When a new coach takes over a veteran team, the adjustment period can sometimes be rough. Older players used to doing things one way may struggle with the new coach’s methods, or their personalities may clash.

When B.J. Smithhart took over at St. Aloysius, the transition was smooth as butter.

The Flashes, led by the energetic Smithhart and a large senior class, went 7-4 this season. They missed the playoffs by a game — all four losses were to division teams that reached the postseason, three of whom advanced to the second round or beyond — but still had a three-game turnaround from 2007 and just their second winning record in the last five seasons.

For engineering the turnaround, Smithhart has been selected The Vicksburg Post’s Coach of the Year.

“I think it’s a good award and a great honor, because of the football that’s played in Warren County,” Smithhart said.

To hear Smithhart tell it, he was simply the captain of the ship. His assistant coaches — Jimmy Salmon and Mike Jones, who have each been at St. Al for years, along with second-year line coach Will Vollor — and a strong cast of 10 seniors had as much to do with the team’s success as he did.

“It helped from day one, because Jimmy knew all the kids and what they could do. And it gave me time to work on the offense, which is my specialty, because I knew the defense was handled,” Smithhart said. “With Will coming in, that was another boost. One of the big improvements was how physical we were, and that’s all on Will.”

Players who were short on ego also helped Smithhart. When a season-ending injury to tailback Ryno Martin-Nez left the Flashes shorthanded in the backfield, Smithhart moved Chris Lewis from quarterback to tailback. Lewis, in his third season as the starting quarterback, welcomed the move and responded with a 100-yard, three-touchdown night in his first game, a 24-17 win over Madison-St. Joe in double overtime.

“I liked that. Doing whatever it takes to win. I love it. It’s great,” said junior Regan Nosser, who also switched positions from receiver to quarterback when Lewis was moved.

Other veteran players also stepped up. Lineman Cole Whitney played both ways, earning All-Region 3-1A honors on the offensive line while also collecting 70 tackles at defensive end. Linebacker Justin Hosemann had key interceptions in late wins over Pelahatchie and Cathedral.

“You look at it, and it was those seniors. I can count three or four big plays in games we won, and that’s what you need is those big plays in crunch time,” Smithhart said. “We could easily be 4-7. Those seniors found a way to win.”

Smithhart also credited the older players with preparing their younger teammates for the future. St. Al returns seven starters on either side of the ball next season, which should help them make another run at a playoff berth.

“Chris has helped me since the ninth grade at quarterback,” Nosser said. “He pretty much guided me through every practice. I’m sure Cole did his part with the line, and Price (Blagg) too.”

Although he had plenty of help, Smithhart still had to push the right buttons — and he seemed to do it when it mattered most. St. Al won three games with touchdowns in the final minute or overtime. Two of those, against Pelahatchie and Cathedral, came on length-of-the-field drives in the fourth quarter. Another win over Pisgah was won with a late defensive stand.

The season ended in disappointment when the Flashes lost their last two games to Mount Olive and Stringer and missed the playoffs. It hardly took away the shine of a season that kicked the program back in the right direction, though.

“You always want to win a couple more games. But from day one we didn’t have any problems. We didn’t have guys missing practice, or getting in trouble in school. They were a joy to coach,” Smithhart said. “Of course we would’ve liked to have won a couple more games, but we had a successful season.”

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Contact Ernest Bowker at ebowker@vicksburgpost.com.