last year.
"He knows when to push, when to back off," Dooley said of Charlie Sr. "He's a great assistant coach. Charlie Hope brings a lot of elements to our team that I wouldn't have."
Charlie Sr. seems to have the right touch in guiding his son.
"Once you're a Colonial, you bleed cherry and black. So it's good to have him here," Charlie Sr. said. "But I never put the pressure on him to be a football player. He developed himself. He put the work in. He's in the weight room, he's out running, he's doing everything he has to do to develop and create his own style."
Charlie Jr., who has received recruiting interest from Connecticut, Albany and Stony Brook, said his father has aided him without creating pressure.
"He helps me a lot," he said. "He's coached me my whole life. After the games and after practice, he always has something different to tell me that helps me work on my game."
Work is a big part of C.J.'s game. In fact, Dooley's biggest challenge is keeping him fresh.
"He doesn't miss a day of practice," the coach said. "He goes both ways, doesn't miss any reps. I've got to force him out of reps, force him to take a break. He is just a great young man to coach."
The Colonials were reeling in the locker room last Saturday, as Sussex Central scored two touchdowns in the last 17 seconds of the first half to pull within 21-14. Charlie Jr. delivered a motivational speech at halftime, then backed it up on the offensive line with a key block on the third play of the third quarter to spring fullback Angelo Ortiz for a 55-yard touchdown.
"He gave me a big block there, and I was free to go," Ortiz said.
But Charlie Jr.'s biggest impact comes on defense, where he calls the Colonials' signals.
"Just a good attitude and intensity, great effort, never quit," he said. "I think I'm a good reader on defense. I'm good at putting everybody in their position."
He's good at his position, too, especially against the run.
"He plays downhill linebacker," Dooley said. "He moves the piles backwards. I think his best attribute is tackle to tackle. He's a menace for offenses."
Smyrna takes a 20-game winning streak into the Saturday's semifinals. The Eagles trailed William Penn 13-0 late in the first half in last year's semis, then scored the final 30 points.
"I think we're doing good right now," Charlie Jr. said. "We're on a hot streak. It should be a good game."
The Colonials have a nine-game winning streak over their own. To make it 10, Charlie Hope Jr. will need to leave some big footsteps on the Eagles.
Contact Brad Myers at bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ.