By Joanna Chadwick
There were signs that Wichita Southeast football would be a better team than the previous five seasons when the Buffaloes won a combined five games.
*The big senior class that bought into coach Corby Milleson’s system as juniors.
*The commitment in the weight room with attendance at 90% or better.
*Strong practice habits.
Southeast is 3-1 heading into Friday’s game with Kapaun (4-0).
“I’m excited for the kids,” said Milleson, in his second year. “They’re in a position they’ve never been in before. We’re teaching them how to handle the success in the right way and enjoy it at the same time.”
The Buffaloes won a combined 16 games from 2013-2024, going 3-6 in 2019, 2012 and 2011. Their last winning season was in 2008 when they started 4-0 and finished 5-4.
Milleson said the turnaround started in the final three games of 2024.
“We played really good defense, but our offense was horrendous — until the West High game when we went to the flex bone,” he said. “We exploded against North and then gave Northwest everything they wanted and then some.
“That was the change. We can play football. We can do the things everyone thinks we can’t do.”
Before changing the offense, Southeast’s offense struggled so much that it finished one game with minus-29 yards.
“We couldn’t move for anything. It was really bad against Topeka — it was called at the half,” Milleson said. “It killed me because all summer long, we had moved the ball well at camps. But the season started, and our defense was on the field for 60, 70 snaps a game.
“With the flex bone, we limited a lot of the negative plays.”
Kedrick Harrison has thrived in the offense.
“He’s a really good back, and we wanted to get the ball in his hands and let him run,” Milleson said. “And he’s done that. His offensive line has stepped up for him.”
Torian Kincaid and James Horn, both offensive guards, have been key.
Previously, Milleson’s offense ran the I formation, gap scheme, shot gun. But it led to multiple bad plays, such as snaps over the quarterback’s head, bad reads, interceptions.
“We wanted to put them in the position to win,” Milleson said. “We knew we had some backs.”
But at halftime of the Heights game, when Southeast trailed 14-13, Milleson could see that doubt had crept in.
“I think they felt they shouldn’t be there,” he said. “They had some big eyes at halftime. We told them, ‘hey, you belong. You’re a good football team.’ We’ve been telling them all the time.”
Harrison had 235 rushing yards against Heights, and the team combined for nearly 500.
And while the offense scored 22 second-half points, the defense held Heights scoreless.
“Defensively is where I want to put my money and hang my hat,” Milleson said. “Kenny Jackson, Marcus Johnson, Vernon Williams — they’re having great years. Kasen Hartfield has four interceptions. Those kids are really playing well.”
