By CONOR NICHOLL

cnicholl@dailynews.net

Thirty-six hours after he was officially hired as the new football coach at Hays High School, Ryan Cornelsen met with 74 potential players this morning. Cornelsen told the players that he believes the Indians can win this fall. The HHS program has not made the postseason since 1995.

"I think the key is the summer," Cornelsen said at a news conference this morning. "I think we have to have a great summer with numbers, intensity, and it is probably going to be more than what we normally do in summer to get ready.

"I don't think it is fair to a senior class to say we are going to do this (rebuild) in three years because to me, that would make me want to get sick if I was a senior. They are a good bunch of kids and probably our strongest bunch at this time. They deserve to have a chance to be part of this. That is why I want to make it clear that the goal is year one," he added.

Cornelsen takes over the Hays High program after a successful six-year run at Class 2-1A La Crosse. The Leopards finished 53-13 in his six seasons, won two regional titles and didn't lose a regular season contest in his final three seasons. The Leopards were 11-1 this fall and finished No. 2 in Class 2-1A in the final rankings.

Cornelsen expects to run the same off-set I formation offense that yielded 47 points per game. He also look to foster the same intensity in summer workouts and practices that made the Leopards successful.

"We had good numbers," Cornelsen said of the meeting. "I think the kids were excited to see what it is going to be like and I was glad to meet them and it is Day One for me. From here on out, we have got to hit the ground running and get things going and get people excited and the kids, hopefully they follow suit. I have no doubt they will, and I am excited to get started."

Cornelsen interviewed with the Hays High administration last week and was approved at the board meeting Monday.

Hays High Athletic Director Clint Albers said the school received "around 30" applicants for the position, including some from out of state.

"He has got a great work ethic," Albers said. "He loves what he does. He works hard. He has got a passion for football and the kids and education and the weight room and just really a passion in everything that he does."

Cornelsen believes the administration, which has hired three football coaches in four years and seen a change in coaches in softball, volleyball, girls' basketball and track in the last two seasons, is aggreeable to change.

"I felt very confident that the school board, all the way down through the administration, was willing to make the changes that it was going to take to be successful," Cornelsen said Tuesday, a statement he reitrated after the meeting today. "To be honest, it got me excited about wanting to do things different. Not willing to accept a certain level of commitment."

Cornelsen, a Liberal native and Fort Hays State University graduate, viewed and graded on film every Hays High player over Christmas break. Hays High was outscored 259-144 in the fall, including tallying just seven points in three district losses. The Indians finished 26th in scoring offense out of 32 Class 5A teams in scoring offense in both of former coach Rick Blosser's two seasons, according to preppowerindex.com. HHS was 4-5 this year.

"I saw things on there that we can get better at," Cornelsen said. "From game one to game nine, I think there can be a lot more improvment. I saw kids that gave good effort, that played with some desire and I got excited about that. I feel like we can make a big improvement."

The Indians finished 6-12 under Blosser and have not won a district game in three years, but Cornelsen believes the proogram can be turned around.

"I think (Hays is) ready to get behind their football program," Cornelsen said. "I think that it is a place that the administration saw that it needed to be things within the system changed, the blueprint for success needed to be changed, and they were supportive. They wanted to hear those ideas. With them wanting to make those changes and be a part of something special and get this turned in the right direction, that it was a great fit for me."

Cornelsen's total salary at Hays High will be $72,200.